The Peacock men's basketball team protected their home floor in decisive fashion on Friday night in Fayette. Upper Iowa shot 63.5% from the floor including 42.1% from deep while playing stifling defense against the Cougars of the University of Sioux Falls to win 92-71. The victory improved UIU's record to 6-4 overall and 3-1 in the NSIC, while USF fell to 7-3 overall and 2-2 in the conference.

Jake Hilmer scored a game-high 28 points on 11-15 shooting including 2-3 from beyond the arc. Hilmer's pull-up jumper was on fire and the point guard added five assists as well. Nick Reid scored 18 points and cleared seven rebounds, while Dylan Jones (12), Caleb Delzell (12) and Lucas Duax (10) all reached double figures as well. 

While the Peacocks were cruising on offense, the defense was working hard to keep the reigning NSIC South Division Player of the Week, Matt Cartwright, off his stride. Lucas Duax didn't leave Cartwright's side and Austin Hilmer, Max Duax, Jackson Foley and Reid all took turns challenging each attempt that the Cougars tried in the game. 

Kenji Scales led the Cougars in scoring with 12, while Cartwright had 11 points on 12 shots and Jack Thompson scored 10 on nine attempts. 

Upper Iowa led 8-7 early on as both teams got loose, but the home team got on the move and used a 12-4 run over a three-minute span to grab their first big lead, 20-11. The run featured scores by five different players highlighted by three-pointers from Delzell and Max Duax. 

With six minutes to play in the half, the home team led 33-24 after a layup from Lucas Duax on a Jake Hilmer assist. Five straight points from the elder Hilmer allowed UIU to take their largest lead of the first half, 38-24, but the Cougars were able to shave the margin back to nine at the break after outscoring their hosts 10-5 over the final five minutes. 

Sioux Falls cut the gap to six points on a few occasions in the first three minutes of the second half, but Upper Iowa pushed their lead to 15 points, 62-47, just four minutes later. The 14-5 run was fueled by seven points apiece from Jake Hilmer and Reid.

The lead doubled to a high-mark of 31 points, 87-56, with five minutes to play after Upper Iowa outscored their guests 25-9 over the eight-minute span. Both benches cleared as several players got significant minutes for both squads. 

UIU only scored five points over the final five minutes, while USF was able to cut the margin back to 21, 92-71, at the final buzzer after using a 15-5 run to close out the contest. 

Upper Iowa will get right back onto Prochaska Court in Dorman Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday, Dec. 10. The Peacocks will line up against the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University, who moved to 2-2 in the NSIC with a win at Winona State University on Friday night. Saturday's jump ball is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. following the women's game.