Box Score The Carthage College women's basketball team (20-2, 11-0 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin), ranked seventh in the Feb. 11 Women's Basketball Coaches Association/
USA Today NCAA Division III poll, ninth in the "D3hoops.com" poll" and second in the Feb. 12 NCAA Division III Central Region poll, won its 13th game in a row on Wednesday, Feb. 12 with a 65-48 decision over CCIW-opponent Elmhurst College (12-10, 4-7) at R.A. Faganel Hall in Elmhurst, Ill.
With the win, the Lady Reds broke a school-record 12-game win streak set in the 2012-13 season. Carthage has not lost since falling to Coe College on Dec. 17. Also on Wednesday, second-place Illinois Wesleyan University (15-7, 9-2 CCIW) fell at home to North Central College, 121-113. The Lady Reds are now two games ahead of the Titans with three to play.
Carthage never trailed in the game. After taking a 12-point lead midway thru the first period, the Lady Reds led by just four points at halftime, 25-21. The Bluejays tied the game, 25-25, at 18:42 second period and hung with Carthage until the final two minutes. The Lady Reds led by just six, 52-46, at 3:38 but closed out the half on a 13-2 run to win by 17 points, 65-48.
Carthage shot 44 percent (21-48), including six-of-15 from three-point range, while Elmhurst shot just 29 percent (19-65), including just six-of-32 three-pointers. Carthage had a 45-31 rebounding edge over Elmhurst. The Lady Reds got to the free-throw line 22 times and made 17, while the Bluejays hit four-of-six.
Carthage's
Stephanie Kuzmanic (Sr., Mount Prospect, Ill./Wheeling) returned to action after missing two games with a turned ankle. The point guard scored a game-high 19 points on five-of-nine field goals, including three-of-four three-pointers, and six-of-six free throws, along with eight rebounds and four assists.
Kristi Schmidt (Sr., Bloomington, Ill./Normal-Community) scored 14 points, also on five-of-nine shooting, and
Alexis Hahn (So., Itasca, Ill./Roselle-Lake Park) came off the bench to add 13 points with a game-high 13 rebounds. Hannah Lipman led Elmhurst with 12 points.
Carthage travels to Bloomington, Ill., on Saturday, Feb. 15 to play conference-opponent and No. 33 Illinois Wesleyan University (15-7, 9-2 CCIW) in a 5 p.m. game at the Shirk Center.
