The Peacock men's basketball team earned their first weekend sweep of the 2017 calendar year with a hard-fought 77-72 win over the Wayne State Wildcats on Saturday night in Fayette. Both defenses played well throughout the game, but Upper Iowa buckled down in the final minutes and the offense used a 9-2 late run to preserve the win. With the victory, UIU stays atop the NSIC South division at 11-3 in the Northern Sun Conference, and improves to 14-6 overall. With loss, Wayne State drops to 6-14 overall and 4-10 in the league.

Redshirt senior Jordan Hay led the way for the Peacocks with a game-high 23 points on an efficient 11-15 shooting from the field. The Stanwood, Iowa product pulled down 6 rebounds and added 4 blocks and a steal to fill the stat sheet. Hay put up his fourth 20-point scoring effort of his career, with all four coming this season. Jimmy Roth added 14 points on 5-8 shooting, while Kam Rowan was stellar off the bench for the second-consecutive night. The junior guard totaled 12 points on 4-8 from the field and a perfect 4-4 from the charity stripe. Luke Lenhart added 10 points and 4 steals for the game as well.

The first half was back and forth, and early on it was clear that it would be a physical game. Wayne State took a 15-10 lead seven minutes into the game behind three-point shooting, while Upper Iowa's game plan was to go inside. WSC took its second five-point lead at 21-16 before the home team made a little run to gather the lead back. The first 20 minutes featured six ties, with the latest coming with 1:11 to play. However, the Wildcats used a couple of inside baskets to lead 39-37 at halftime. Upper Iowa outscored their guests 20-12 in the paint in the first half, but Wayne State used a 29-6 advantage off the bench and 7-14 shooting from behind the arc to hold the halftime lead.

The Peacocks stormed out of the gate in the second half, using an 11-2 run in the first five minutes to lead 50-41. But three-pointers from WSC's Luke TerHark kept the visitors in the game. UIU's Kam Rowan took advantage of a couple fast-break opportunities to put Upper Iowa back up nine points moments later, but again it was the Wildcats who had the answer to keep the game close. With 7:22 remaining, the visitors had used a 17-8 run to tie the game at 62.

Upper Iowa went back inside to take the lead back. Hay and Dennis Austin III each scored in the paint and Lenhart added a pair of free throws to put UIU back up eight, 73-65, with 1:42 remaining. The Peacock defense, this time, did not allow another late run from the Wildcats, and held on for the 77-72 victory.

UIU's defense held their guests to 37.9% shooting (22-58) from the field, and forced 14 turnovers in the process. Lenhart's four steals led the way as Upper Iowa swiped the ball seven times in the ballgame. On offense, Upper Iowa converted 46.7% (28-60) from the field, but struggled from behind the arc (3-14). The home team was able to get to the free throw line, but only converted 18-29 (62.1%) to keep the game close. The Peacocks outscored the Wildcats 40-33 in the second half to overcome the halftime deficit, and UIU is now 4-5 this season when trailing at the intermission. The difference was in the paint. Upper Iowa outscored WSC 48-20 inside, and for the weekend held a 94-42 advantage in the paint.

The Peacocks will stay in Fayette to wrap up their four-game home stand next weekend as they host a pair of schools from the NSIC North division. Upper Iowa will host the Marauders of the University of Mary next Friday, Jan. 27 at 8 p.m. before squaring off with the Beavers of Minot State on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 6 p.m.