McKendree backs out of QU classic, event rescheduled for just one game each day

QUINCY — The Hansen-Spear Funeral Home Holiday Classic is now a two-game affair.

The Quincy University men’s basketball program’s annual pre-Christmas event was originally scheduled to be a four-team, four-game showcase taking place Saturday and Sunday at Pepsi Arena. Now, it’s a three-team, two-game weekend.

McKendree informed tournament organizers Friday it could not make the trip because of a rash of stomach virus running through the program. Too late to find a viable replacement, the tournament had to be reduced to one game each day.

So the Hawks will face East-West University at 3 p.m. Saturday and take on Davenport at 3 p.m. Sunday. McKendree was supposed to play at 1 p.m. each day and both of those games are now canceled.

Ohio Valley was originally part of the four-team field, but on December 8, the university informed its students and faculty it will cease operation at the end of the first semester. Ohio Valley President Michael Ross told the students, faculty and staff the school has basically run out of money.

Tournament organizers replaced Ohio Valley with East-West University.