QUINCY, Ill. - The Quincy University men's basketball team fell to fifth-ranked Missouri S&T on Thursday night inside Pepsi Arena, as the Miners used a balanced attack and timely runs to secure an 82–72 victory. After battling back from an early deficit and tying the game late in the first half, the Hawks were unable to regain control once S&T built a double-digit lead in the second half. 

Quincy struggled to find rhythm early, opening the night 1-for-8 from the field over the first five and a half minutes. Despite the cold start, the Hawks stayed within striking distance by getting to the free throw line and converting five of six attempts to trail just 10–7.

Missouri S&T began to pull away midway through the half behind a 10–4 run that extended the lead to 24–14, but the Hawks answered with energy on both ends. Ethan Bolton sparked the response with a three-point play, followed by a thunderous dunk from Jakeb Wallingford that ignited a 9–2 Quincy run to cut the deficit to three with four and a half minutes remaining.

The Hawks eventually erased the margin entirely, tying the contest at 30, but the final two minutes proved costly. Missouri S&T closed the half on a 7–0 run, capitalizing on missed shots and a late turnover to take a 37–30 advantage into the break. 

Quincy opened the second half with renewed urgency. A three from Preston Brewer, along with baskets from Camren Kincaid and Wallingford, quickly trimmed the deficit to four. However, the Miners answered every surge. An 11–2 run pushed their lead back to 13 with just under 12 minutes to play, swinging momentum firmly in their favor.

Kincaid tried to will the Hawks back into the game on the offensive end, scoring nine points over a six-minute span while showcasing his versatility both inside and from deep. Each time Quincy cut into the lead, Missouri S&T responded with poised execution and timely shooting to keep the margin in double figures.

Down the stretch, the Hawks made one final push. Back-to-back three-pointers brought Quincy within four with under 90 seconds to play, but the Miners closed out the game at the free throw line to seal the 82–72 win and move to 5-0 on the season.

Missouri S&T finished the night shooting 47.6 percent from the field, compared to 40.0 percent for the Hawks. The rebounding battle was tight, with the Miners holding a slight 41–39 edge, while offensive boards were even at 10 apiece. Both teams took care of the basketball, with Quincy committing 11 turnovers and Missouri S&T just nine. 

Kincaid led all scorers with 19 points to go along with eight rebounds and five assists. Wallingford recorded his first double-double in a Quincy uniform with 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Tiernan Stynes rounded out the double-figure scorers with 14 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists, despite a tough shooting night from the floor. 

The Hawks will return to action Saturday afternoon as they host Drury at 3 PM inside Pepsi Arena, following the women's game, as QU looks to bounce back and get back in the win column.