Posts Tagged ‘College basketball’
Nelson’s game-winning buzzer-beater earns QU women spot in GLVC Tournament
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Friday night, during the team dinner for players and parents, Quincy University women’s basketball coach Kaci Bailey gave senior forward Emma Knipe’s parents a solid reassurance more was in store. “I told them, ‘Tomorrow’s not our last game,’” Bailey said. A homegrown senior — Quincy native Sarah Nelson — made sure…
Read MorePhoto gallery: JWCC suffers one-possession loss to Danville in final home game
QUINCY — Fighting for a higher seed in the Region 24 Tournament, the John Wood Community College men’s basketball team suffered a 60-58 loss to nationally ranked Danville Area Community College on Saturday at the Student Activity Center. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman captured the action courtside in this photo gallery:
Read MoreQU men stumble at finish line, still fight way into GLVC Tournament field
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A win-and-you’re-in scenario didn’t put the Quincy University men’s basketball team in a lose-and-you’re-out situation. That’s a lucky thing. With a chance to secure a spot in the eight-team Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament for the first time since 2017, Quincy stumbled Saturday in a 69-63 loss to Rockhurst at Mason-Halpin…
Read MoreC-SC women overcome slow start offensively, power way into Heart tourney quarterfinals
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Culver-Stockton College women’s basketball team’s ability to find some offensive rhythm enabled it to survive and advance in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament. Trailing by a point after shooting just 26.9 percent from the field in the first quarter, the fifth-seeded Wildcats went 8 of 16 from the…
Read MoreCrim: Postseason fate still in question, but Hawks have undoubtedly made strides in Hawkins’ first season back
QUINCY — As the Great Lakes Valley Conference enters the final week of the basketball regular season, the only certainty on the men’s side is that nationally-ranked Indianapolis will finish first and be the top seed for the league tournament March 2-5 in St. Charles, Mo. Otherwise, we’re left to decipher the GLVC’s rating system…
Read MoreMessage received: Kicked out of locker room and practicing at elementary school, Hawks respond with home victory
QUINCY – Quincy University men’s basketball coach Steve Hawkins didn’t like the way his team responded to a 13-point home loss to William Jewell Thursday night, its third straight defeat and sixth in eight games. He sent a message the following day by locking the players out of their locker room in Pepsi Arena, prohibiting…
Read MoreFirst-half drought too much for John Wood men to overcome in home setback
QUINCY — When you’re a .500 team, you win some and you lose some. You will have good moments and bad moments. The John Wood Community College men’s basketball team lost Saturday afternoon at home to Parkland College 65-62. The Trail Blazers’ record sits at 14-13, and like their season, the contest included good things…
Read MorePhoto gallery: John Wood drops to 14-13 after home loss to Parkland
The John Wood Community College men’s basketball team lost Saturday afternoon at home to Parkland College 65-62, missing a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer. The Trail Blazers’ record sits at 14-13, and they’re 2-5 in region play. MRN Editor David Adam captured some of the images from the game.
Read MoreBailey ‘proud of the effort’ as QU women lose home finale to Truman State
QUINCY – Quincy University women’s basketball coach Kaci Bailey knew her team was facing a tall order Saturday afternoon in its final home game of the season. Truman State entered the game in Pepsi Arena having won 11 straight games in the series. The Bulldogs began the day as the second-highest scoring team in the…
Read More‘The game got away from us’: Hawks suffer GLVC setback to Prairie Stars
QUINCY — The downcast expression covering Malik Hardmon’s face told the story. So did his words. “The game got away from us, and we paid for it,” he said. The 6-foot-6 senior forward on the Quincy University men’s basketball team did not mince words or offer excuses following Saturday’s 84-74 Great Lakes Valley Conference loss…
Read MoreQU women see GLVC tourney hopes take major hit with lopsided loss to Illinois-Springfield
QUINCY — The math never lies. “It’s tough to come back from 25 points down,” Quincy University women’s basketball coach Kaci Bailey said. And that’s exactly where QU found itself at intermission. Illinois-Springfield, which entered Saturday’s game with a 2-21 record, dominated Quincy from start to finish in posting an 81-59 Great Lakes Valley Conference…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QU men, women falter in GLVC play against Illinois-Springfield
QUINCY — The fight to earn a spot in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament became a little tougher for the Quincy University men’s and women’s basketball teams after both suffered setbacks Saturday against Illinois-Springfield at Pepsi Arena. The QU men lost 84-74, while the women were drubbed 81-59. Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman…
Read MoreTrail Blazers survive Cougars’ pressure and chaotic pace to capture MWAC victory in OT
