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TBernero300
80
Winner Carthage CARTH 9-7,4-4 CCIW
74
Elmhurst ELM 2-13,0-7 CCIW
Winner
Carthage CARTH
9-7,4-4 CCIW
80
Final
74
Elmhurst ELM
2-13,0-7 CCIW
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Carthage CARTH 14 16 27 23 80
Elmhurst ELM 24 15 10 25 74

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Firebirds Storm Back in Second Half at Elmhurst for Tim Bernero’s 300th Career Win

ELMHURST, Ill. — Trailing by as many as 16 points in the game, the Carthage women's basketball team fueled a second-half comeback to defeat Elmhurst 80-74 on Wednesday night in R.A. Faganel Hall for head coach Tim Bernero's 300th career victory.

The Bluejays (2-13, 0-7 CCIW) were first on the board, before the Firebirds (9-7, 4-4 CCIW) claimed the lead on a layup by Ayanna Ester, who was fouled and converted the free throw. After the two teams swapped leads early, Elmhurst stepped out in front and led after the first quarter of play by 10, 24-14. A quick layup from Lauren Knight, followed by a three from Ester cut into the deficit to begin the second period. However, the Bluejays extended their advantage to double-digits, before entering the halftime break up 39-30 on Carthage.

A pair of early makes from beyond the arc by Destiny Antoine got the Firebirds within five, down 43-38 minutes into the second half. Following a layup from Elmhurst, the Firebirds began a 19-4 run through the final seven and a half minutes of the quarter, as Knight got things rolling with a layup and three pointer. Knight would then hit a layup on the left side of the hoop and convert an ensuing free throw to give Carthage their first lead since the first quarter.

The Firebirds began the final period with a 57-49 lead, before the Bluejays inched their way back in, eventually taking the lead 67-66 with three minutes left to play. A huge make from beyond the arc by Knight reclaimed the lead for Carthage 69-67, before Elmhurst responded to tie it back up. Yet another clutch three from the Firebirds, this time from Margueret Spear, gave them the lead once more, as Spear came up with a big block at the other end of the court to help maintain the lead. 

Carthage returns home to Tarble Arena next, as they host North Central on Saturday, January 22 for Alumni Day, with tipoff set for 2 p.m.
 

Head Coach Tim Bernero

"It was a fight. The kids did a fantastic job in the second half righting the ship. Give Elmhurst a lot of credit, they made shots and we didn't completely execute like we wanted to. We eventually got to scoring a little more and forced them to turn it over in the second half. We made some good shots, Margueret hit a big three in the final minutes, we made our free throws, and we persevered. At the half, we told them to be a little more assertive in what we're doing. This team is still finding its way a bit offensively, in the first half we kept going to spots on the floor we couldn't get out of or finish from. In the second half, we just made better decisions with the ball. We had to make it hard defensively for Elmhurst to get the ball inside. We were fighting uphill for much of the game and had three post players out. But I thought we were able to put enough pressure on their passers late."
 

Quick Facts

  • With career win number 300 today, head coach Tim Bernero is now the 70th active coach in Division III to have hit the milestone.
  • Bernero now joins previous men's basketball head coach Bosko Djurickovic as the only two members of the 300-win club at Carthage, in a pair of programs that have been around since the first decade of the 1900's.
  • Tonight was the 80th meeting all-time between the Firebirds and the Bluejays, with Carthage now leading the series 61-19.
  • Lauren Knight set a new collegiate record for points in a game tonight with 27, hitting four threes in a game for the second time in the past five contests.
  • With 16 points this evening, sophomore Margueret Spear set a new career-best as well.



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