KENOSHA, WIS.—An opportunity to climb a rung on the CCIW standings stood ahead of the Carthage College women's basketball team in their home game against Wheaton College (Ill.) on Saturday. The Lady Reds exited Saturday still entrenched in third place after a 61-51 loss to the Thunder.
 
"They have a good defensive team," said Lady Reds head basketball coach Tim Bernero. "The difference was that our defense didn't execute. There was little things you have to execute in a game like that. They beat us on out-of-bounds plays, they back cut us and got advantages. It was our lack of execution a little bit on both ends."
 
Maggie Berigan paced the Lady Reds with 15 points, which included a 7-of-8 mark at the charity stripe. Autumn Kalis netted 12 points along with six boards while Sammie Woodward followed with 11 off a 3-of-6 mark at the three-point line. Hannah Williams led all players with 20 points for the Thunder while Hannah Frazier recorded a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
 
The Lady Reds fall to 14-6, 8-3 CCIW, and Wheaton ups their record to 16-4, 10-1 CCIW and remains tied for first in the CCIW.
 
Wheaton 61, Lady Reds 51
 
After being in a 14-7 hole after the first quarter, the Lady Reds held Wheaton to just eight points and a 3-of-12 shooting mark in the second quarter. Carthage scored 10 second-quarter points to cut Wheaton's lead to 22-17 at halftime. The Thunder widened their lead to 36-28 off Jordan Myroth's layup with 4:10 left in the third, which sparked Carthage's 8-0 run capped by Sammie Woodward's three-pointer that tied the game 36-36 at the 1:55 mark.
 
That rally didn't result in a Lady Reds lead as Wheaton cruised to a 61-51 victory.
 
Carthage will return to action at home on Saturday, February 2 against #13 Illinois Wesleyan at 5:00 p.m.