QUINCY — Brad Hoyt should have felt comfortable watching his team control the tempo and continuing to knock down shots to open a 19-point lead at home five minutes into the second half. He wasn’t. “It made me nervous,” the John Wood Community College men’s basketball coach admitted. His apprehension proved to be well founded.…
Read MoreNationally ranked Greyhounds deny Hawks chance for season sweep
INDIANAPOLIS — There was no sneaking up on the University of Indianapolis a second time. The Greyhounds outscored the Quincy University men’s basketball team 14-8 over the final four minutes Saturday afternoon to post a 76-70 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory at Nicoson Hall. The victory was the 14th straight for seventh-ranked Indianapolis (20-2, 12-2…
Read MoreRough patch offensively in third quarter costs QU women chance at GLVC road victory
INDIANAPOLIS — One bad quarter was enough to doom the Quincy University women’s basketball team. Trailing by just four points at halftime, the Hawks made only 1 of 12 field goal attempts and scored just four points in the third period Saturday afternoon to fall to the University of Indianapolis 68-58 in Great Lakes Valley…
Read MoreHawks survive close shave with final offensive burst, upend Flyers for GLVC road victory
ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — When several of the Quincy University men’s basketball players decided to shave their heads to nothing but stubble prior to Thursday’s game at Lewis, there were some skeptics. “We tried to get everyone else to do it,” QU junior guard Paul Zilinskas said. “They were a little scared.” They may not have…
Read MoreQU women rally after tough start, fall short in GLVC loss at Lewis
ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — A ragged start offensively made a comeback a challenge, but the Quincy University women’s basketball team nearly pulled it off. After trailing Lewis by as many as 14 points in the first half of Thursday night’s Great Lakes Valley Conference game at Neil Carey Arena, the Hawks trimmed the deficit to one…
Read MoreCrim: Matas Martin’s play is pointing QU women’s basketball team in right direction
QUINCY — Kaci Bailey inherited 14 players on a team coming off a two-win season when she was hired as the Quincy University women’s basketball coach in April 2021. Not the ideal recipe for immediate success. “It was late in the recruiting cycle, and I told the coaches we needed to try to sign a…
Read MoreFrustrated by fouls, Foster fuels final flourish as Hawks snap three-game losing streak
QUINCY — Sitting on the bench tested Isaiah Foster’s patience. Three fouls limited the freshman guard to just 4 minutes, 35 seconds of playing time Saturday until he checked into the game with 11:40 remaining in the second half. Foster helped the Quincy University men’s basketball team go on a 10-point run to take the…
Read More‘It’s just super exciting’: Matas Martin scores 33 as QU women reach double digits in victories for first time in seven seasons
QUINCY — Sarah Nelson remembers the bad times, which makes it so much easier to enjoy the good times. In Nelson’s first three seasons, the Quincy University women’s basketball team had an 18-59 record and a 10-50 record in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. The Hawks now have won three of their last four GLVC…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QU men stay in third-place tie in GLVC standings by knocking off Maryville
QUINCY — The Quincy University men’s basketball team ended a three-game slide and stayed in third place in the Great Lakes Valley Conference with Saturday’s 70-62 victory over Maryville at Pepsi Arena. Muddy River News Editor David Adam sat courtside and put together this photo gallery:
Read MorePhoto Gallery: Quincy University women pick up 10th victory by defeating Maryville
QUINCY — The Quincy University women’s basketball team picked up its 10th victory of the season — the most since the 2015-16 season — with Saturday’s 84-78 victory over Maryville at Pepsi Arena. Muddy River News Editor David Adam sat courtside and put together this photo gallery:
Read MoreStruggles shooting from perimeter lead to Hawks suffering third consecutive loss
LEBANON, Ill. — It’s a fact as immutable as gravity — the ball must go through the hoop to win. Right now, the Quincy University men’s basketball team is struggling with that, at least from beyond the 3-point stripe. The Hawks shot just 6.7 percent from 3-point range Thursday night, making only 1 of 15…
Read MoreQU women unable to extend win streak, let game slip away in final two minutes
LEBANON, Ill. — The Quincy University women’s basketball team has yet to reach February, and already the Hawks have matched the most victories they’ve enjoyed in the last seven seasons. Still, there is another significant step needed in their evolution. The Hawks must sustain success. It eluded them Thursday night. Chasing just the second three-game…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Wednesday, January 25
Men’s basketball Lincoln Land 64, John Wood Community College 58 William Penn 84, Culver-Stockton College 76 Women’s basketball Lincoln Land 68, John Wood Community College 46 Culver-Stockton College 81, William Penn 66 Prep wrestling Quincy High School 42, Galesburg 28
Read MoreMassner sets WIU single-game scoring record with 46 points in Summit League victory
