QUINCY, Ill. – Missouri S&T's men's basketball team was unable to overcome a double-digit deficit in the second half and dropped an 86-70 decision to Quincy University Saturday in Great Lakes Valley Conference play.

 

S&T trailed by five at the intermission, but the Hawks extended that lead into double figures in the first three minutes of the second half and was able to hold off any Miner rally effort after that.

 

Quincy jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead, but the Miners were able to draw even at 14 after a three-pointer by Mike Malat (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) at the 13:33 mark. The Hawks regained the lead on their next trip down the floor on a basket by Billy Baptist and held the advantage for the balance of the half.

 

S&T would stay within five points of the Hawks for a majority of the time after QU regained the lead and trailed 42-37 at the break.

 

The Hawks would build that lead out to 11 early in the second half after Justin Brock converted a three-point play with 17:15 to go, then after Casey Noll (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville) scored to get the lead back into single digits, Billy Hayes drained a pair of long three-pointers to give the Hawks a 15-point lead at 56-41.

 

S&T trailed by 18 at 62-44 when it went on a 10-3 run – which included three-pointers by Bryce Foster (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood Central) and A.J. Mandani (Brampton, Ontario/) – to trim the lead to 11 at the 9:03 mark.

 

Quincy, however, responded with five straight, getting a pair of free throws from Brock and a three-pointer from Josh Edmonds, to extend the margin back to 16 nearly two minutes later. 

 

The Miners closed the margin within 10 with 1:29 to play, as Foster hit a three-pointer to make the score 75-67, but that would end up being as close as S&T would get in the final minutes.

 

Foster led the Miners with 19 points and was one of three S&T players in double figures. Malat added 15 points off the bench and Mandani finished with 10.

 

The Miners shot 43.3 percent in the game and hit a season-high 12 three-point baskets in the loss.

 

Mookie Pierre had 19 points and Brock added 17 to pace the Hawks, who improved to 7-0 with the victory. Hayes also finished with 15 as Quincy shot 45 percent for the contest and outscored the Miners 21-6 at the free throw line.

 

Missouri S&T (2-5, 0-2 GLVC) will return to action next Saturday when it hosts Lincoln in a 3 p.m. non-conference game at the Bullman Multi-Purpose Building.