WHEATON, ILL.—The Carthage College women's basketball team faced first place Wheaton College on the road Saturday evening. The Thunder entrenched their name on the D3hoops.com, and WBCA Top 25 Coaches' Poll for most of 2016-17 before dropping out recently. Much of it was due to a 66-65 loss to Illinois Wesleyan on January 7.
 
The Lady Reds were looking to dodge a three-game losing skid that dated back to January 7. Carthage and Wheaton were tied 43-43 late in the third quarter before Katie McDaniels responded with 17 points the rest of the contest to secure a 65-46 win for the Thunder.
 
The Lady Reds fall to 8-8, 3-5 CCIW while Wheaton improves to 13-3, 7-1 CCIW.
 
Wheaton 65, Lady Reds 46
 
Carthage opened the game with an 11-4 run before McDaniels found her stroke for Wheaton.  McDaniels, who leads the CCIW with 20.7 points per game, registered back-to-back three-pointers with under one minute remaining in the frame to help tie the game 11-11 heading into the second quarter. Her second three-pointer occurred at the first quarter's final buzzer.

The Lady Reds nearly doubled Wheaton in rebounds with a 16-9 advantage in the first quarter. 
 
Rachel Szydlowski and Bailey Gilbert gave the Thunder a dose of their own medicine when they each nailed a three-pointer in the opening minute of the second quarter. This gave Carthage a 17-13 cushion at the 9:01 mark of the second quarter.
 
McDaniels responded with Wheaton's next seven points to propel them to a 20-19 lead with 5:04 left in the second quarter. The Lady Reds achieved a 3-of-3 mark from beyond the arch for the remainder of the second frame, thanks to Autumn Kalis and Mandy Hozzian.
 
It wasn't enough arsenal as Kelly Lawson registered a pair of three-pointers down the stretch, one of them at the final buzzer, to help Wheaton maintain a 34-28 lead at halftime. The Lady Reds out rebounded Wheaton 26-18 in the opening half.
 
Carthage tied Wheaton 43-43 at the 1:43 mark of the third frame when Hozzian converted a layup. 
 
McDaniels responded with a three-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer, and 14 fourth-quarter points to secure a 65-46 win for Wheaton.
 
"When you're only one possession behind, you don't have to do anything too drastic," said head women's basketball coach Tim Bernero. "Sometimes to be excellent, you have to do the simple stuff over and over. But for better or worse we cracked in the fourth quarter offensively and defensively."
 
Madie Kaelber paced Carthage in scoring with 12 points while Harris registered 10 rebounds.  
 
The Lady Reds will face North Central College (Ill.) on Wednesday, January 25 at Tarble Arena. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.