MACOMB, Ill. — Trenton Massner felt he was due for a game like this. “I haven’t been making a shot all year,” Massner said. “It’s like if I was making my shot all year, I’d have four or five of those.” This was the one that put him in the record book. Massner scored a…
Read MoreCrim: Hawks hope turbulent stretch subsides and more memorable moments await
QUINCY— Quincy University coach Steve Hawkins likes to compare a basketball season to an airplane flight. “There’s always going to be some turbulence,” he explained. His team is trying to navigate its choppiest stretch yet. After surprising preseason prognosticators by winning six of their first seven Great Lakes Valley Conference games to rise to the…
Read MoreInability to make shots costs Hawks chance to get back on track in GLVC play
QUINCY — There wasn’t a lid on the basket at Quincy University’s end of the court. It just seemed that way. The QU men’s basketball team shot just 33 percent from the field, missed 20 of 24 tries from 3-point range and made only 17 of 27 free throws Saturday afternoon to fall 72-65 to…
Read MoreHawks spread wealth offensively in grabbing 20-point GLVC victory against Miners
QUINCY — Beth Matas Martin scored 20 points to lead five players in double figures Saturday as the Quincy University women’s basketball team rolled to an 83-63 victory over Missouri S&T in Pepsi Arena. The victory was the Hawks’ first against the Miners, who had won the previous five meetings, since . QU made 9…
Read MoreSecond-half defensive struggles too much for Hawks to overcome in loss to Tritons
ST. LOUIS — A tale of two halves featured an ending the Quincy University men’s basketball team would like to rewrite. A solid first half defensively Thursday night led to the Hawks owning a three-point halftime edge against nationally ranked Missouri-St. Louis in Great Lakes Valley Conference play at the Mark Twain Building. However, the…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Thursday, January 19
Boys basketball Unity 53, Rushville-Industry 46 Louisiana 64, Pittsfield 54 Tony Lenzini Tournament Van-Far 40, Monroe City 38 Hannibal 45, Clark County 35 Girls basketball Quincy Notre Dame 44, Illini West 24 Quincy High School 31, Rock Island Alleman 29 Havana 37, Central-Southeastern 25 Louisiana 49, Pittsfield 44 La Plata 33, Marion County 25 Tony…
Read MoreEasy does it: JWCC shares basketball efficiently during critical stretch to earn win in MWAC opener
QUINCY — While his players on the floor rotated back to play defense after Logan Robbins flushed a two-handed dunk off a nifty baseline bounce pass, John Wood Community College men’s basketball coach Brad Hoyt implored his bench with a familiar refrain. “See, make it easy,” Hoyt said. For a stretch of the second half…
Read MoreGot your six: JWCC women’s basketball team wins MWAC opener despite depleted bench
QUINCY — Lauren Bogle doesn’t dwell on the fact the John Wood Community College women’s basketball team has only six players healthy and eligible at this juncture. “You just need five on the floor, right?” the first-year Trail Blazers coach said. If the Trail Blazers can maintain the right level of defensive aggressiveness without getting…
Read More‘Sometimes it’s a bounce, sometimes it’s just luck’: Coakley’s putback beats buzzer and Panthers as Hawks rally for GLVC victory
QUINCY — Paul Zilinskas never saw what happened after he released his shot. JJ Schwepker’s reaction told him all he needed to know. With two seconds remaining in regulation Monday night and the Quincy University men’s basketball team trailing Drury by a point, Zilinskas caught an inbounds pass while moving toward the basket. He collided…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QU, Drury split GLVC basketball twinbill at Pepsi Arena
QUINCY — Jamaurie Coakley’s putback of Paul Zilinskas’ miss as the buzzer sounded lifted the Quincy University men’s basketball team to an 84-83 victory over Drury on Monday night in Great Lakes Valley Conference at Pepsi Arena. It also allowed the Hawks to earn a doubleheader split after the second-ranked Drury women beat Quincy 87-49.…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Monday, January 16
Boys basketball MLK Shootout at Bloomington Central Catholic Bloomington Central Catholic 79, Quincy Notre Dame 71 Eastbay Shootout Macomb 47, Rockridge 39 80th annual Tony Lenzini Tournament Palmyra 79, Highland 34 Canton 67, Mark Twain 47 Girls basketball Pittsfield 31, Beardstown 14 Jerry Logan Shootout Quincy High School 53, Abingdon-Avon 27 Unity 58, Macomb 26…
Read MoreHawks’ six-game win streak ends at hands of Bearcats as Nelson plays role of 3-point sniper
QUINCY — Having only one day to prepare for Southwest Baptist University wasn’t enough. Playing less than 48 hours after pulling away late for a hard-fought victory over Rockhurst, the Quincy University men’s basketball team was unable to effectively defend SBU’s motion offense and was repeatedly burned by reigning Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of…
Read MoreQU women go on closing kick to snare GLVC victory against Southwest Baptist
QUINCY — The Quincy University women’s basketball team outscored Southwest Baptist University 17-3 over the final four minutes Saturday afternoon to post a 63-59 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory in Pepsi Arena. A 3-pointer by Beth Matas Martin from the top of the circle gave the Hawks the lead for good with just under three…
