The Peacock men's basketball team (4-2, 0-1 NSIC) came into their conference opener having won three straight, averaging 97 points per game. UIU jumped out to a 10-point lead in the first half against Winona State (4-1, 1-0 NSIC), couldn't hold back the Warriors as WSU defeated UIU, 89-70.

Jimmy Roth started the game with back-to-back three point baskets and Upper Iowa was off to another fast start. The Warriors brought the game back to 11-11 before the Peacocks took off again. This time it was a Jarrod Gamble trifecta that sparked a 14-4 run for UIU, who held their biggest lead at 25-15.

But WSU enough left in the tank at the end of the half to make a run of its own. The Warriors went outscored the Peacocks 21-7 in the final 7:13 of the first half to go into halftime with a 36-32 lead.

UIU trailed by 8 early in the second half, but the Warriors would stretch it to double digits less than four minutes into the period. Winona State used 46.4 percent (13-28) shooting in the second half, including 50 percent (3-6) from three point range, to run its largest lead to 21. The Peacocks shot just 30 percent (9-30) and 13.3 percent from distance (2-15) in an effort to get back into the game in the second half.

Roth led Upper Iowa with 18 points, going 8-of-10 from the charity stripe. Jace Hanna scored in double figures for the 6^th straight game, scoring 12, while Bo Pagel rounded out the top scorers for the Peacocks with 10 in his season debut. Carson Parker led UIU with 6 rebounds as the Peacocks were outrebounded in the game by 30, 57-27. Isaiah Gray led the Warriors with 29 points, shooting 17-of-19 from the free throw line.

Upper Iowa stays on the road for their next two games, returning to the court next weekend when the Peacocks visit Sioux Falls on Friday and Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday. The game Friday will tip off at 8 p.m., while Saturday's matchup will begin at 6 p.m.