Hawks Take On GLVC East's Best This Week

Quincy University Hawks (10-4, 4-1 GLVC) at University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles (12-2, 4-0 GLVC)
Jan. 14, 2016 | 7:30 p.m.
Physical Activities Center - Evansville, IN

Quincy University Hawks (10-4, 4-1 GLVC) at Bellarmine University Knights (11-2, 4-0 GLVC)
Jan. 16, 2016 | 2:15 p.m. CT
Knights Hall - Louisville, KY

ROAD TRIPPIN': The GLVC West co-leading Quincy University men's basketball team hits the road this week to take on GLVC East co-leaders, Southern Indiana and No. 9 Bellarmine. The Hawks wrapped up a season-long five-game homestand last week and will play their first road game since Dec. 15 on Thursday night against the Screaming Eagles in Evansville, Ind.

STAYING HOT: The Hawks are coming off a pair of home wins over Illinois Springfield and McKendree to extend their winning streak to five games. Quincy has also won 10 of their last 11 contests since it started the season with three straight losses. The Hawks last won five in a row from Jan. 19-Feb. 2, 2012. They are eyeing their first six-game winning streak since a six-game string from Dec. 4, 2010 to Jan. 2, 2011. The 10-4 start is the Hawks' best since the 2011-12 season when they also started 10-4.

UP NEXT: The Hawks return to Pepsi Arena to play a pair of St. Louis-based GLVC West schools, Maryville and Missouri-St. Louis.

QUICK LOOK BACK: The Hawks returned to GLVC play last week and did not skip a beat, defeating Illinois Springfield, 93-82, on Thursday before pummeling McKendree, 95-76, on Saturday. QU led by as many as 35 points against the Bearcats. The Hawks put five scorers in double figures in each game as their offensive efficiency skyrocketed. QU averaged 116.7 points per 100 possessions in the two games. Quincy's season average sits around 112 points per 100 possessions. For comparison, the Hawks averaged 104.8 points per 100 possessions last season.

DOUBLE DOUBLE-DOUBLE: In Saturday's win over McKendree, the Hawks had two players post double-doubles. Junior forward Joseph Tagarelli (Bayside, Wis./Waunakee/Kirkwood CC) scored a game-high 22 points on 9-for-14 shooting to go with 11 rebounds. He had 12 points and nine rebounds at halftime. Junior forward Evan McGaughey (Carthage, Ill./Illini West) registered his second straight double-dip with 12 points and 12 rebounds. It marked the first time since Justin Brock and Scott Hahn each had 11 points and 10 rebounds against Maryville on Feb. 18, 2012 that two Hawks had double doubles in the same game.

STAT STUFFER: McGaughey turned up his production once the GLVC season kicked in full force last week. The Carthage, Ill. native scored 17 points and collected a career-high 15 rebounds against the Prairie Stars on Thursday. McGaughey now has three double-doubles in his last four games, during which he is averaging 17.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 66.7 (26-39) from the field. Last week, he eclipsed 800 points for his career and now stands at 812.

JACKSON OUT: Senior guard Thomas Jackson (Louisville, Ky./Jeffersontown/Cincinnati State) suffered a fractured arm in Thursday's game against Illinois Springfield and will miss the remainder of the season. The Hawks' two-year starting point guard was averaging 11.5 points and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 49 percent (47-96) from the field and 43 percent (13-30) from 3-point range. He also ranked among the GLVC leaders in free throw percentage (43-49, .878). Jackson became the fourth QU player to suffer a season-ending injury, joining senior guard Grant Meyer (Sellersburg, Ind./Silver Creek), junior forward Scottie Bruxvoort (Mitchellville, Iowa/Prairie City Monroe) and senior center Dalton Hoover (Pittsfield, Ill.). All three of those players sustained knee injuries.

SENOR STEPS UP: The loss of Jackson, coupled with Meyer's absense means junior guard Herm Senor II (Springfield, Ill./Southeast) will see a large bulk of playing time at the point guard position. Senor, who can also play the '2'-guard spot, stepped into his new starting point guard role on Saturday and passed his first test with flying colors. The 5-foot-10 Senor scored eight points and dished out eight assists while committing just one turnover in just 24 minutes. He got to the rim on a consistent basis, going 4-6 from the field, and also led the Hawks' transition game, helping QU to 20 fastbreak points. On two separate occassions, and not to the surprise of QU fans, Senor connected with senior wing Godson Eneogwe (Chicago, Ill./Maine West/Illinois Central) on vicious alley-oop slams in transition. Senor ranks fifth in the GLVC in assist-turnover ratio (2.60, 52-20).

