QUINCY, Ill. — The Quincy University men's basketball team opened the 2025–26 season with a statement win, defeating Cedarville 89–80 in the GLVC/GMAC Crossover inside Pepsi Arena. The victory snaps a three-game skid against the Yellow Jackets and marks QU's first season-opening win since 2019. The Hawks led nearly wire-to-wire behind exceptional shooting, dominant stretches of defense, and a breakout performance from sophomore guard Tiernan Stynes. 

The Hawks came out firing, racing to a 12–3 lead behind early buckets from Camren Kincaid and Ethan Bolton, followed by seven straight points from Stynes, who drained back-to-back threes to ignite the crowd. Cedarville battled back to within two, but Quincy repeatedly found answers. Balanced scoring from Jakeb Wallingford, Max Booher, and Preston Brewer helped settle the pace, while Bolton controlled the glass on both ends with a relentless effort on the boards. QU closed the half on a 13–8 run, punctuated by a corner three from Bolton in the final seconds to take a 37–32 lead into the break.

The second half belonged to the Hawks' speed, defense, and shot-making. Quincy opened with two quick baskets from Stynes and Kincaid before Cedarville trimmed the lead to four, but once again the Hawks responded. Stynes buried a transition three, Kincaid jumped a passing lane to set up a fastbreak score, and Lorenzo McMillion hammered home a highlight-reel dunk to push the lead back to eight. Cedarville continued to stay within striking distance behind Sam Johnson and Jaylen Davis, but every run was met with QU's composure. Bolton continued attacking downhill, Booher knocked down timely shots, and the depth pieces—Collicott, Brewer, Martin—helped manage the game and maintain a multi-possession cushion down the stretch. Quincy controlled the final minutes with strong defensive stands and efficient free-throw shooting to close out the win.

Individually, it was a night to remember for Stynes, who poured in a career-high 26 points on an absurd 11-for-12 shooting night, including a perfect 3-for-3 from deep. Bolton delivered one of the most complete performances in his collegiate debut with 19 points, nine rebounds, and two steals while shooting 6-for-6 from the field. Ethyn Brown added nine points and five assists, knocking down all six of his free-throw attempts. Kincaid and Wallingford each chipped in seven points, while the QU bench contributed 21 points—highlighted by first-career buckets from freshman Herb Martin and rookie forward Preston Brewer.

As a team, the Hawks were electric offensively, shooting over 60% from the field for the first time since the 2020–21 season. They also went 20–of-27 at the free-throw line and scored 44 points in the paint while holding Cedarville to 34.5% shooting from three. The performance provided an encouraging glimpse into the depth and balance of this year's roster.

Quincy will be back in action tomorrow at 3:00 PM inside Pepsi Arena, hosting the #23 Findlay Oilers, who defeated Truman State earlier in the day, 103–79. The Hawks will look to carry their energy and execution into another marquee non-conference matchup.