Read MoreQU men’s basketball team begins crucial three-game home weekend with victory
QUINCY — Quincy University men’s basketball coach Steve Hawkins relates three games in five days to an NBA schedule. At least the Hawks have the advantage of playing them all at Pepsi Arena. QU started the homestand off right Thursday night with an 81-73 win over Rockhurst and kept pace with the University of Missouri-St.…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Thursday, January 12
Boys basketball Pittsfield 54, Rushville-Industry 51 Marion County 58, Madison 25 Winchester Invitational Tournament Jacksonville Routt 47, Central 43 Liberty 44, Calhoun 38 Girls basketball Quincy Notre Dame 51, Rochester 41 Marion County 48, Madison 22 CSE Lady Panther Classic Brown County 47, Unity 43 Central-Southeastern 37, Illini West 26 North Greene Lady Spartan Classic…
Read MoreTrail Blazers set stage for conference play by hitting target with victory over Archers
QUINCY — In essence, conference play arrived a week early. Because of it, the John Wood Community College men’s basketball team may just be ready for its second season after all. The Trail Blazers built a 15-point lead midway through the second half Wednesday night, only to see St. Louis Community College chisel the deficit…
Read MoreThe Scoreboard: Wednesday, January 11
Boys basketball Hancock County Tournament Southeastern 48, Unity 43 West Hancock 59, Illini West 38 Winchester Invitational Tournament Griggsville-Perry 52, Winchester West Central 49 Liberty 49, Carlinville 34 Girls basketball Quincy High School 46, Geneseo 44 (OT) CSE Lady Panther Classic South Fulton 48, Liberty 33 Lewistown 57, Rushville-Industry 23 Men’s basketball John Wood Community…
Read MoreTriple-overtime loss sinks Culver-Stockton women into fifth place in conference race
CANTON, Mo. — The Culver-Stockton College women’s basketball team started the week with a chance to establish itself as a contender for the Heart of America Athletic Conference championship. Back-to-back losses to two of the Heart’s best teams this week, however, have dropped the Wildcats from second into fifth place in the league. Saturday’s triple-overtime…
Read MoreFoster’s quick reaction and free throws give Hawks edge in completing GLVC road sweep
LIBERTY, Mo. — The ball squirted away from Isaiah Foster at an unfortunate moment, but he refused to allow an opportunity to lift the Quincy University men’s basketball team to victory slip away. The freshman point guard regained control of his miscue and was fouled in doing so, which allowed him to make two free…
Read MoreTop of the charts: QU men’s basketball signee breaks SHG’s career scoring record
QUINCY — The way the numbers added up, Jake Hamilton needed one more shot at history. So Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin boys basketball coach Tim Allen obliged. With a sizable second-half lead over North Chicago in the opening round of the State Farm Holiday Classic on December 27, Allen was set to sub out all of…
Read MoreHawks bring focused energy, sense of purpose into new year with victory over Bulldogs
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — No one associated with the Quincy University men’s basketball program — outside of head coach Steve Hawkins — had experienced success against Truman State University. As much as the Hawks wanted to change that Thursday night, there was a larger purpose behind their 85-74 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory at Pershing Arena.…
Read MoreQU women’s basketball team unable to overcome slow starts to each half
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — A sluggish start to each half ruined the start to the Quincy University women’s basketball team’s new year. Truman State outscored Quincy 10-3 over the first five minutes of the first quarter and then went on a 9-2 run over the first two minutes of the third quarter, building an insurmountable lead…
Read MoreTrail Blazers unable to meet challenge Bears present in suffering double-digit loss
QUINCY — Coming out of the holiday break, John Wood Community College men’s basketball coach Brad Hoyt gave his team an immediate challenge. The Trail Blazers struggled to meet it. Des Moines Area Community College, ranked 15th in the latest NJCAA Division II national poll, used an opening salvo that created an 11-point lead in…
Read MoreHoliday cheer: Hawks head home for Christmas following overtime victory against Lakers
QUINCY — The only thing that mattered was the only thing that crossed Isaiah Foster’s mind. “Go get the ball,” he said. By doing so, the freshman point guard ensured it will be a Merry Christmas for himself and his Quincy University men’s basketball teammates. Leading Lake Superior State by two points in the waning…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QU men’s basketball team finishes Hansen-Spear Holiday Classic with victory
QUINCY — The Quincy University men’s basketball team is carrying a three-game win streak into its holiday break after beating Lake Superior State 59-54 in overtime in the final game of the Hansen-Spear Holiday Classic at Pepsi Arena. Check out this collection of images shot by Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman during Sunday’s game:
