Box Score

The Carthage College women's basketball team (4-0, 0-0 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) upset No. 14 the University of Chicago (4-1), 64-62, on Saturday, Nov. 28 at the Gerald Ratner Athletic Center in Chicago. 

In a slow-moving first half, Carthage opened up a 15-point lead, 22-7, at 4:23.The Maroons pulled to within six, 22-16, in the final minute of the period, but the Lady Reds led by 12 points at halftime, 28-16. The lead went to 16 points, 47-31, at 10:16 second period before Chicago mounted a furious comeback. The Maroons used a 26-11 run to make it a one-point game, 58-57 at 2:17. Still leading by two points, 62-60, in the final minute, Carthage's Heather Gilmore drained a pair of free throws with 13 seconds remaining to put the Lady Reds up by four, 64-60. The Maroons' Joann Torres scored on a layup with eight seconds to go to shave the margin to 64-62. Chicago's Bryanne Halfhill missed what would have been a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer.

The Maroons out-rebounded the Lady Reds, 40-30. Katie Klemke (Sr., Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) topped Carthage with 11 points and four assists. Heather Gilmore (Sr., Des Moines, Iowa/Pleasant Hill-Southeast Polk.) had 10 points and five assists, while Dani Ripkey (So., Deerfield, Ill.) added 10 points. Diana Jacklin (So., Berwyn, Ill./Florida Gulf Coast University), while limited to five points, pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. Meghan Herrick did most of the damage for Chicago, scoring a game-high 26 points on seven-of-17 shooting, including three-of-eight three-pointers, along with nine-of-10 from the free-throw line, eight rebounds and four assists. Except for the opening seconds of Carthage's season-opener at Monmouth College on Nov. 17, the Lady Reds have not trailed any of their four opponents so far this season.

Carthage shot 45 percent (24-53), including eight-of-16 from three-point range, while Chicago shot just 33 percent (19-58). The Maroons out-rebounded the Lady Reds, 40-30. Katie Klemke (Sr., Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) topped Carthage with 11 points and four assists. Heather Gilmore (Sr., Des Moines, Iowa/Pleasant Hill-Southeast Polk.) had 10 points and five assists, while Dani Ripkey (So., Deerfield, Ill.) added 10 points. Diana Jacklin (So., Berwyn, Ill./Florida Gulf Coast University), while limited to five points, pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. Meghan Herrick did most of the damage for Chicago, scoring a game-high 26 points on seven-of-17 shooting, including three-of-eight three-pointers, along with nine-of-10 from the free-throw line, eight rebounds and four assists. 

“We had done such a good job defending them in the first half," said Carthage coach Tim Bernero, "so we made the decision to take away their inside game. We allowed them to take perimeter shots, and they made those. At the same time, we got a little cautious, offensively, and Chicago put together a nice run, like we knew they would. They're a very good basketball team. Meghan Herrick had a big game for them, partially by design, because we gave them the three-pointer. We collapsed on them so much in the middle, we almost dared them to take the outside shot. It got them back in the game, but that was the course we chose. They had a pretty good look at the buzzer, not a great look, but a good one considering how little time was left. We've been playing pretty well this year with a lead. Maybe we can play that way all year.”

Except for the opening seconds of Carthage's season-opener at Monmouth College on Nov. 17, the Lady Reds have not trailed any of their four opponents so far this season. Carthage plays host to Lake Forest College (3-1) on Monday, Nov. 30 in a 7:30 p.m. game at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.