Blistering effort from perimeter in first half enables Hawks to keep win streak alive

QUINCY — Missouri S&T’s game plan made sense.

Over the previous eight games, the Quincy University women’s basketball team had shot 23.5 percent from 3-point range, including a 2-of-16 shooting against Upper Iowa and a 1-of-16 effort against William Jewell.

So Thursday night at Pepsi Arena, the Miners packed the lane and challenged the Hawks to beat them from the perimeter.

Challenged accepted and completed.

Quincy went 7 of 14 from 3-point range in the first half of the Great Lakes Valley Conference game at Pepsi Arena and rolled the 13-point halftime advantage into a 76-61 victory.

“Out shooters found windows and stayed away from the help-the-helper defense, and for once, we were able to set our shooters up for success,” QU coach Courtney Boyd said. “When you can put your shooters on a good, in-rhythm shot, it makes the game a lot easier.”

There were moments over the first 20 minutes it looked easy as the Hawks had assists on 13 of 17 field goals and shot 47.2 percent from the field collectively. Overall, the Hawks finished with 19 assists against 15 turnovers while shooting 43 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range.

Quincy (17-5, 11-2 GLVC) hadn’t shot at least 40 percent from the perimeter since a Dec. 13 loss to Grand Valley State.

“It felt like we were clicking on every possession,” said sophomore guard Mariann Blass, who went 5 of 11 from 3-point range and finished with 17 points. “Even the ones we didn’t make shots, they still felt good. We still felt confident in the decisions we were all making. It was all-around a good feel for us.”

It resulted in the Hawks’ 11th consecutive victory, a run that has catapulted them into third place in the GLVC standings. Quincy is a half-game behind second-place Drury, which visits Pepsi Arena at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The Panthers (16-5, 12-2 GLVC) have beaten the Hawks 17 straight times, dating back to an 82-79 Quincy victory at Pepsi Arena on Jan. 30, 2014, but this team is brimming with confidence unlike any it has had in nearly a decade.

“It’s a huge difference from last year,” junior point guard Mikayla Huffine said. “It’s a huge confidence boost. We have confidence within each other and within the coaching staff with what they are going to do for us in practice.”

And the Hawks are well aware the streak is still going, although it hasn’t impacted their preparation or mindset.

“Sure, we think about it,” Huffine said. “But we just have to play hard. If we worry about it, that will show on the court. We have to go out on the court, play our game and know what has been working for us.”

Blass agreed. 

“It is on our minds,” Blass said. “But like Mikayla said, we try not to think about it. Going into the game, we’re just there to do everything we can to get the win. If we do that, the streak will take care of itself.”

This time, that meant halting a second-half charge from the Miners.

In the third quarter, Missouri S&T trimmed the deficit to six points on two occasions. However, Cymirah Williams’ field goal and Huffine’s free throw in the final two minutes of the quarter pushed the advantage back to nine points. The Hawks then scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to go ahead 63-48.

Williams had six points in that nine-point run and finished with 14 points and nine rebounds. Nicole McDermott led the Hawks with 21 points. Katelynne Roberts scored 19 points for Missouri S&T.

“In the third quarter, we just fell asleep,” Boyd said. “Once we got back to getting our in transition and got the ball in the middle of the floor, it set us back up for more fluidity. We also needed stops on the other end and we were able to find rebounds. That finally separated us.”