DECATUR, ILL.—The Carthage College women's basketball team took a three-game win streak into their Saturday-showdown at a Millikin team in pursuit of their first CCIW victory of 2017-18. The Lady Reds kept that pursuit intact with a 74-51 victory over the Big Blue behind Sammie Woodward's team-leading 15 points, and Morgan Harris's season-high 15 boards. Carthage now sports a season-best, four-game win streak.
 
Millikin, who entered Saturday's contest with a CCIW-leading .745 free throw percentage, only nailed 13-of-19 attempts from the charity stripe against Carthage. The Lady Reds kept Millikin's Devin Curry, who ranked third in NCAA Division III with a .915 free throw percentage prior to Saturday, away from the charity stripe the entire contest. Curry was held to just seven points on 3-of-14 from the field while the Big Blue tallied a season-low 18-of-61 (.295) figure.
 
"Sammie (Woodward) did a really good job in taking Curry out and making it hard for her," said head women's basketball coach Tim Bernero. "The second half got to a point where we had a spirt, which helped us keep control of the game. The fourth quarter consisted of making them have to guard us and getting to the free throw line and making them, which we did a really good job at."
 
Bailey Gilbert and Madie Kaelber each notched 13 points while Autumn Kalis's 11 rounded out the Carthage players in double-figure scoring.
 
The Lady Reds improve to 12-5, 5-3 CCIW while Millikin falls to 5-12, 0-8 CCIW.
 
Lady Reds 74, Millikin 51
 
Harris's seven boards within the opening 10:00 helped propel Carthage to an 18-6 advantage heading into the second quarter. The Lady Reds tallied their first nine points of the frame off a trio of three-pointers, one from Kalis and two from Woodward, to grow their lead to 27-8 with 6:42 left in the second.
 
The Big Blue responded with a 14-7 run to close their deficit to 34-22 at halftime. Woodward's seven points in the third quarter powered Carthage's 23-16 run, which pushed their lead to 57-38 after 30:00 of play.
 
The Lady Reds proceeded to hold Curry, the second-ranked scorer in the CCIW, to zero second-half points en route to a 74-51 victory.
 
Carthage will return to Tarble Arena on Wednesday, January 24 against North Park University. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.
 
"Now that we've played everyone in conference at the halfway point, the team that you beat the first time will be digging deeper in the tape because they're mad about the last time," said Bernero "We're in a groove right now, so we need to keep playing and executing the way we've been."