CEDARVILLE, Oh. – The men's basketball team finished up their opening weekend of play at the GLVC/GMAC Challenge in Cedarville, Ohio Saturday afternoon (Nov.12). The Hawks dropped a close one, falling in overtime to the host Hornets 86-85.

QU scored the first two baskets of the game on a couple of free throws from Malik Hardmon and a bucket from Paul Zilinskas to open a 4-0 lead in the early going.

CU, fresh of a big statement win over Truman State the night before, worked their way back into the mix a few minutes later taking a four-point advantage at 13-9 off a three ball with 15 minutes left in the first half.

The Hawks shot 44% in the period but couldn't put any distance between themselves and Cedarville. Neither team held a lead larger than four for the final 15 minutes as the teams headed to the locker room at halftime knotted up at 32 all.

Quincy came out firing to start of the second frame pushing their lead to 38-32 off two scores from Malik Hardmon and another from Solomon Gustafson. Nearing the midway point at just over 10 minutes the Hawks clung to a 4-point lead at 50-46.

Two minutes later QU doubled their lead to eight at 56-48 on a score in the paint from Jamaurie Coackley.

Heading down the stretch the Hawks looked poised to make it a happy trip back to Illinois pressing their lead further to 71-64 on a shot beyond the arch from Isaiah Foster with 4:04 left on the clock. Shortly after, Foster struck again making good on a jumper to give Quincy a 73-68 advantage with 2:08 on the clock.

The Hornets converted a jump shot to pull within three at 73-70 with 1:21 to play. After a QU timeout and an empty trip, Cedarville came back down the floor and hit a three to draw the game at 73 with 47 seconds remaining.

Quincy was unable to put up a score for the remainder of regulation sending the game to overtime.

In the overtime period the Hawks kept things close but couldn't quite make it over the hump, trailing from the tip. Down two at 84-82 with 17 seconds left QU was forced to foul to stop the clock.

CU made both free throws to push the lead to four with just 10 seconds remaining. The Hornets committed a quick foul to put Isaiah Foster at the line with five seconds left in the period.

Foster missed the free throw that fell straight into the hands of Solomon Gustafson. The Hawks got off a timeout with two seconds remaining.

Down four with little time to work with, QU's fate was sealed. The Hawks made their final shot of the evening as time expired, a three pointer from Zilinskas to close out the contest a point short at 86-85.

Quincy had four players in double figures lead by Paul Zilinskas with 23. Zilinskas also registered a double-double in the contest along with his teammate, Solomon Gustafson.

The men's hoopers will be back in action on Wednesday evening (Nov.16) for a 7:30 p.m. home contest against Hannibal-Lagrange University on the hardwood of Pepsi Arena.