Read MoreHawks hit century mark, will face tougher test in final game of Hansen-Spear Funeral Home Classic
QUINCY — A 55-point first half set the stage for the Quincy University men’s basketball team to enjoy its highest scoring game in three seasons and get the Hansen-Spear Funeral Home Classic started the right way. The Hawks shot 48.7 percent from the field in the first half of a 103-73 victory over East-West University…
Read MoreRobbins’ layup off Talton assist gives Trail Blazers one-point upset of nationally ranked Stormers
QUINCY — On a day when Jeremiah Talton was the game’s leading scorer, it was his lone assist that cemented the John Wood Community College men’s basketball team’s victory over a nationally ranked opponent. With the ball on the baseline underneath the Trail Blazers’ basket, Milwaukee Area Technical College owning a one-point lead, and only…
Read MoreShockey saves Hawks with 3-pointer in closing seconds of regulation
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The Quincy University men’s basketball team made only seven field goals in the second half of Saturday’s Great Lakes Valley Conference game against Drury. Thanks to Nate Shockey, seven was just enough. The junior guard took a kickout from Paul Zilinskas and buried a 3-pointer with three seconds remaining in regulation to…
Read MoreTrail Blazers unable to sidestep own ‘ragged’ effort in loss to open weekend
QUINCY — Darius Bolden was disappointed in the John Wood Community College men’s basketball team’s inconsistent play Friday night. The Trail Blazers sophomore guard went as far as to say JWCC’s overall performance bordered on “ragged.” It was hard to argue. Kansas City (Kan.) Community College pulled away down the stretch for an 82-73 victory…
Read MoreInconsistency keeps Hawks from being able to outlast Lakers in nonconference matchup
QUINCY — Steve Hawkins knew what was necessary to give his Quincy University men’s basketball team a chance to rally. The veteran coach didn’t like it, but he did it. “I feel cheap for it because that’s not how I want to try to win a game,” Hawkins said. Still, it nearly worked. Trailing Grand…
Read MorePrairie Stars shoot down Hawks with blistering effort from 3-point range
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Mama said there’d be days like this. Riding the high of back-to-back victories over two of the Great Lakes Valley Conference’s top three preseason favorites, the Quincy University men’s basketball team saw its momentum stifled Thursday night by another upstart crew. Illinois-Springfield, picked to finish ninth in the 13-team league, shot down…
Read MoreStrong closing kick carries QU women’s basketball team to GLVC road victory
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Quincy University women’s basketball team found itself in a precarious position once again. A one-point game with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation. In five of the seven games prior to Thursday night’s Great Lakes Valley Conference showdown with Illinois-Springfield, the Hawks were within four points heading to the closing…
Read More‘You live for moments like that’: Richardson hits game-winning shot as Hawks ground Flyers
Video courtesy of Steve Looten QUINCY — For the first 39 minutes, 39 seconds of Monday night’s Great Lakes Valley Conference matchup, the Lewis men’s basketball team never wavered from playing tenacious man-to-man defense. “I think it had been that way the entire year, too,” Quincy University coach Steve Hawkins said. So after calling timeout…
Read MoreInability to sustain energy, effort leads to another single-digit loss for QU women’s basketball team
QUINCY — Kaci Bailey’s exasperation resulted in a complete overhaul of the Quincy University women’s basketball team’s lineup midway through the third quarter Monday night. “I said put five new ones in,” the second-year Hawks coach said. “I didn’t even know who was in.” All Bailey was certain of was her starters weren’t providing the…
Read MorePhoto gallery: QU men, women split GLVC basketball doubleheader with Lewis
QUINCY — A clutch shot and a search for energy. That’s the most poignant way to describe opposite ends of a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader for the Quincy University men’s and women’s basketball teams. Zion Richardson banked in a shot with 2.1 seconds remaining in regulation to life the QU men to a 71-69…
Read MoreCrim: Upset shows Hawks displaying toughness, physicality needed to win in GLVC
QUINCY — Entering the season, it appeared the Great Lakes Valley Conference did the Quincy University men’s basketball team no favors by scheduling it to open league play against Indianapolis and Lewis, opponents projected to finish first and third, respectively. The one caveat was that both games would be in Pepsi Arena, and the Hawks…
Read MoreQU women’s basketball team gives itself chance, falls short of beating Indianapolis in GLVC opener
QUINCY — Night in and night out, the Quincy University women’s basketball team is putting itself in position to challenge for the lead at the end of regulation. Figuring out how to win nip-and-tuck games is the next step. Saturday, the Hawks had a chance to tie Indianapolis in the final 10 seconds of regulation…
Read MoreStunner to start: Hawks open GLVC play by upending preseason favorite Greyhounds
