Box Score Stopping one of the hottest teams in the NSIC is not easy. Just ask the Upper Iowa men’s basketball team, which is usually able to bounce back after every loss this season. But after taking a six-point lead into halftime, the Peacocks struggled for the opening four minutes in the second half and could not keep up with red-hot Concordia University, ultimately falling, 69-67, at home.

Saturday’s loss marked the first two-game skid in conference play this season for UIU and its third loss in a row inside Dorman Gym. Overall, the Peacocks still sit in fourth place in the NSIC-South with a 17-9 overall record and a 13-7 mark in conference play.

“It was all between the ears tonight,” Head Coach Brian Dolan said. “We have a lot riding on this season, but we just lost two games this weekend and the third in a row at home. It’s gut-check time for these guys. We have higher aspirations than just a home playoff game.”

With the victory in Fayette, the Golden Bears sit at 9-15 overall and 7-13 in the NSIC. CU is arguably the hottest team in the conference over the past month, winning six of its last seven games, including five straight. No other conference team has more than two wins in a row.

“They have a lot of young guys who are going to get better and better as the season goes on,” Dolan said. “We knew it was going to be a tough game tonight.”

Despite the distractions of a senior ceremony preceding the start of the game, the Peacocks found their hot hand early.

Getting the start for the first time this season, Jake Shonka drained a three on the Peacocks’ opening possession, then executed the pick-n-roll to perfection for an easy layup. Shonka wasn’t alone, though, as Joey Woods took a baseline drive to the hoop for a score and Jake Hughes hit a wide-open three-pointer at the top of the arc to give UIU a 10-4 lead over the opening four minutes of action.

With Shonka and Woods scoring early, it felt like Déjà vu, since the duo combined for 30 points and nine assists back on December 7th to lead the Peacocks to a seven-point victory in St. Paul.

Instead, trailing by six, the Golden Bears bounced back with a heavy dose of Terez Van Pelt.

The shifty point guard capped a 16-7 CU run with a jumper on the baseline mid-way through the first period. The run gave the Golden Bears their first lead of the night, 20-17, but it would not be their last.

Looking for a spark, Dolan inserted Grant Lang into the lineup and he responded with a 12-foot jumper in the paint right away. The bucket started a 12-2 UIU run thanks to strong defense and a CU drought for more than five minutes.

Van Pelt stopped the scoreless streak with another layup and one-of-two free throws on the following possession, but UIU still had a 29-23 lead with 2:34 left before the half.

The Peacocks kept their six-point lead heading into the break, 33-27, thanks to free throws from Tucker Wentzien and a jumper from Sam Elgin, who had a team-high 7 points after one period.

UIU watched its lead disappear quickly in the second period, though, as they turned the ball over three times in a row and CU responded with a jumper from Cordell Smith, a three from Cole Olstad and a jumper from Mike Yahnke to take a 34-33 lead with 17:28 left.

After the Golden Bears made one-of-two free throws, the Peacocks finally got on the board in the second half with two free throws of their own from Wentzien, who tied the game at 35-35 with just over 16 minutes left.

Pagel then found a streaking Cedric Collins for a fast-break layup to give UIU a two-point lead, 37-35. CU answered to tie the game, but Hughes drained a trey from the left wing to give UIU its largest lead of the second half, 40-37.

Another bucket from Hughes and two free throws from Elgin kept UIU out in front by three over the next two minutes, but the Golden Bears answered with a big run.

Isaiah Thomas started the run with a three, tying the game at 44-44, before Van Pelt hit back-to-back shots. The ensuing lead for the Golden Bears held for the remainder of the night.

UIU pulled within one, 57-56, at the 5:48 mark thanks to a trifecta from Elgin, but Van Pelt and the Golden Bears seemed to have an answer for every punch UIU dished out.

CU’s sophomore guard finished with a game-high 19 points, with 10 of those coming in the second half. Van Pelt went 8-of-15 from the floor, including 4-of-7 in the closing half.

Hughes led the way for UIU with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting and 2-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc. Elgin wasn’t far behind with 14 points of his own in 31 minutes of action. Hughes and Elgin were the only two Peacocks in double-figures though, while the Golden Bears had four players score ten or more points.

CU outscored UIU 42-34 in the second period of Saturday night’s contest thanks to 55-percent shooting from deep. The Golden Bears missed all five of their three-point attempts in the first half, but made 5-of-9 from long-range in the second period.

The Peacocks will need a response quickly as they take on a very dangerous Augustana team next Friday night in Sioux Falls. Next weekend will mark the end of the regular season for the NSIC.