Three solid quarters not enough for QU women to erase one dismal quarter at start of loss to SBU

QUINCY — The Quincy University women’s basketball team continues to find itself three-quarters of the way to success.

That missing quarter tripped the Hawks up again Saturday.

Southwest Baptist outscored Quincy 23-10 in the first quarter and never relinquished the lead despite the Hawks’ second-half surge, leading to a 68-65 victory in Great Lakes Valley Conference play at Pepsi Arena.

The loss comes on the heels of a nine-point setback at Rockhurst last Wednesday in which Quincy controlled the first three quarters but was outscored by 14 points over the final 12 minutes.

“We have to stop playing three quarters and three quarters only,” QU coach Courtney Boyd said. “We play three quarters and we’re up by 10, then we get ourselves in a hole that we just can’t figure out how to get out of it.”

This time, the first quarter was the undoing.

Southwest Baptist scored 11 of the game’s first 13 points, but Quincy pulled within 11-8 following a Mariann Blass free throw with 3:39 to play in the quarter. A 12-2 run by the Bearcats in which the Hawks missed four shots and committed a turnover gave Southwest Baptist control.

By halftime, the Hawks trailed 39-26, but they never felt they were out of the game.

“Whether we said it or not, we all knew in our hearts we could win this game,” Blass said. “We wanted it, and I know we all wanted it. It’s a matter of going out and executing and giving it all.”

In the third quarter, Quincy (4-10, 3-5 GLVC) held Southwest Baptist to 4-of-14 shooting from the field and 0 of 5 from 3-point range while going on a 19-9 run to pull within 48-45. A Janiece Dawson jumper on the opening possession of the fourth quarter made it a one-point game.

“We wanted it. We were on a run, and Coach is always saying it’s a game of runs,” said Blass, who went 4 of 11 from 3-point range and led the Hawks with 20 points. “We felt like the game was going our way. We all kind of flipped that switch and gave ourselves a chance.”

Quincy got within one point again with 3:20 to play on a 3-pointer by Blass, but Southwest Baptist went on an 8-2 run over the next three minutes to put the game out of reach.

“We’re going to make some changes,” Blass said. “The coaches keep telling us the things we need to hear, but it’s up to us to make that choice to get better. After a game like today, we’ll flip that switch and get things going in the right direction.”

Finding a way to not give away one quarter is the biggest change needed.

“Unfortunately, we’re having the same conversation after every loss,” Boyd said. “One of these days, I promise it’s going to click.”