FAYETTE, Iowa – The Minnesota State University Moorhead men's basketball team struggled to find a rhythm Friday night and suffered their fifth Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference loss at the hands of Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa.

After going only 3-21 from the floor in the last two contests, Dragon center Dennis Williamson made four of his first five shots and went 5-5 from the free throw line to score the Dragons first 13 points of the game.

Only Williamson, Alex Novak and Eric Olson added points on the Dragon's scoreboard in the first half, taking an 18-28 deficit into halftime.

The second half started with a rare four-point play after Dragon guard Charlie Chapman drained a three-pointer in the corner while getting fouled, adding the free throw and cutting the Peacocks lead to seven, 21-28.

The Peacocks would outscore the Dragons in the next eight minutes 18-9, taking their largest lead of the game at the 11 minute mark, 49-31.

The Dragons would finish the game on a DJ Hamilton three-pointer with six seconds left to take a 66-54 loss.

Novak also recorded two blocked shots in the contest which creates a three-way tie at second all-time in the Dragon record books for career blocked shots.  Novak has 97 blocks in only 41 games and joins the ranks of Kyle Nelson (97 blocks in 77 games) and Mark Andrews (97 blocks in 81 games) at second, trailing all-time career blocks leader Mike Bednarek (112 block in 73 games) by 15 blocks .

The loss drops the Dragons to 8-6 overall and 5-5 in NSIC play.

The Dragons will have another tough road test on Saturday against conference power #21 Winona State University.  Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m.

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