QUINCY — After not enjoying a winning record in the Great Lakes Valley Conference since the 2016-17 season, the Quincy University men’s basketball team started conference play in stunning fashion Saturday with a 62-57 victory over preseason conference favorite Indianapolis at Pepsi Arena. So how long will Quincy coach Steve Hawkins enjoy giving the No.…
Read MoreDespite more Matas Martin late-game heroics, Hawks fall in overtime in weekend finale
QUINCY — The Quincy University women’s basketball team is oh-so-close to being oh-so-successful. For the second time in four games, the Hawks went to overtime, getting a pair of clutch Beth Matas Martin baskets in the final 20 seconds of regulation to tie Sunday’s championship game of the Hansen-Spear Quincy Classic against Winona State at…
Read MoreMartin beats buzzer and Rogers State as QU women’s basketball team earns first victory
QUINCY — When the final play produces the perfect outcome, it had to be run exactly the way it was designed in the huddle, right? “Something like that,” Quincy University women’s basketball coach Kaci Bailey said with a wry smile. When Rogers State disrupted Quincy planned off a sideline inbounds play with 6.9 seconds remaining…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Hansen-Spear Quincy Classic at Pepsi Arena
QUINCY — The scheduled had to be adjusted and delayed, but Saturday afternoon at Pepsi Arena, four NCAA Division II women’s basketball teams converged for the Hansen-Spear Quincy Classic and delivered a pair of hard-fought affairs. Winona State defeated McKendree 64-50 in the opener, and Quincy University knocked off Rogers State 58-56 as Beth Matas…
Read MoreRough start leads to late rally falling short as QU men’s basketball stumbles on road
PITTSBURG, Kan. — The inconsistency the Quincy University men’s basketball team is showing takes time and toughness to fix. Now, there isn’t much time left before Great Lakes Valley Conference play begins. The Hawks struggled offensively at the start of Saturday’s game against Missouri Southern in the Pitt State Thanksgiving Classic, hit a lull defensively…
Read MoreStrong second-half defensive effort lifts QU men’s basketball team to first road victory
PITTSBURG, Kan. — The Quincy University men’s basketball team’s offense is going to give the defense time to find its way. In the second half Friday night, that seemed to happen. An 11-point halftime lead ballooned to as many as 29 points as the Hawks put the clamps on Pittsburg State, limiting the Gorillas to…
Read MoreDown to the last detail: Hawks adapt, adjust and improve in winning home opener against Trojans
QUINCY — Malik Hardmon has listened to the Quincy University men’s basketball coaching staff harp on being detail oriented so often the words and phrases being uttered have slipped into his subconscious. “I wake up and in my dream I’ve heard, ‘Details, details, details,’” the senior forward said with a grin. He and the Hawks…
Read MoreSchuckman: Emotion hits Hawkins leading up to second home debut as QU men’s basketball coach
QUINCY — Every version of the national anthem is unique and different. Singers with big, booming voices tend to drag out high notes, especially at the top of their vocal range. Nervous singers hurry through it, praying they don’t forget a word or miss a note and fight just to finish. Steve Hawkins would have…
Read MoreTalton breaks JWCC single-game 3-point record as Trail Blazers outlast Warriors in overtime
QUINCY — When Jeremiah Talton was deciding where the best college fit would be, the former Quincy High School all-state basketball player wanted to find a program with an offense tailor-made for his game. “I’m a shooter,” Talton said at the time. Opponents of the John Wood Community College men’s basketball team are figuring out…
Read MoreLate-game struggles lead to another tough loss for QU men’s basketball team
CEDARVILLE, Ohio — A number of the things the Quincy University men’s basketball players have done during the first 35 minutes of back-to-back season-opening games will make this group successful in the long run. What took place down the stretch needs to change. Friday night, the Hawks squandered an 11-point lead with nine minutes to…
Read MoreLate lead slips away as QU women’s basketball team opens season with overtime loss
HILLSDALE, Mich. — The Quincy University women’s basketball team put itself in position to rubber stamp dramatic 365-day turnaround. All the Hawks lacked was a finishing touch. Sarah Nelson’s layin with 2 minutes, 27 seconds remaining in regulation gave Quincy a six-point lead over Ursuline College in the first game of the Midwest Regional Crossover…
Read MoreDefensive breakdown late in second half costs Hawks shot at season-opening victory
CEDARVILLE, Ohio — The combination of high-level 3-point shooting and solid perimeter defense put the Quincy University men’s basketball team in position to win Steve Hawkins’ second debut as the head coach. Then the defense rested a little too much. Findlay went on a 25-9 run over a 7-minute, 34-second span late in the second…
Read MoreTrail Blazers pick up pace in second half, find space to excel offensively against Eagles
QUINCY — Space equals pace. If the John Wood Community College men’s basketball players execute such a notion more consistently, the offense Trail Blazers coach Brad Hoyt has designed for this group will run more efficiently. The first seven minutes of the second half Friday night against Rock Valley College proved that point. Leading by…
