The Peacocks opened up the Northern Sun Conference schedule on Saturday afternoon, but it was the visiting Warriors of Winona State University who had the fun during the game. The second half proved to be the difference, as Winona State scored 58 points on 60% shooting in the final 20 minutes to win a 90-80 contest in Dorman Gymnasium in Fayette. With the loss, Upper Iowa falls to 6-3 on the season, and 0-1 in the Northern Sun Conference, while WSU improves to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in league play.

It was actually the home team that had the good start. Upper Iowa opened the scoring with a Carson Parker three-pointer, and held as much as an 11-point lead in the first half. UIU led 29-18 with 6:57 to play, and it looked as though the Peacocks would run away with the first half. However, Winona State began their comeback, and grabbed much-needed momentum.

The Warriors closed the deficit with a 14-4 run to get within one, 33-32, and then UIU junior Quentin Blaue connected on a layup to give the home team a three-point lead at the break. After that moment, the visitors stormed out of the gate in the second half with a 22-11 stretch in six minutes to lead 54-44. Winona State started hot on offense, and continued it the rest of the way. After they gained a 10-point margin, Upper Iowa never got within less than six the rest of the game. The Warriors shot 60% from the floor in the second period (20-33), including 5-10 from behind the arc. The home team shit shot 46% from the floor in the final 20 minutes, scoring 45 points in the contest, but could not get a stop defensively when they needed to. WSU's 24-14 advantage in points in the paint, and 15-9 advantage in bench points in the second proved to be the difference as well.

Offensively, it was still a stellar night for the Peacocks, and they were led by a career night from redshirt junior Kam Rowan. The Champaign, Ill. native scored a career-high 19 points on 7-9 shooting, including all three attempts from behind the arc, his first triples of the season. All together, had five players score in double figures, with Dennis Austin III scoring 15 points, and Carson Parker scoring 13. Joe Smoldt added 10 off the bench, while Quentin Blaue tallied 10 points as well.

Upper Iowa will have six days off before heading on the road next week for their first full conference weekend. The Peacocks will take on the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs next Friday, Dec. 1 in Marshall, Minn. at 8 p.m. before squaring off with the Sioux Falls Cougars on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m.