ST. LOUIS. Missouri - The Peacocks (9-2, 4-0 GLVC) opened 2026 with a 95-73 win over Maryville (Mo.) (2-11, 0-5 GLVC) on Friday. Kyle Hrncir and Trey Lewis each recorded 15 points, while Miller and Petersen each posted 11 points. 

Upper Iowa never trailed in the contest, controlling it from start to finish. UIU opened the game on a 17-7 run over the first seven minutes. During that stretch, Upper Iowa shot 4-for-8 (50%) from the field, 3-for-6 (50%) from beyond the arc and 6-for-7 (85.7%) from the free throw line.

Hrncir scored the first five points of the game. Zach Erwin (five points), Lewis (three points), Petersen (three points) and Cael Reichter (one point) also scored. 

Both the Peacocks and the Saints scored 25 points over the final 13 minutes of the half. Lewis led Upper Iowa in scoring during that stretch with six points and helped give the Peacocks a 42-32 halftime advantage. 

UIU continued its hot hand in the second half, outscoring MU, 53-41. The Peacocks went 17-for-29 (58.6%) from the field and 6-for-12 (50%) from behind the 3-point line. This marks the fourth time Upper Iowa has scored 53 points or more in a half this season. 

Miller made three 3-pointers in the second half, and Petersen added eight points. Upper Iowa had 11 different players score during the second half. 

The 95-73 victory over Maryville marks the fifth time that Upper Iowa has scored 90 points or more, and the second time the Peacocks have won by 20 points or more this season. The last 20-point win was on Dec. 14 when UIU beat Clarke (3-11), 103-74. 

Hrncir and Lewis led all scorers in points with 15 each, while Miller and Petersen followed them with 11 each. Hrncir hauled in a team-high seven rebounds. He and Petersen led the team in assists with four. 

Austin Hilmer added nine points with five rebounds and three assists. Erwin totaled eight points with a team-best two blocks. Reichter scored seven points with five rebounds, Eric Kenesie totaled six points and Ty Pflughaupt had five points. 

Kobe Clark, Henry Sanchez and Raynard Horry all scored 12 points for Maryville. Clarke recorded a team-high 14 rebounds, six assists and three steals. 

The Peacocks had 14 players play in the game. UIU outscored MU, 41-29, in bench points and 34-30 in the paint. However, the Saints outrebounded the Peacocks, 51-38. UIU totaled five blocks, its second-most this season. 

Upper Iowa shot 29-for-56 (51.8%) from the floor and 12-for-26 (46.2%) from behind the arc. Maryville went 27-for-79 (34.1%) from the field and 5-for-23 (21.7%) from three. 

UIU stays in St. Louis this weekend to play Missouri-St. Louis (8-5, 2-2 GLVC) on Sunday at 3:15 p.m.