Upper Iowa used a 22-6 scoring run midway through the second half to take control of a close game as the host Peacocks pulled away late for a 80-73 victory over Wayne State College in a Northern Sun Conference South Division mens basketball game played Saturday night at Dorman Gymnasium in Fayette, Iowa. UIU is now 9-7 and 6-4 in the league while WSC slips to 6-13 and 3-7 in NSIC games.
Despite playing three overtimes the night before, Wayne State came out on fire as the Wildcats took a 14-4 lead just over five minutes into the contest.
WSC took a 17-6 lead on a Nick Ferrarini 3-pointer and still led 23-14 at the 9:37 mark of the first half when the host Peacocks went on a 14-0 scoring run, holding the Wildcats scoreless for 6:01 to take a 28-23 lead.
Another Ferrarini 3-pointer got WSC within two at 28-26 before the Wildcats closed the first half trailing 35-33.
The second half was a back and forth battle until another big Peacock scoring run gave Upper Iowa control of the game.
A basket from Henry Penner gave Wayne State a 53-50 lead with 12:14 to go in the contest.
Upper Iowa then scored seven straight points to start a 22-6 scoring run that gave the Peacocks a 72-59 lead and the Peacocks never looked back in taking the win.
Nate Mohr scored a game-high 20 points in a losing effort to lead Wayne State. Nick Ferrarini (18) and Jordan Janssen (17) also hit double digits for the Wildcats.
Wayne State shot 26 of 54 from the field for 48.1 percent, hitting 8 of 18 from the 3-point line (44.4%) and 13 for 16 at the charity stripe (81.3%).
Five players reached double figures for Upper Iowa, led by Jake Hilmer with 15. Joe Smoldt scored 13, Jareese Williams had 11 while Josh Carter and Lucas Duax each scored 10.
Upper Iowa shot 43 percent from the field making 28 of 65 shots. The Peacocks were 11 for 32 behind the arc and 13 of 19 at the foul line.
The Peacocks held a slim 35-33 edge in rebounding over the Wildcats despite a game-high nine boards from Jordan Janssen.
Janssen had six of Wayne States 13 assists in the game. UIU held a 12-2 advantage in points off turnovers as WSC had 14 turnovers to just seven for the Peacocks.
WSC will be at home next weekend hosting MSU Moorhead Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Northern State Saturday in a 5:30 p.m. contest at Rice Auditorium.
Wayne State held Upper Iowa scoreless for just over seven minutes in the second quarter to take control of the game as the Wildcats defeated the Peacocks 78-55 Saturday afternoon in Northern Sun Conference womens basketball played at Dorman Gymnasium in Fayette, Iowa. The Wildcats improve to 11-5 and 6-4 in the NSIC South Division while the host Peacocks drop to 2-14 and 1-9 in league play.
The first quarter was tightly contested with Wayne State grabbing a 14-13 lead after 10 minutes of play thanks to eight points from junior forward Erin Norling.
Upper Iowa drained a pair of 3-pointers to open the second quarter to take a 19-16 lead with 8:37 remaining before halftime.
WSC would then hold the Peacocks scoreless for the next 7:05 while the Wildcats scored 15 unanswered points as the Wildcats took a 31-19 lead before finishing the half with a 31-22 advantage.
Wayne State then held Upper Iowa without a point for the opening 4:04 of the third quarter and built a 16-point lead at 38-22.
After UIU scored eight straight points to get within eight at 38-30, the Wildcats closed the third stanza with an 18-4 scoring surge to take a commanding 56-34 lead.
Reserves controlled play in the fourth quarter for the Wildcats and WSC finished with the 78-55 victory.
Junior point guard Halley Busse paced Wayne State in scoring with 17 points while Norling also reached double digits with 14. Iowa natives Haley Vesey and Lauren Zacharias each added nine points for the Wildcats.
Wayne State finished the game making 29 of 66 shots for 43.9 percent, including 5-16 from downtown, and 15 for 20 (75%) at the charity stripe.
Natalie Dinius was the lone Upper Iowa player reaching double figures with 17 points.
Upper Iowa was 18 for 56 shooting (32%), going 10-31 behind the 3-point line and 9 for 16 at the foul line.
Wayne State won the rebounding battle over Upper Iowa 47-32 thanks to eight boards from Norling and seven each by Brittany Bongartz and Zacharias.
WSC held a commanding 40-8 advantage on points in the paint and 24-3 in points off turnovers, forcing 19 UIU turnovers compared to 13 for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats return home next weekend hosting MSU Moorhead Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Northern State Saturday in a 3:30 p.m. contest.
