The Peacock men's basketball team opened up the 2017-18 season on a high note out west in Anaheim, Calif. at the Disney Tip-Off Classic against the Coyotes of California State University, San Bernardino. Upper Iowa trailed throughout the first half, but used a late 16-4 run to take the halftime lead. UIU then held on multiple times with key baskets to earn the high-scoring, 92-88 victory. With the win, Upper Iowa earns its first-ever win in the Golden State, and starts the season 1-0 for the first time since the 2014-15 season.

The starting lineup did the majority of the damage for Upper Iowa on Friday night, as the five combined for 82 of the 92 points. Senior Carson Parker led the way with 26 points on 9-15 shooting, including 4-8 from behind the three-point line. Dennis Austin III set a new career-high with 25 points, and was extremely efficient with his touches. Austin finished 8-9 from the field, and made 15 trips to the free throw line, converting 11 of those attempts. The redshirt junior led the way on the glass as well, tying a game-high with eight rebounds.

Junior transfer Quentin Blaue, in his first game as a Peacock, added 14 points, with 12 coming from behind the arc. Kam Rowan chipped in with 13 points in his first start at Upper Iowa; Rowan came off the bench in every game last season. Freshman Joe Smoldt added five points off the bench as well.

Both teams shot extremely well in the first half, with UIU converting 50% (15-30) of their shots and CSUSB connecting on 46% (15-32) of their attempts. The Coyotes led the majority of the half, including leads of six, seven, eight, and nine points. Upper Iowa trailed 39-30 with 4:42 remaining in the opening frame, and that is when the momentum began to swing. UIU used a 10-0 run that included a Blaue three-pointer, a pair of free throws by Austin III, a layup by Rowan, and a three-pointer by Parker. The Peacocks then led 40-30, and would not look back. The half closed on a 16-4 run to give UIU, the visitors on the scoreboard, a 46-43 lead at the intermission.

Upper Iowa would not trail again until the 2:22 mark of the second half. The largest lead for the Peacocks was nine points, when they led 56-47 early in the period. CSUSB used a 12-4 run to get within one, 60-59, and then the game remained close the rest of the way. UIU got 22 of their 32 points in the paint in the second half, and continued to get to the rim with their guards. Rowan, Austin III, and Parker combined for 13-18 from inside the arc, and needed every point to hang on late.

With the game tied at 78 with 2:38 left, the Peacocks turned to their veterans. After a three-pointer put CSUSB up 81-79 at the 2:22 mark, Parker hit a clutch three pointer on the ensuing possession to reclaim the lead. Austin III got to the rim for a layup moments later to give UIU a three-point lead. After a layup for the home team put the game back to a one-point affair, Parker used his clutch gene again to hit a jump shot to go up three, 86-83, with 44 seconds left. The next possession was the biggest, as UIU got a stop and a rebound to basically seal the game. Free throws by Parker and Austin sandwiched a Parker layup to ice the game, and Upper Iowa walked out with a hard-fought win.

Parker, along with his seventh 20-point game, added seven assists to his stat line. The 26 points also pushes his career total to 959, and he is now 41 points away from becoming the 27th member of the 1,000-point club in UIU history. The point guard also added three blocks to stuff the stat sheet, and tied with Munachiso Okonkwo with a game high in blocks.

The Peacocks return to Santiago Canyon College Gymnasium on Saturday, Nov. 4 to take on the Sailfish of Palm Beach Atlantic University at 3:30 p.m central time. UIU will round out the Disney Tip-Off Classic on Sunday, Nov. 5 against Humboldt State University, with tip-off scheduled for 5:30 p.m. central time.