The Peacock men's basketball team put together a heart-fought comeback on Saturday night in Winona, Minn. against the Warriors of Winona State University. Despite trailing by 19 points early in the game, Upper Iowa came back in the second half to get within two points. However, WSU pulled away late with key stops to sweep the season series with UIU. The Peacocks drop to 7-7 on the season, and 1-5 in the Northern Sun Conference with the loss.

Carson Parker, as he has been all season long, was the offensive force for the Peacocks in the first half. The senior point guard tallied 14 points in the period, including the first seven of the game for the team. Upper Iowa trailed 5-0 before Parker rattled off seven straight, and the teams went back and forth from there.

The Warriors got off to a slower start offensively, but picked it up as the half moved along. With the game tied at seven apiece, WSU took off from there to take the lead back over and would not surrender again in the period. The biggest lead of the first half was 18 points, when the Warriors led 41-23 with 1:27 remaining in the half. At that point, Parker then scored the final five points of the half for UIU, and pulled the visitors within 13, 41-28, at the intermission.

The big difference in the first half came in the rebounding and turnover categories. Upper Iowa turned the ball over 11 times in the period, and we outrebounded 23-18. Winona State pulled down seven offensive rebounds and outscored UIU 9-0 in second-chance points. WSU also scored 11 points off turnovers through the first 20 minutes as well. UIU shot 37.9% (11-29) from the floor, but converted just 4-16 (25%) from behind the arc. The Warriors hit 6-18 from downtown to extend their lead.

The Peacocks came out with momentum in the second half, and scored the first six points to continue to cut into the deficit. It capped off an 11-0 run that began at the end of the first period. UIU trailed by seven, 41-34, but the home team then countered with a 7-2 spurt to regain the momentum and an 11-point lead, 48-37.

Winona State continued to put pressure on Upper Iowa in the second half, as they pushed their lead back out to 14 points, 53-39, with 12:40 left in the game. But back-to-back dunks by Munachiso Okonkwo sparked a mini run to get back within 10 points, 53-43.

The comeback was on at that point. Upper Iowa put together a 20-6 stretch that including three triples from Quentin Blaue, and key buckets from Kam Rowan and Dennis Austin III. At the under-five media timeout, UIU trialed 61-59 looking for their third lead of the ballgame, and their first since the 14:57 mark of the opening half.

With 2:30 to play, Winona State held a 63-59 lead after a goaltending on Okonkwo, and the game was headed down to the wire. After a steal and a transition layup, WSU led 65-59 with 1:30 to play. On the next possession, Parker, who had just two points the entire second half, hit a big three-pointer from the left wing to pull within three, 65-62, with 1:24 remaining.

After a defensive stop, Upper Iowa missed an opportunity inside to get within one, and then had to get a stop again. However, a Winona State layup gave the Warriors a five-point lead with 13 seconds left, and free throws would ice the game. WSU held on with late free throws, 69-62.

Parker's 19 points led the way on 7-11 shooting, and his 8 rebounds were a team-high as well. Blaue added 12 on four trifectas, and Okonkwo and Mitch Eighme added eight apiece.

Upper Iowa will have the holiday break off now for about a week, and then will return to action over the New Year's weekend. UIU will head to Bemidji, Minn. on Saturday, Dec. 30 to battle the Bemidji State Beavers before heading to Crookston, Minn. to square off with the Golden Eagles of UM Crookston on Sunday, Dec. 31. Both games tip off at 3:30 p.m.