Box Score
The Carthage College women's basketball team (9-3, 0-1 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin), ranked 16th in the Jan.4 “D3hoops.com” poll and 15th in the Jan. 4 Women's Basketball Coaches Association/USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division III poll, opened its CCIW-schedule on Wednesday, Jan. 5 with a 66-62 loss to Wheaton College (Ill., 8-3, 1-0 CCIW) at King Arena in Wheaton, Ill. Carthage saw a 14-point lead disappear in the second half against Wheaton.
Trailing, 11-8, at 12:08 first half, Carthage took off on an 11-0 run to open up an eight-point lead, 19-11, at 8:29. An 11-0 Wheaton run put the Thunder up by three, 22-19, at 5:45. Wheaton led by two points at halftime, 30-28. The Lady Reds opened the second half by scoring 16 unanswered points to take a 14-point lead, 44-30, at 15:34. Heather Gilmore scored six points and Diana Jacklin five in that 16-point run.
Carthage was still leading by 14, 47-33, at 13:52 before the Thunder took off on a 19-2 run to take a 52-49 lead at 7:38. Carthage took a 60-59 lead at 3:15 on a layup by Gilmore. Wheaton re-gained the lead, 61-60, at 3:08 on a layup by Elisabeth Potts. The Thunder made it 62-60 at 1:21 on a free throw by Kelly Brooks.
The Lady Reds had the ball at 1:06 but Gilmore and Gabby Chapa both missed shots before Dani Ripkey turned the ball over with 14 seconds to go. Wheaton's Lindsey Brenneman was fouled at the other end and made both free throws to make it 64-60. Gilmore was fouled with 8.7 seconds and made one free throw to cut the lead to 64-61. She was fouled again a 7.2 seconds and made the second free throw to make it 64-62 with 5.3 seconds. Brenneman rebounded, was fouled and made both free throws to close out the scoring at 66-62.
Wheaton (Ill.) shot just 33 percent (16-48), while Carthage shot 38 percent (22-58). The Thunder enjoyed a nine-rebound advantage over the Lady Reds, 41-32. Laura Karsten led Wheaton with 15 points and seven rebounds. Lindsey Brenneman had 14 points and eight boards, while Kelly Brooks came off the bench to add 10 points and six rebounds.
Four Carthage players scored in double figures.
Heather Gilmore (Sr., Des Moines, Iowa/Pleasant Hill-Southeast Polk) led the Lady Reds with 16 points on five-of-nine field goals, along with five-of-nine free throws and seven rebounds.
Diana Jacklin (Jr., Berwyn, Ill./Morton West) had 11 points and five rebounds.
Cailee Corcoran (So., Oak Lawn, Ill./Chicago-Marist) scored 10 points with seven boards, while
Kristi Schmidt (Fr., Bloomington, Ill./Normal-Community) added 10 points.
On Saturday, Jan. 8, the Lady Reds play host to defending-CCIW-champion and No. 11 Illinois Wesleyan University (9-3, 1-0 CCIW) in a 5 p.m. contest at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.
