The Peacock men's basketball team never trailed the Wildcats of Wayne State, but it wasn't until late that the Peacocks were able to put the game safely out of reach, 76-64. UIU finally pulled away with a 13-0 run over a two-minute span midway through the second half, putting the Peacocks up by 18, 65-47. The win ties Upper Iowa's all-time series with Wayne State at 8-8 and marks the third straight win over the Wildcats. The victory also improves UIU's record to 6-1 following a loss.

Upper Iowa started the game shooting 6-of-10 to jump out to an early ten point lead at 14-4. Wayne State tightened up their defense and went on a run of their own, pulling within three, 27-24, with less than five minutes left in the first half. Then the Peacocks started attacking the basket, hitting three layups and four free throws enroute to jumping back out to a double digit lead in the waning moments of the half. But the Wildcats hit a three just before the clock hit zero to send Wayne State to the locker room at halftime with a little momentum, down 37-29.

WSC knocked down the first three baskets of the second half and cut the Peacock lead to just two, 37-35. UIU got back on track and continued to hold the lead as the half wore on, but Wayne State hung around. The lead, however, never got above nine and with 10:07 left, the Wildcats knocked down a pair of free throws to cut it to five, 52-47. 

It was at the point that UIU decided that this game was theirs to win. Bo Pagel and Grant Lang hit back-to-back threes to move the lead back up to double digits. Josh Weeber knocked down a pair of free throws, making it a 13-point game. Pagel then stole the ball, took it coast-to-coast for a dunk and was fouled, and knocked down the free throw. A Weeber fastbreak layup made it 13 unanswered points for the Peacocks and pushed the lead to a game-high 18 points, 65-47. 

UIU's lead never fell back into single digits as the Peacocks put it on cruise control for the last seven minutes, knocking down 9-of-10 free throws on their way to the 12-point victory. 

Upper Iowa shot 49% (25-51) from the field and 43.8% (7-16) from three point range, led by Pagel's 16 and Lang's 13 points. Seven other Peacocks scored six points or more, including Jarrod Gamble, Jimmy Roth and Weeber, who had a team-high five rebounds each. Lang led UIU with four assists.

The Peacocks will take the floor again tomorrow night, when they take on #6 Augustana in Sioux Falls, S.D. The game will tip off at 6 p.m. in the Sioux Falls Arena.