Box Score
FAYETTE, IA – A slow start and a stifling Winona State defense gave Upper Iowa fits on Tuesday night inside Dorman Gym as the Warriors snapped the Peacocks’ two-game win streak, 68-53. The conference loss drops UIU to 7-3 in NSIC play and to 11-5 overall.

The Peacocks were led on offense by senior post Tucker Wentzien who scored 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting, but his eighth and ninth point were especially significant. The Solon, Iowa native became just the 22nd member of the 1,000-point club mid-way through the second-period as he drained a jumper on the baseline over his defender. Wentzien joins the club almost three years after Matt Lesan became the 21st member in February of 2010. Lesan also reached the 1,000-point plateau against the Warriors of Winona State.

Despite Wentzien’s significant night, UIU only held one lead in the game. Bo Pagel sank a free throw just 47 seconds into the game to give the Peacocks a 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, that lead disappeared seven seconds later.

Meanwhile, the Warriors controlled the tempo of the game with a very simple gameplan – get the ball to their leading scorer Clayton Vette and go from there.

Vette hit three of Winona State’s seven layups within the first ten minutes as WSU jumped out to a 21-8 lead. The Peacocks would respond with a run of their own.

A Jake Hughes layup at the 4:39 mark in the first half cut the lead to four, 27-23, as UIU went on a six-minute 13-6 run. Zander Culver hit a 3 for WSU to extend the Warrior lead back to seven before Joey Woods drove to the hoop and sank a layup to pull UIU within three, 30-27, with 2:33 left before halftime.

Vette connected on another layup before Sam Elgin hit a jumper to ensure a 3-point deficit for the Peacocks at halftime, 32-29.

“We spent a lot of energy coming back,” coach Brian Dolan said about the slow start. “I don’t know if it hurt us tonight. Typically, you think it would hurt, but I’d have to watch the film. I thought they got tired when we made our run in the second half.”

The Peacocks’ second-half run started with a 3-pointer from Elgin before Woods added a layup and Wentzien got into the mix with a jump-shot to tie the game at 36-36 with 16:53 remaining.

UIU’s momentum ended there, though.

Taylor Cameron drilled two of his four free throws to retake the lead, before adding a layup on the next possession to push the Warrior lead to four.

“We had the ball a couple times to tie it or take the lead and we didn’t,” Dolan said. “It seemed like that re-energized them a little bit and that was the turning point.”

Vette connected on another layup to give WSU a 44-36 lead before UIU made another run. Jake Shonka found the bottom of the net, before Woods drained two free throws. David Smith then earned a trip to the free-throw line and sank both his shots to pull the Peacocks within two, 44-42.

The comeback would stop there.

WSU pushed its lead to as much as 15 points with one minute left and down the stretch, the Warriors’ Grant Johnson hit all four of his free throws in the final 44 seconds to seal the 68-53 victory.

“This is by far our worst loss that we’ve had,” Dolan admitted. “The other four you were able to point out maybe where we were wrong or where we could have done this or that and have a chance to win. Tonight, we just got beat.”

UIU was held to just 13 percent shooting from beyond the arc – its lowest total this season, while the offense produced just 53 total points – its second lowest total this year.

“You’re not going to be consistent on the offensive end – no matter what you’re running – if you’re not knocking down shots,” Dolan said. “We have better shooters than 2-for-15.”

Vette finished with a game-high 16 points on 8-of-15 shooting, while three other Warriors finished in double-figures.

“He had a heck of a game,” Dolan said about Vette. “That’s why he was preseason player of the year. He got his team the win – he did a great job.”

Wentzien's team-high 11 points leaves him with 1,003 over his four-year career at Upper Iowa. Hughes finished Tuesday night with 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting, while adding three assists and three rebounds. Shonka provided the biggest spark off the bench for the Peacocks as he contributed eight points and nailed all four of his free throws.

UIU won’t have any time to dwell on the loss as they host the University of Minnesota, Crookston on Friday night and Bemidji State on Saturday. Both games will begin at 8 PM and after the conclusion of the women's games.

“It’s going to be a quick turnaround,” Dolan said. “We basically have one day to prepare for Crookston.”