Upper Iowa put together an unforgettable final 32 seconds that capped off a 52-point second half that allowed the Peacocks to rally from a big halftime deficit and score an 82-81 win on the road at Winona State University. The Peacocks went into the halftime break trailing 46-30, but rallied to win on a buzzer-beating, three-pointer out of the right hand of Jake Hilmer. The win improved UIU's record to 2-3 overall and 1-0 in the NSIC, while Winona State lost for the first time this season (4-1, 0-1 NSIC).
 
Winona State opened the game with a 14-2 outburst off the jump ball knocking down five of their first seven tries including a pair of three-pointers. After the Peacocks found their footing in McCown Gymnasium, the team used a 9-3 run to cut the margin to seven, 30-23, with just under six minutes to play in the half fueled by four points from Lucas Duax and capped off with a three-pointer from Nick Reid. Winona State didn't let their guests get any closer prior to halftime as they closed the frame by outscoring the Peacocks 16-7 to take a commanding 46-30 lead into the break.
 
Upper Iowa opened the second half with a 16-9 run that included 4-4 shooting at the free throw line, 5-6 from the field and 2-2 from three. The efficient offense led to UIU cutting the gap to nine points, 55-46. Minutes later, back-to-back scores by Dylan Jones and Caleb Delzell pulled UIU within six, 59-53, with 11:30 showing on the clock. A quick layup and free throw by Lucas Duax around an Austin Hilmer three-pointer allowed the Peacocks to inch closer to five points, 64-59. The home team was able to bounce back and return their lead to double digits, 71-61, with 4:19 to play when Luke Martens converted a layup.
 
Trailing by ten with 3:25 to play, Jake Hilmer went to the free throw line and calmly knocked down a pair to begin Upper Iowa's wild, 21-point finish over the final three and a half minutes. The Peacocks slimmed the margin back to six, 74-68, after a layup for Jones and a three-pointer from Reid, but Winona State had an answer scoring a basket and adding two free throws around a Reid free throw to establish a nine-point advantage, 78-69, with 41 seconds to play.
 
Austin Hilmer knocked down a pair of free throws with 32 seconds to play, and after WSU got one of two at the free throw line, Reid gave the Peacocks hope with a three-pointer to bring UIU within five, 79-74, with 26 seconds on the clock. The Warriors hit one of two free throws on their next trip to the line, but Reid got UIU within three, 80-77, when he was fouled on a three-point attempt and knocked down all three freebies with 13 seconds to play.
 
Winona State missed both free throws on their next possession, and Jake Hilmer was fouled with six seconds to play before he could get a game-tying attempt off. The point guard made both free throws to bring UIU within one point, 80-79. The Warriors made one of two free throws with four seconds to play with UIU continuing to push WSU to the charity stripe. Hilmer caught the inbounds pass on the run and raced up the right sideline and launched a three-pointer from the right wing that splashed down into the net as the buzzer sounded giving Upper Iowa the come-from-behind win.
 
UIU's lead at the buzzer was their only lead of the game. The Peacocks scored 13 points in the final 32 seconds of the game on 7-7 shooting at the free throw line and 2-2 from deep. Winona State was only able to convert 3-8 at the free throw line over the final half minute of action.
 
Lucas Duax led the Peacocks with 21 points and five rebounds, while Jake Hilmer added five assists and 19 points fueled by 9-9 shooting at the free throw line. Nick Reid netted 15 points and pulled down nine rebounds and three other Peacocks scored eight points apiece. Despite a tough shooting night, Hilmer's aim was true on the game winner.
 
Winona State came into the game with a rebounding margin of nearly nine in their favor, but on Tuesday night, the Peacocks outrebounded the Warriors 34-29 and took advantage of their free throw opportunities (23-26 compared to 12-19 for WSU) to finish their rally and claim the victory.
 
Connor Dillon led the Warriors with 20 points and Martens added 18 in the loss.
 
Upper Iowa now heads to Daytona Beach, Fla. for a pair of games at the Bahama House Shootout hosted by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The Peacocks will play on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 25-26 against Wingate University and Elizabeth City State University. Both games are scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET.