QUINCY, Ill. - A strong start from the Hawks was spoiled by a fast finish as the hot-shooting Lions of Arkansas-Fort Smith used a big second half to edge out QU in a physical 78-74 defeat for Quincy. 

QU led the game for the majority of the first half, building the lead to as many as 12 points at 24-12 on a three by El Sieger and maintaining a double digit lead with less than four minutes to play before an 8-2 run from UAFS narrowed the Hawks advantage to 31-26 at the break. 

Quincy took a three-point lead into the first media timeout of the second half until the Lions took the advantage about seven minutes into the frame. Arkansas-Fort Smith held on from there, pressing the edge to as many as eight points. 

The Hawks pitched a late comeback effort, using a four-point play from Ethyn Brown to pull within two with five seconds to play, but it wasn't meant to be as another UAFS bucket concluded the contest. 

Mason Wujek led three Hawks in double figures with 14 points as the big man went 5-7 on the night from the floor and 2-3 from beyond the arc. Brown added 13 points on 5-10 shooting with a pair of threes while Sieger put up 11 on 4-8 with two strikes from deep. John Kelly III led the rebounding effort with seven boards. 

QU out-rebounded the Lions by three boards and shot almost 25% better from the free throw line as a team, but deficits of 10 and nine in paint points and points off turnovers, respectively, proved to be deciding factors. 

Next Up 

The Hawks are on the road for their next game as they open up GLVC play against a nationally ranked foe in the #25 Peacocks of Upper Iowa on Monday (Dec. 2) for a 7:00 PM contest in Fayette, IA.