Box Score Records
 
Upper Iowa (13-12, 11-8 NSIC) || Minnesota Duluth (11-12, 9-10 NSIC)
 

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Recap
 
Riding a wave of momentum, the Upper Iowa men's basketball team had to fight tooth and claw with the visiting Bulldogs of Minnesota Duluth to pull out a victory on Friday night inside Dorman Gym. The Peacocks and Bulldogs exchanged the lead thirteen times and were tied ten different times, but in the end, the home team came out on top, 87-85. The Northern Sun Conference victory pushes the Peacocks record above .500 and extends the team's win streak to five games.
 
The Peacock offense was spectacular as always – it featured two dunks, 8 three-pointers and a 23-point scorer – but in the end, it was the UIU defense which won the game. UIU forced three turnovers in the final four minutes of regulation, including two when it really mattered. The defense clamped down and the Peacocks sealed the game from the free throw line.
 
Joey Woods led UIU in scoring for the 13th time this year as the redshirt-senior hit 7-of-12 attempts for 23 points. Grant Lang, Josh Weeber and Bo Pagel also finished in double-figures as the Peacocks racked up 87 points at home – the team's third-highest output on Prochaska Court.
 
Picking up right where he left off last weekend, Josh Weeber got the team off to a good start. The freshman forward hit back-to-back buckets and added a free throw to start the game giving UIU an early 5-3 lead. Woods added a jumper, but UMD tied the game at 7-all with two free throws at the 16:17 mark in the first half.
A minute later, Kierre Ogbonna showed off his inside-outside game with a layup and jumper on back-to-back possessions, but UMD stole the momentum right back.
 
The Bulldogs began a three and a half minute, 9-2 run with a three from Jordan Reetz to take their first lead of the game, 16-14. Grant Lang brought UIU's drought to a halt with three from the corner before a free throw from Weeber tied the game at 18-all.

At the 9:22 mark, the teams were still tied, this time at 22-22 thanks to buckets from Woods and Weeber. The teams battled through nine lead changes and nine ties in the first half, with neither team pulling away.

Despite a dunk in transition and a three on the next possession from Jimmy Roth, the Peacocks 31-29 lead at the 7-minute mark disappeared. UMD converted a three-point play on its next series to tie the game.

Woods converted a pair of free throws, but again UMD answered with three of their own. Luke Lenhart hit a three from the wing, but the Bulldogs earned their own trifecta with a three-ball from Junior Coleman. The bucket gave the visitors a 41-36 lead with an even four minutes left before halftime.

The Peacocks answered with three straight free throws before Lang hit his second trifecta of the game. On defense, UIU switched to a 2-3 zone and it frustrated the Bulldogs. That allowed Lang one last shot to end the half. The junior wing snagged an offensive rebound and added a put-back with no time on the clock to pull UIU within one, 45-44. In all, Lang had 7 of the Peacocks final 8 points in the period.

Despite the late first half momentum, the Peacocks had a sluggish start in the second half. UMD took a 48-44 lead after a three-point play from Reetz. Woods and Lang answered by sandwiching a Bulldogs' layup with a jumper and a three.

David Smith then scratched the board for UIU with two freebies before Pagel took over. The junior from Sumner, Iowa scored nine straight points for the Peacocks including back-to-back threes to give UIU its first lead of the second half. Pagel's run-capping free throw gave UIU a slim 60-59 lead.
 
Woods added to the run for the home team with a step-back jumper from the baseline before UMD answered with a layup in transition.
 
Pagel wasn't done though. The guard broke past the Bulldogs' defense and slammed the ball home with authority. The dunk gave the home team some momentum as UIU went on a 9-4 run. Woods had 5 of those 9 points and he capped the run with a wide-open three from the top of the key to give UIU a 71-66 lead with seven minutes to play.
 
UMD wasn't going away though.  
 
The Bulldogs used the next two minutes to go on an 8-4 run and pull within one of their hosts, 75-74. Despite two free throws from Jace Hanna, UMD tied the game at the 3:25 mark thanks to a three from Jake Wilson. Roth quickly responded for the Peacocks by hitting both of his free throws after drawing a foul on a drive to the hoop.
 
UMD tied the game for the 13th time thanks to a layup from Coleman, but UIU answered with an Ogbonna free throw, a steal on defense and another free throw from Smith.
 
The Bulldogs hit a free throw to pull within one, 81-80, but they couldn't buy a stop. Woods earned a trip to the free throw line and drained both of his attempts before Lang earned two of his own. Despite three turnovers in the final four minutes, UMD still had a glimpse of hope.
 
After a layup in transition, and after Woods hit one of two free throws, Reetz hit a three from the wing. The Peacocks added another free throw before UMD attempted its final inbounds pass. It was intercepted by Jordan Hay, as the Peacocks sealed the 87-84 win.
 

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Stat of the Game
 
For the 16th time this year, Upper Iowa drained at least 8 threes in a game. In comparison, the Peacocks managed that feat just three times all of last year.
 

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UIU Leaders
 
Woods (23 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds), Lang (15 points, 3-for-5 3FG, 2 rebounds), Weeber (12 points, 5 rebounds), Pagel (11 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal)
 

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Up Next
 
The Peacocks will round out play in the NSIC-North on Saturday night as they take on the Huskies of St. Cloud State at 6 p.m. inside Dorman Gym.