Follow along to see how the Carthage women's basketball team scored the final nine points to shock fourth-ranked DePauw, 53-48, on Saturday, March 3 in Greencastle, Ind., and advance to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship for the second time in three seasons.

Two minutes, 23 seconds to play. Allison Groessl makes a steal. Carthage has the ball, DePauw a 48-44 lead lead.

This is a tall task. A very tall task. The Tigers are 27-1 and riding a 26-game winning streak. They have won 26 in a row on their home court in the Neal Fieldhouse, 76 of 77 and 88 of 90. Since the 2001-02 season, DePauw is 133-7 at home.

In other words, they are almost invincible.

Almost.

Diana Jacklin gets the ball. The only time she has anything close to an open shot all night is in the layup line. She has been bodied. She has been elbowed. She has been shoved.

She comes back for more. With the determination perhaps only a senior nearing the end of her playing days can possess, she drives the right side of the lane and gets a contested layup to drop with 2:12 to go. DePauw 48, Carthage 46

“It was tough,” Jacklin says of the DePauw defense. “I missed a few of those easy shots. Then Coach ran that 1-4 post play for me. I got my shoulders square to the basket, and I was able to finish one. That's all I could do.”

DePauw's Kathleen Molloy misses from just inside the three-point line. A scramble follows. The ball goes out of bounds. DePauw touches it last. Carthage ball.

Groessl drives from the right wing. Cut off, she finds Stephanie Kuzmanic near and above the top of the key. Incredibly, there is not a DePauw defender within five feet of Kuzmanic. She has only tried 47 three-pointers all season, including a miss in this game. She is third on the team in accuracy at 34 percent.

Kuzmanic sends the ball toward the basket. Through the net it goes with 1:25 remaining. We have the 12th lead change. Carthage 49, DePauw 48

“It was a close game,” Kuzmanic says. “You can't hold anything back. You've just got to go for it. I was wide open so” — and she pauses for, maybe, dramatic effect — “I just took the shot.”

On the other end of the court, Kuzmanic commits a foul. It is OK because it probably keeps DePauw from scoring. It is really good because it is only the fifth team foul in the half on Carthage, meaning there are no free throws for the Tigers.

Ali Ross tries a straightaway three-pointer. She is wide left, and the ball bangs off the backboard. Jacklin comes up with it with 40 seconds to go. Carthage coach Tim Bernero calls a timeout with 31.8 seconds left and 21 on the shot clock.

Jacklin has the ball and drives into the lane. She draws FOUR defenders. She passes to Dani Ripkey near both the right baseline and the three-point line. Ripkey steps back and shoots. Part of her right foot is on the three-point line.

“I just attacked the basket, and they kind of sucked in to make sure I didn't get an easy two,” Jackin says. “Dani was right there. I kicked it to her and she had her feet set, and ...”

The shot is good. The scoreboard shows 20.6 seconds. Carthage 51, DePauw 48

“Di caught it and she attacked, drew my defender and kicked it out to me,” says Ripkey, once almost exclusively a three-point shooter who now looks comfortable taking the ball to the basket and who is shooting 51.9 percent inside the three-point line this season. “She made a great pass, and I was lucky enough to make the shot.”

After a DePauw timeout, Ross has the ball again. She drifts to the left and tries an awkward looking three-pointer that bounces off the rim. DePauw's Katie Aldrich gets the rebound. Kuzmanic fouls, but it is only the sixth team foul. No free throws. DePauw ball under and to the left of the basket with 6.9 seconds to go.

Savannah Trees gets a screen deep on the right wing. She catches a pass and moves toward the right corner. Perhaps feeling the pressure, she steps on the sideline. Carthage ball, 5.5 seconds left.

The ball comes in to Kuzmanic, and she is fouled with 4.5 seconds showing. It is the seventh team foul on DePauw. One-and-one for Kuzmanic. A chance to put it away.

Kuzmanic practices her stroke.

She swishes the first.

Clincher!

Carthage 52, DePauw 48

And the second.

Frosting on the cake!

Carthage 53, DePauw 48

“All I was thinking was to be confident,” Kuzmanic says. “You've got to know you're going to put them in the basket. That's the only way they're going in.”

The clock runs out. It's a final! First, the postgame handshake with DePauw. Then, the celebration is on. Tears of joy. Miles of smiles. Kisses and hugs. Celebration with friends and parents. Pictures. Videos.

Kuzmanic is asked if she is shocked.

“By this outcome?” she replies. “Oh, no. I knew we had it in us. They're a great team. Fourth in the nation. But I knew we had it in us all along.”

Jacklin has praise for both teams.

“I honestly think they are one of the toughest teams we've ever played against, defensively,” Jacklin says. “They are a great team, and they're a tough team. We stuck through it, and we came out on top.

“We all know that we have a great team, that we deserve to be where we are right now. To beat the No. 4 team on their court, when they only have one loss (overall) and they haven't lost on their court all year ... It's awesome, and there's no better feeling than this. To be back where we were two years ago, it's great.”

Between Dec. 21, 2011 and Saturday, DePauw has one game decided by fewer than six points and a total of two by fewer than 10. The margins of victory range from 17 to 45. Nothing remotely close.

Ripkey noticed.

“I did see that,” Ripkey says. “Me and Di and Steph, we roomed together, and we were talking, and we thought that was something that was in our favor. Because we've had a lot of pressure situations, we've been pressed, we've seen it all. We didn't think they would be as confident in tough situations. We knew that if we got it in a close situation it would be in our favor. We were hoping for that.”

DePauw coach Kris Huffman did not see the lack of tight games as the reason the Tigers' season ended the way it did.

“I think we shot 30 percent.” Huffman said. She chuckled. “And that's what it was, more than not having a close game. ... I think that was everyone's question about us. 'We hadn't been tested.' ...  We just couldn't get shots to fall. Had some good ones.”

During the final 2 1/2 minutes, DePauw has two turnovers and misses its final three meaningful field goal attempts. Carthage makes all three of its field goal attempts and both of its free throws.

“We were able to keep getting stops, and challenging them to make tough shots,” Bernero said. “The way they play and their pattern and with their patience, I think that started working against them. They kept playing up against the shot clock, and we were able to dig enough (rebounds) out of there. Then for us to get a three-pointer from someone that they didn't expect ...

“It was a punch, counterpunch kind of thing. When we got that one-point lead, then it became, we've got a minute to go, now can we hold on our defensive end? And we did.”

Bernero had his best comments when asked about Kuzmanic.

“I love that kid, but she drives me crazy sometimes with some of her decisions,” Bernero said. “She's a sophomore, and she's been a 4.0 student three straight semesters, but it doesn't always equate on the court.

“She makes decisions sometimes that baffle the coaching staff. But she's got a certain kind of verve, that she's not afraid to try to make a big play. As long as we keep her focused, she's going to be really good.

“I wouldn't trade her. She's only a sophomore, and this is her first full year of starting. We've got her for awhile. She made some huge plays, made some free throws (Friday) night, made the three to put us ahead tonight, and made the two free throws after that.”