Box Score Upper Iowa 80 Wayne State 73

            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 men's 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 State's 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.