NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Despite a phenomenal performance from sophomore forward Marianna Morrissey, the Firebirds were defeated by North Central in Naperville 71-62. With tonight's game, head women's basketball coach Tim Bernero has now coached 700 games for Carthage basketball - 185 for the men's program as an assistant and 515 for the women's program as its head coach. As head coach of the women's program, Bernero owns a career record of 311-204 (.604 WL%); as an assistant with the men's program, the team went 136-49 in a seven-year span - good for a winning percentage of .735. 



 

• Final score: North Central (Ill.) 71, Carthage 62. 
• Location: Gregory Arena - Naperville, Illinois. 
• Records: Carthage 9-13 (5-8 CCIW), North Central 6-16 (3-11 CCIW)

 

• Carthage started the game on an 8-0 run, fueled by six early points from Marianna Morrissey. 
• Back-to-back threes Ester and Knight pushed the lead to ten midway through the first quarter, and the Firebirds would end the quarter holding a 22-15 advantage. 
• North Central trimmed the visitors' lead to three only a few minutes into the second quarter before Carthage answered back on an Orozco three-pointer and a pair of layups. Carthage would go on to take its largest lead of the night at 12 with a layup from Knight at the under-four mark in the quarter. 
• A 7-0 run for the home team chiseled the Carthage margin to two going into halftime, with Carthage ahead 38-36. 
• North Central took its first lead of the night on a three-pointer only a few minutes into the penultimate quarter. The two teams traded baskets throughout the period, with the Cardinals leading 51-46 at its conclusion. 
• A three-pointer for the Cardinals on their first possession of the fourth quarter gave the home team its largest lead of the night at eight. The margin was expanded to 11 with only two minutes remaining as Carthage failed to generate a stop on the defensive end. 
• With one last swing, Carthage rattled off a 6-0 run to slice the deficit to five with just under a minute remaining. Another Morrissey layup brought the score to 66-62 in favor of North Central, but the Cardinals executed well down the stretch and converted from the charity strip to clinch the victory. 
• The Firebirds dominated the paint - outscoring the Cardinals 38-22. However, Carthage turned the ball over 12 times and shot just 32% from the field a 3-26 from beyond the arc (11.5%).

 

• Marianna Morrissey was spectacular tonight, scoring a career-high 25 points and collecting a career-high 14 rebounds. Morrissey shot 53% from the field and hit 7-8 free throws. The double-double is the third of the season for the versatile wing. 
• Alyssa Orozco played well in 18 minutes of action, scoring seven points on 3-5 shooting, grabbing three rebounds and recording two steals. 

 

• Carthage returns home for a pair of conference matchups, with its next game being a Senior Day clash with Millikin on Saturday, February 11 beginning at 2 p.m.