Upper Iowa put together a huge 59-point first half and then maintained a big lead for the majority of the second half to post a 94-84 victory at Concordia University, St. Paul to secure a postseason berth in the NSIC/Sanford Health Basketball Tournament and keep their shot at a share of the NSIC South Division title alive heading into the final game of the regular season on Saturday.
 
The Peacocks (15-12, 12-9 NSIC) stayed in a tie for second place in the NSIC South with their 10-point win over the Golden Bears (8-19, 6-15 NSIC) and remain one game back of Wayne State College, who scored a dominant win over the University of Sioux Falls in a battle of the two top teams in the divisional standings heading into the day. A win by Upper Iowa at home on Saturday against Minnesota State University, Mankato combined with a loss by Wayne State at Southwest Minnesota State would earn the Peacocks a share of the NSIC South Division title for the first time in program history.
 
On Thursday night, the Peacock offense erupted for 59 points in the opening 20 minutes thanks to 61.8% shooting from the floor, 66.7% from deep and 87.5% from the free throw line. Upper Iowa knocked down 21 of their 34 first half tries including 10 of their 15 three-point tries and added 7 of 8 shooting at the charity stripe. Nick Reid was dialed in as the forward poured in 26 first-half points to lead the Peacocks. Reid knocked down his sixth three-pointer of the first half with 3:26 left to play to give UIU their largest lead (29 points) in the game, 55-26.
 
Early in the first half, Lucas Duax registered a steal and became the all-time leader at Upper Iowa University in career steals. The Dubuque, Iowa product moved his career total to 209 steals with one more steal in the second half. Duax entered the game tied for the program record with Kevin Clipperton (1993-1997), but moved ahead of the Upper Iowa Hall of Famer and the 1997 IIAC Most Valuable Player.
 
Leading by 20 points, 87-67, with 5:36 to play, the Peacocks began to slow their offense and grind down the shot clock on each possession. Concordia-St. Paul's turned their offense loose and knocked down a few three-pointers to cut the gap to nine, 91-82, with less than a minute to play, but the decision was never in doubt.
 
Jake Hilmer scored a team-high 29 points and added four assists, while Reid finished with 28 points and seven rebounds. Duax scored 13 points and registered six rebounds, six assists and two steals and Dylan Jones chipped in 12 points and three rebounds.
 
The Golden Bears were led by Antwan Kimmons, who scored a game-high 38 points with eight rebounds and three assists.
 
CSP shot 50% in the game marking the first time this season that Upper Iowa has won a game in which their opponent shot 50% or better.
 
Upper Iowa will host the Mavericks of Minnesota State on Saturday, Feb. 18 in Dorman Memorial Gymnasium at 2 p.m. The Peacocks will honor six men's basketball seniors at halftime of the women's game on Saturday.