Read MoreTrail Blazers prepare for challenging week by stomping Wildcats in season opener
QUINCY — Saturday’s official season opener for the John Wood Community College men’s basketball team was more like a dress rehearsal. The main act starts Tuesday. The Trail Blazers kickstarted everything with a 90-42 victory over the Culver-Stockton College JV at the Student Activity Center in which three local products scored in double figures and…
Read MoreQU men’s basketball team comes up short in final exhibition at Northwestern
After taking care of the basketball before halftime with only four turnovers, Quincy University had 10 turnovers in the second half and fell to the Wildcats 69-49 at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Read MoreHawks show grit, moxie in exhibition loss to Illini
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Steve Hawkins wasn’t shy about what he hoped to accomplish by traveling to State Farm Center for an exhibition game against the No. 23 University of Illinois men’s basketball team. “A lot,” said Hawkins, embarking on his second stint as the head coach at Quincy University. “It’s going to be beneficial on…
Read MoreCrim: Former QU men’s basketball coach lands job with D-I program
Around the horn … Former Quincy University men’s basketball coach Ryan Hellenthal has landed a new job as director of basketball development and basketball administration at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, the school announced last week. At SIUE, he is reunited with Cougars coach Brian Barone. Both were assistants on the coaching staff at Garden City (Kan.)…
Read MoreCrim: College football, Hall of Fame closers, baseball playoffs and QU basketball on the mind
Notes, quotes and great thoughts from a sports weekend that, for the first time in a month, did not include my alma mater turning a winnable college football game into an excruciating loss: OK, so Missouri was on a bye. No game, no angst. Surely the Tigers won’t lose on Saturday to Vanderbilt, the only…
Read MorePhoto gallery: Practice officially opens on second Hawkins era with QU men’s basketball program
QUINCY — More than two decades have passed since Steve Hawkins last walked into Pepsi Arena to coach the first official practice of the college basketball season, but his expectations for the Quincy University men’s basketball players aren’t any different. The Hawks better be prepared to tirelessly work to get better. Saturday morning, the Hawks…
Read MoreFormer Hawks guard Adeyinka signs contract with professional team in Spain
QUINCY — Dami Adeyinka may need to lean on a pair of former Quincy University teammates to bridge the language barrier as she embarks on a professional basketball career. The guard signed a contract with Magectias Contra Violencia Genero, one of 28 teams in Liga Femenina 2 de Baloncesto, which is the second division of…
Read MoreFormer assistant coach returns to JWCC to take over women’s basketball program
QUINCY — John Wood Community College athletic director Brad Hoyt’s short list of candidates to consider for the women’s basketball coaching position didn’t change because of the relatively short timeframe in which he had to conduct his search. Lauren Bogle’s name was always there. “Her energy and her commitment while she was here has resonated…
Read MoreRodriguez retires after nearly three decades coaching women’s basketball at JWCC
QUINCY — If there is a universal truth Norm Rodriguez can take from his nearly three decades coaching women’s basketball at John Wood Community College, it might be this. Even the best laid plans go awry. Rodriguez intended to coach one more season and then join his wife, Anita, at their new home in Tennessee,…
Read MoreQU men’s basketball team to face tough road tests while launching Hawkins’ second stint as coach
QUINCY — Ideally, Quincy University men’s basketball coach Steve Hawkins wouldn’t want to launch his second stint with the Hawks by playing four of the first five games on the road. “I wish there was a way to start our tenure here at home,” the veteran skipper said. This schedule doesn’t accommodate such a wish.…
Read MoreFormer QU standout McGaughey closes chapter on professional basketball career
CINCINNATI — Evan McGaughey’s passport reveals quite a story. In the five years since his graduation from Quincy University, the Carthage native’s 4.5 x 3.5 inch booklet has been stamped enough times to allow him entrance into 15 countries on two different continents as he pursued a professional basketball career. “I got to see a…
Read MoreCollege notebook: Former JWCC standout Gronewold joins staff at Dodge City
QUINCY — Brad Hoyt often has said the John Wood Community College men’s basketball program sticks together like family. How true that is these days. Brody Gronewold, a former standout at Illini West and JWCC, recently was named an assistant coach at Dodge City Community College, an NJCAA Division I program located in Dodge City,…
Read MoreFormer QU great Jessica Keller joins women’s basketball coaching staff at Nebraska
LINCOLN, Neb. — Jessica Keller continues climbing the coaching ladder. The all-time leading scorer in the history of the Quincy University women’s basketball program is heading to the Big 10 Conference, joining Amy Williams staff with the University of Nebraska women’s basketball program as an assistant coach. Keller spent the previous five seasons on the…
