FAYETTE, Iowa - Upper Iowa men's basketball (6-1, 2-0 GLVC) won a gritty game that featured 38 total fouls against Lincoln (Mo.) (4-3, 1-2 GLVC), 76-62, on Thursday. Trey Lewis scored a team-high 22 points, while Kyle Hrncir added 16 points and six rebounds.
After trailing 37-29 at halftime, the Blue Tigers clawed their way back into the game. Over the first nine minutes of the second half, LU outscored UIU 17-12 to pull within one.
Upper Iowa answered. From 9:19 to 7:22, the Peacocks pieced together an 11-0 run to take their first double-digit lead of the night. Hrncir opened the stretch with a layup to push UIU ahead 53-49.
On the next trip down, Jack Miller delivered a crucial block on a Lincoln dunk attempt. On the next possession, Ty Pflughaupt got the ball at the top of the arc, missed his first 3-pointer, then had it bounce right back to him, and knocked down his second attempt. Moments later, Pflughaupt added a block of his own that led to a Lewis 3-pointer, extending the Peacocks' lead to 59-49.
A few possessions later, Austin Hilmer knocked down another 3-pointer right in front of the Peacock student section, giving the Peacocks a 62-49 advantage.
Upper Iowa maintained control and closed the game out by outscoring LU, 17-13. Over that time, Hrncir scored eight points to secure the 76-62 win.
The Peacocks opened the contest with an 8-0 run in the first two minutes, knocking down their first four field-goal attempts during the stretch. Cael Reichter scored four points, while Eric Kenesie and Hrncir each added two points.
Lincoln traded baskets with Upper Iowa throughout the remainder of the half, but UIU carried a 35-27 lead into the break after outscoring LU 27-23.
Lewis had a game-high 22 points. He also recorded four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Hrncir was clutch for the Peacocks, scoring 13 of his 16 points in the second half. He added six rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal. Hilmer had 10 points, one steal and one block.
11 of the 12 Peacocks that played scored in the contest. Reichter finished with seven points, Miller had five points and Zach Erwin had four points.
Solomon Oraegbu and Enari Thomas each had 16 points for Lincoln. Matthieu scored 10 points and hauled in seven rebounds.
Upper Iowa finished 27-for-48 from the field (56.3%) and 6-for-22 (27.3%) from beyond the arc. In comparison, Lincoln was 22-of-56 (39.3%) on field goals with a 5-of-22 (22.7%) mark from three. UIU held a 20-13 advantage in points off turnovers, while Lincoln controlled the bench scoring, 24-10.
The Peacocks matchup with No. 5 Missouri S&T (5-0, 2-0 GLVC) at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Missouri S&T defeated Quincy (Ill.) (3-4, 0-2 GLVC), 82-72, in Pepsi Arena on Thursday.
