Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University men's basketball team cruised to their first victory of 2019, defeating Upper Iowa 102-73 on the road. The 29-point victory over the Peacocks moves the Wolves to 10-3 overall and 6-1 in the league.
 
Five Wolves scored in double figures in the game, with 12 reaching the floor. Northern tallied 56 points in the first half and another 46 in the second, but most impressive was their defensive effort in the final 20 minutes. The Wolves held the Peacocks to just 25 points with a 32.1 field goal percentage and 23.1 3-point percentage.
 
As a team, NSU shot a season high 65.1 percent from the floor, as well as 55.6 percent from the arc and 90.9 percent from the foul line. Northern knocked down ten made 3-pointers, combining for 20 assists, four steals, and three blocks. They tallied 48 points in the paint, 41 points off the bench, 18 second chance points, 11 points off turnovers, and four fast break points. The Wolves blew out the Peacocks with 40 rebounds to Upper Iowa's 15.
 
Justin Decker led the team with a season high 18 points, and a game high four rebounds. The senior added two assists and one block, shooting 75.0 percent from the field. Mason Stark was second on the team and led the Wolves off the bench with a career high 17 points. Stark went 6-of-9 from the floor and 2-of-3 from the arc, adding three rebounds, two assists, and one steal.
 
Gabe King followed with 15 points of his own, shooting a team high 85.7 percent, while Ian Smith and Parker Fox notched 12 points apiece. Fox tallied a team high four rebounds and two blocks, as well as one assist, while King notched three rebounds and was perfect from the arc and foul line. Smith recorded a team high five assists, with one rebound and one steal.
 
Andrew Kallman and Bo Fries rounded out the starting five for NSU with nine and seven points respectively. Kallman hit a team high three made from beyond the arc, and dished out five assists.  Fries notched four assists, two rebounds, and one steal for the Wolves.
 
Cole Dahl went a perfect 2-for-2 from the foul line and made two from beyond the arc, for eight team points. He added three rebounds and one steal in the win. Jordan Belka and Roko Dominovic were the final point scorers for NSU with two points each. Belka tallied three rebounds and one assist, while Logan LeGrand and Ethan Kranhold each grabbed a rebound as the final two Wolves to hit the floor.
 
Northern returns to the hardwood tomorrow evening versus Winona State. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. on Saturday versus the Warriors.