Looking to win three in a row, the Peacock men’s basketball team played as the road team for the final time of the regular season Saturday night when they visited Moorhead, Minn. for a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference game with the Dragons of MSU Moorhead. The Dragons outscored UIU by eleven in the first half of action and played even with the Peacocks in the second half to win the matchup, 87-76.

 

Senior guard Matt Lesan led Upper Iowa with 24 points, 11 of which came from the free throw line. Alex Kramer netted 12 points and Jake Hughes added 10 points on four-of-nine shooting from the field.

 

Upper Iowa and MSU Moorhead played even through the first ten minutes of the first half, but the Dragons gained 21 points off of 12 Peacock turnovers in the opening twenty minutes to take a 40-29 lead into the break. Kramer led UIU at intermission with perfect shooting from the field and seven points.

 

Both teams shot 50% from the field in the first half, but MSUM fired up 12 more shots than the Peacocks and converted two more three point shots.

 

The home team controlled much of the second half and extended their lead to 18 early in the half, but UIU clawed back and got the deficit back to single digits as a Neil Gross three-point bucket made the score 70-62 in favor of the Dragons with just under four minutes to play.

 

Unfortunately for UIU, eight points would be the closest they would get as the Dragons made their free throws down the stretch and won the contest 87-76.

 

Both teams didn’t keep their hot shooting performances going through the second half of action. Upper Iowa finished with a 41.7% (25-60) from the field while MSU Moorhead shot just slightly better at 43.5% (27-62) however, UIU struggled from three-point land going just 5-of-19 (26.3%) from deep.

 

With the loss UIU falls to 8-16 this season and 7-13 in the NSIC while the Dragons improve to 14-10 overall and 11-9 in NSIC play.

 

The Peacocks return home next weekend for their final two regular season games starting on Friday when Bemidji State visits Dorman Gymnasium in Fayette. Prior to Saturday's regular season finale, Upper Iowa will recognize six seniors; Matt Lesan, Dan Bestul, Alex Kramer, Neil Gross, Alex Huisman and Chris Sullivan.  UIU will host the Bulldogs of Minnesota Duluth in their final home game of the year.  Tip off for both games is set for 8 p.m.