Carthage College Athletics

Carthage 72, Luther 64
KENOSHA, Wis. - Carthage women's basketball opened the 2026-27 season with a 72-64 victory over Luther College in Tarble Arena on Sunday afternoon, despite a second half offensive surge from the visiting Norse.

Four Firebirds finished in double-digits in the scoring column, with junior Delaney Elsmore leading the way with 19 points. Freshman Erin Hackett scored 17 points in her collegiate debut, followed by junior Brecken Carsello with 12 points and freshman Jane Belmont with 11.

 

The Norse jumped out to an early 3-0 lead before Carthage found the scoreboard with a made basket from Elsmore. Carthage then took a brief lead with a pair of free throws from Nora Ahram. A pair of baskets for the Norse put the visitors ahead 7-4 and the Norse held the lead until the 2:21 mark when the Firebirds tied the game at 16-16 on a layup from Belmont. Carthage built the lead to 20-16 by the end of the first quarter. Belmont led the Firebirds with six points in the quarter.

Carthage extended the lead to nine on three consecutive scores to open the second quarter from Elsmore and Marissa Morgan. The offense continued to soar, riding a 13-3 run to build a 40-21 lead with 3:51 to play in the first half. The Norse registered consecutive scores to close out the half trailing 40-25. Carthage outscored Luther 20-9 in the quarter with Morgan and Hackett leading the team in the quarter, each with five points, while Elsmore and Carsello tied for the most points in the first half with eight.

The Norse surged into the second half, knocking down three three-point baskets in a row to open the third quarter. The Norse continued to cut into the lead with an 8-2 run to bring the score to 42-41 in favor of the Firebirds with 4:06 remaining in the third quarter. A layup from Carsello and a jumper from Elsmore extended the lead back to five, before a late surge from the Norse ended the period with the game tied at 48-48. The Norse outscored the Firebirds 23-8 in the quarter.

The Norse offense continued to surge into the fourth quarter, opening the period on a 5-0 run to take a 53-48 lead. Belmont got Carthage back in the scoring column with a layup to cut the deficit back to three points. The Norse added a pair of baskets to extend the lead to seven with 6:42 left in the game. A three from Belmont and a layup from Hackett cut the deficit back to two points for the Firebirds, before a three from Hackett put Carthage back in front 58-57. Carthage then went on a 14-7 run to close out the game.


 

• Delaney Elsmore: 19 points*, 4 assists*, 2 steals
• Erin Hackett: 17 points, .400 (2-5) three-point field goal percentage*, 8 rebounds*, 4 assists*
• Brecken Carsello: 12 points, .857 (6-7) field goal percentage*, 7 rebounds
• Jane Belmont: 11 points, .800 (4-5) free throw percentage*, 3 assists
• Dylan Romero: 4 steals*
• Nora Ahram: 1 block*

*Led Carthage in statistical category
 

Carthage basketball returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 14 as the team heads to Madison, Wis. for their first road game of the season against Edgewood. Action tips off at 5 p.m. at the Todd Wehr Edgedome. The Firebirds return to Tarble Arena on Saturday, Nov. 21 to host Concordia Wis. For more information, visit athletics.carthage.edu.