Sizzling finish offensively lifts QU women’s basketball team to victory at Truman State

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — Some changes to the Truman State University women’s basketball team’s lineup Saturday — most notably the absence of post player Maddie Niemeier — created unique challenges and opportunities for Quincy University.

The Hawks finally took advantage of them over the game’s final 16 minutes.

Quincy whittled an eight-point deficit to two by the end of the third quarter, took the lead for good two minutes into the fourth quarter and scored 29 points in the final stanza to cement an 85-76 non-conference victory at Pershing Arena.

“We had to play a little different style of play,” QU coach Courtney Boyd said. “We had mismatches. We had different lineups than we’ve had. It gave us a little bit of confidence going forward since we had a couple of people deeper into our bench.”

The Hawks (4-1) went 2 of 8 from 3-point range in the first half and shot just 38.1 percent from the field over the game’s first 24 minutes, but once the offense found its rhythm, it couldn’t be stopped.

Quincy went 7 of 9 from 3-point range in the second half and 11 of 14 from the field overall in the fourth quarter. Three consecutive 3-pointers — two by Nicole McDermott and one from Mariann Blass — midway through the third quarter turned the tide.

“The in-game adjustments we were able to make were significant,” Boyd said. “Truman State played a different defense than we expected. It created different kinds of shots for us.”

McDermott and Blass each scored 19 points, combining to go 6 of 10 from 3-point range. Taylor Haase added 12 points and Karsyn Stratton scored 10 for the Hawks, who play Hannibal-LaGrange at 11 a.m. Tuesday before embarking on Great Lakes Valley Conference play.

After losing 10 in a row to the Bulldogs from 2016-23, the Hawks have won the last three meetings.

“We’re creating our own rivalry again,” Boyd said.

Quincy and Truman State (2-4) are scheduled to play only once in conference play with s Jan. 25 meeting at Pepsi Arena.