BREAKING OUT: After struggling from the offensive end recently, Eneogwe broke out of his slump in a major way on Saturday. He scored a season-high 19 points on 8-12 shooting to go with four rebounds, two assists and two blocks. The 6-foot-6 high-flyer was still a major contributor on the defensive end and the glass during his offensive drought, as he piled up five-plus rebounds in five of his last seven games and is tied for second on the team with 18 steals. With the losses of Hoover and Bruxvoort, Eneogwe has been forced to play in the '4' spot in small lineups this season.

FIRE FROM THREE: The Hawks drained 10 3-pointers in Saturday's win over McKendree, giving them five games this season with double-digit triples. Quincy ranks sixth in the GLVC in 3-point accuracy (.382, 124-325) and tied for third in 3-pointers made per game (8.86). Last season, the Hawks were 11th (.354) and 15th (6.10) in those categories. Senior guard Nate Des Jardins (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods) ranks 13th in the league with a 3-point rate of 43.9 percent (25-57). Senor is 15th at 43.5 percent (20-46).

BIG ADDITION: Tagarelli has been a crucial piece for the Hawks as the first-year transfer has established himself as one of the top forwards in the GLVC. Tagarelli ranks in the top 10 in the conference in scoring (16.9) and field goal percentage (.561). He is also averaging 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. The Wisconsin native has scored in double figures in 13 of his 14 games and is tied for the team lead with 17 steals.

THREE FOR III: Junior guard Von Washington III (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Central/Western Michigan) continued his streak of eight straight games with at least two 3-pointers last week. After making just three triples in his first six games as a Hawk, Washington is averaging three 3-pointers per game in the last eight contests. He is shooting 40.9 percent (27-66) from long distance and ranks fourth on the team in scoring (10.5 ppg).

ALSO NEW: Another first-year transfer, Frasco, has also made an impression on the QU coaching staff for his versatility. Coming into the program as a guard, the injuries to Quincy's post players have pushed the 6-foot-3 Frasco into the fray at the '4' spot. The Mt. Prospect native has at least four rebounds in three of the last five games and also blocked four shots in 15 minutes in a win over William Jewell on Dec. 3.

SENIOR WILSON: Senior guard Jordan Wilson (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood Central) has been thrust into the backup point guard role with Jackson out for the season and he stepped in and drilled four 3-pointers in Saturday's win over McKendree. He has provided head coach Marty Bell quality minutes off the bench this season, working on the defensive end and hitting the glass.

BALL HAWKS: Also contributing to that latter number has been a "hawkish" defensive attitude. The Hawks are second in the GLVC and rank 19th in the nation in steals per game (9.36). On average, they force 15.7 turnovers per game, the third most in the conference. The Hawks have seven players with at least 10 steals, led by 20 each from Des Jardins. Eneogwe and Tagarelli have 18 steals apeice and Senor and McGaughey each have 17 thefts.

EASY ON THE HEART: Last season, the Hawks played nearly every other game down to the wire with nine of their games decided in overtime or by five points or fewer. Quincy was 2-7 in those games. This year, the Hawks have not played in any games decided by less than six points. The closest margin was an 80-74 win over Ohio Valley on Dec. 20.?

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Players Mentioned

#12 Scott Hahn: G/F; 6' 6"; Senior

#4 Scottie Bruxvoort: F; 6' 5"; Redshirt Junior

#3 Nate Des Jardins: G; 6' 0"; Senior

#24 Godson Eneogwe: G/F; 6' 6"; Senior

#40 Dalton Hoover: F/C; 6' 7"; Senior

#1 Thomas Jackson: G; 6' 0"; Senior

#42 Evan McGaughey: F; 6' 8"; Redshirt Junior

#10 Grant Meyer: G; 5' 9"; Senior

#2 Herm Senor II: G; 5' 11"; Junior

#22 Jordan Wilson: G; 6' 1"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

#12 Scott Hahn
: 6' 6"; Senior
: G/F

#4 Scottie Bruxvoort
: 6' 5"; Redshirt Junior
: F

#3 Nate Des Jardins
: 6' 0"; Senior
: G

#24 Godson Eneogwe
: 6' 6"; Senior
: G/F

#40 Dalton Hoover
: 6' 7"; Senior
: F/C

#1 Thomas Jackson
: 6' 0"; Senior
: G

#42 Evan McGaughey
: 6' 8"; Redshirt Junior
: F

#10 Grant Meyer
: 5' 9"; Senior
: G

#2 Herm Senor II
: 5' 11"; Junior
: G

#22 Jordan Wilson
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Senior
: G