Box Score The Carthage College women's basketball team (10-3, 2-0 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin), ranked 26th in the Dec. 18 Women's Basketball Coaches Association/USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division III poll, upped its conference record to 2-0 on Saturday, Jan. 5 with a 73-35 win over Augustana College (Ill., 4-8, 0-2 CCIW) at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.
 
Carthage fell behind, briefly, in the game's opening minutes but went ahead, for good, 9-7, at 13:27.  The Lady Reds took a double-digit lead, 19-9, at 8:44 and extended their margin to 22 points by halftime, 38-16.  Carthage upped its lead to 30 points in the second half, 56-26, at 8:05 and cruised to a 38-point victory, 73-35.
  
Carthage shot 57 percent (28-49), including eight-of-17 three-pointers, while Augustana shot just 27 percent (12-44), including one-of-five from three-point range.  Carthage enjoyed a 34-23 rebounding advantage.  Michelle Wenzel (Jr., Darien, Wis./Delavan-Darien) came off the bench to lead the Lady Reds with 12 points on six-of-eight field goals, along with six rebounds.  Cailee Corcoran (Sr., Oak Lawn Ill./Chicago-Marist) scored 10 points on five-of-six field goals, along with five rebounds. Chaney Tambling and Amy Hicks had six points each for the Vikings in a game that completed in a crisp, one-hour and 33 minutes.
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I think we're getting better,” said Carthage coach Tim Bernero, “even though it sounds funny to say that with a 10-3 record.  We did a good job in the first half making it hard for Augustana to score, even though we eased up a little bit in the second half.  This is home game that we're supposed to win, but we have tougher opponents coming up.  I don't want to wait until those games to throw the switch.  We did a lot of silly stuff in this game, like dribbling the ball into the corner when Augustana is trying to trap.  Once we understood that we needed to keep the ball in the middle of the court, things started to flow a little better.  We did a good defensive job on their better players, and that's always a key for me.  If somebody else beats you, that's OK with me.”
 
Carthage travels to Naperville, Ill., on Wednesday, Jan. 9 to play CCIW-opponent North Central College (7-6, 0-2 CCIW) in a 7:30 p.m. game at Gregory Arena at Merner Fieldhouse.  The Cardinals utilize a Grinnell College-type offensive “system” that emphasizes the three-point shot.  North Central is averaging 47.3 three-point field-goal attempts per game, even though the team is only connecting at .262 rate.  The Cardinals connected on just nine-of-53 three-pointers in a 106-67 loss to No. 33 Wheaton College (Ill.) last Saturday in Naperville, Ill.