BOX SCORE

FAYETTE, IOWA – Upper Iowa's Dan Bestul hit a 3-pointer as time expired in overtime to give the Peacocks a dramatic 75-74 victory over Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday night in Fayette, Iowa.

It was the second straight night SMSU has lost on a last-second 3-pointer when holding a lead. SMSU has now lost four straight games by a total of six points to fall to 5-5 overall, 2-4 NSIC. UIU improves to 3-6 overall, 2-3 NSIC.

SMSU's Taylor Huseby scored with five seconds left in overtime to give the Mustangs a 74-72 lead. Following a timeout by UIU, the Peacocks came down the floor with Bestul hitting the game-winning shot.

SMSU sent the game into overtime at 64-64 on a Jordan Miller 3-pointer with two seconds left in regulation.

In overtime, Lavione West gave SMSU a 70-66 lead with 2:59 on the clock, before UIU rallied to tie the game at 70-70 with 1:37 remaining. Roehl gave the Mustangs a brief 72-70 lead moments later, before UIU once again tied it with 36 seconds left on a jumper by Hughes.

Roehl led SMSU with 16 points and tied a career-high with 16 rebounds, while Miller added 15 points and four assists. West and Huseby each added nine points, while Nick Smith chipped in with eight points.

Bestul finished with a game-high 24 points on 8 of 11 shooting with four 3-pointers.

SMSU finished with a 39-21 rebound margin, but committed 14 turnovers, leading to 20 UIU points, while UIU finished with just nine turnovers.

Both teams started the game slow as a pair of free throws by Jordan Miller gave SMSU a 6-4 lead with just over 12 minutes left in the first half.

SMSU trailed by one point late in the half until Nick Smith gave the Mustangs the lead back with a field goal with four minutes left to make the score 23-22. It was the start of a 9-0 run as SMSU pushed the lead to 30-23 with 1:47 left following a Scott Roehl basket.

The Peacocks closed the half with a 3-pointer to trim the lead to 30-25 in favor of SMSU at the half.

SMSU maintained the lead for the first seven minutes of the second half until UIU took the lead at 48-46 with 12:12 left in the game. Roehl tied the game with a field goal at 11:34, before UIU regained the lead with a free throw with 10:37 on the clock.

Smith gave SMSU a brief 50-49 lead with a field goal at the 10:13 mark, before UIU answered with a quick 9-0 run to build a 58-50 lead with 8:31 left.

SMSU then responded with its own run, scoring eight straight points to tie the game at 58-58 with 5:53 on the clock following a Roehl jumper.

UIU regained the lead with 4:35 left on a Jake Hughes field goal, before Roehl tied it at 60-60 with two free throws with 3:23 on the clock. SMSU had two chances to take the lead but missed a pair of field goal attempts to keep the game tied.

The Peacocks then regained the lead with 1:43 left in regulation on a pair of free throws to build a 62-60 lead. It stayed that way until SMSU's Vinard Birch was fouled with 11 seconds left with a chance to tie. Birch made the first attempt, but missed the second and UIU was able to secure the rebound with eight seconds left. UIU's Tucker Wentzien made both free throws to extend the lead to 64-61.

Following the free throws, Birch drove the length of the floor and found Miller open for a 3-pointer and the sophomore drilled the game-tying basket to send the game into overtime.

Southwest Minnesota State will now have two weeks off before returning to action on January 1, 2011, hosting Minnesota, Crookston with tip-off slated for 6 p.m.