Read MoreCollege notebook: JWCC’s Jennings receives All-American honors for second straight season
QUINCY — For the seventh time in the past nine seasons, the John Wood Community College men’s basketball program has produced an All-American. Sophomore forward Jarvis Jennings was named to the NJCAA Division II All-American third team, making him one of 30 players nationwide as selected by the NJCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Committee. Jennings,…
Read MoreHawkins adds familiar face to QU basketball staff by bringing Walsh back as assistant coach
QUINCY — Add another familiar face to the Quincy University men’s basketball team’s sideline. Tim Walsh, a former QU assistant, is returning to Pepsi Arena to be Steve Hawkins’ top assistant coach. Walsh served as an assistant coach under Hawkins from 1994-98 and also was on the Hawks’ staff for the 1986-87 season, which was…
Read MoreCrim: Turpin’s mission of helping student-athletes has never changed even as her job and title have
NORTH PORT, Fla. — Once a coach, always a coach. While it has been 28 years since Kathy Turpin walked away from Culver-Stockton College as the winningest women’s basketball coach in school history, never to coach another college game, she is still doing her part to create an atmosphere for student-athletes to succeed. The competitive…
Read MoreSchuckman: Path to Hawkins’ return as QU men’s basketball coach began with meal at Portillo’s
QUINCY — Steve Hawkins isn’t shy about his appreciation for quality cuisine. He is loyal to the restaurants he finds reliable and appetizing. So it came as no surprise Wednesday morning, hours before he was to be introduced as the new Quincy University men’s basketball coach, Hawkins ate breakfast at the Coach House, a longstanding…
Read MoreHawk homecoming: QU hires former hoops coach Hawkins to return to helm of men’s program
QUINCY — Steve Hawkins made the 430-mile drive from Kalamazoo, Mich., to Quincy by himself Tuesday night, but he was hardly alone. “Word started to seep out the last couple of days in the coaching world,” said Hawkins, who was introduced Wednesday as the next Quincy University men’s basketball coach. “My phone … well, it…
Read MoreCrim: Walton’s journey brings him home, where teaching and coaching made for a fulfilling career
CANTON, Mo. — Rod Walton quietly moved back to Canton last month, a place he called home during a 30-year association with Culver-Stockton College. He spends his days visiting with old friends, some former high school basketball coaching colleagues, and other old C-SC hands he remained in contact with after retiring in 2012. He tries…
Read MoreJWCC men’s monumental second-half rally falls short in Region 24 title game loss to Parkland
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Jarvis Jennings struggled with the words that could accurately depict all the emotions tugging at his heart and soul. He didn’t need to speak. His eyes said everything. Glassed over by tears and saddened by the finality of it all, Jennings and the John Wood Community College men’s basketball team fought like…
Read MoreJWCC’s Jennings earns Region 24 Player of the Year, Taylor and Kracht also honored
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A somber thought crossed Jarvis Jennings’ mind in the locker room Sunday afternoon. His John Wood Community College basketball career was finished. “It didn’t really hit me until I had to take my jersey off one last time,” Jennings said. “But that’s life. You take it to the chin and you have…
Read MoreSuccessful night all around for Hoyt family as JWCC men advance to Region 24 semifinals
QUINCY — Brad Hoyt is the long-time men’s basketball coach at John Wood Community College. He’s also the father of 17-year-old Jake Hoyt, a member of the Quincy Notre Dame boys basketball team. While Brad was coaching Wednesday night, Jake was playing against Maroa-Forsyth in a sectional tournament game at Stanford Olympia. Both enjoyed victories.…
Read MoreValiant effort from QU women falls short in fourth quarter of GLVC tournament loss to Truman State
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — The Quincy University women’s basketball team ran out of steam, but it wasn’t before a valiant effort. The Hawks led Truman State by four points at the end of the third quarter Monday night in the opening round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament at Pershing Arena before the Bulldogs opened…
Read MoreQU men bow out of GLVC Tournament following horrific shooting performance against McKendree
LEBANON, Ill. — It became dubbed the “Monday Night Massacre.” Hardly anyone in the Great Lakes Valley Conference was immune to it. Of the seven opening-round games of the GLVC men’s basketball tournament, five were decided by 26 points or more, including Quincy University’s 37-point loss at McKendree in which the Hawks shot less than…
Read MoreScoreboard for Saturday, February 26
Boys basketball At Monroe City, Mo. Class 3 District 6 championship Monroe City 69, Highland 40. Click here for the story. Girls basketball At Monroe City, Mo. Class 3 District 6 championship South Shelby 59, Palmyra 55. Click here for the story. Men’s basketball At Meyer Sports Center, Bolivar, Mo. Southwest Baptist 86, Quincy University…
Read More