Spagnola’s double-double leads QU women to upset of Rockhurst to kickstart final home weekend

QUINCY — With her opportunities to play in Pepsi Arena dwindling and determined to put the Quincy University women’s basketball program on the right course to respectability before she leaves, Maddie Spagnola is playing with a chip on her shoulder.

It’s bringing out the best in the punky senior guard.

Spagnola spearheaded a spirited effort Thursday night, recording a double-double and propelling Quincy to a 60-53 victory over Rockhurst in Great Lakes Valley Conference action.

“My last weekend here gave me my energy,” Spagnola said. “I’m trying to soak it all in and my goal was to give it my all these last two games in Quincy.”

Spagnola finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds, to go with four steals and three assists. She also went 10 of 12 from the free-throw line, going 6 of 6 in the final 1:28 of regulation.

“I told her, ‘You just played at another level tonight,’” QU coach Kaci Bailey said. “I thought she was aggressive offensively. We talked before the game and she said she wanted to shoot the ball and not think about it. That was one of her goals.

“Every time the ball came back to her in the offense, she was aggressive and made something happen. She took care of the ball late. We kept putting the ball in her hands when they were fouling, and she knocked down her free throws.”

Quincy led 28-26 at halftime and junior forward Sarah Nelson scored the first six points of the second half and back-to-back baskets by Marta Rivera and Beth Matas Martin extended Quincy’s lead to 38-28.

A seven-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter dwindled to three, but Spagnola’s three-point with seven minutes remaining pushed QU’s advantage back to nine points.

“From top to bottom, we were engaged and played together,” Bailey said. “It was one of the best games where we had ball movement. We shared the ball. We got some stops. … Overall, it was a great team win.”

Quincy limited Rockhurst (12-11, 8-9 GLVC) to 31.3 percent shooting from the field and just two assists while forcing 17 turnovers. Rockhurst’s Daly Sullivan, the team’s leading scorer at 16.4 points per game, managed just 11 points on 5-of-18 shooting from the field.

Bailey credited QU guard Dami Adeyinka for locking down Sullivan.

“Dami and Maddie played with a chip on their shoulder because it’s their last weekend here,” Bailey said. “They want to finish strong.”

Nelson and Matas Martin each finished with 12 points as Quincy improved to 7-18 overall and 3-14 in the GLVC ahead of Saturday’s home finale against William Jewell.

“It’s going to be an emotional day,” Bailey said. “I would love nothing more than for this group of seniors to get back-to-back homes as they’re ending their careers. I think that would be phenomenal for them.”