The 11th ranked Millikin University women's basketball team used a strong second half to pick up an important College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin road win 78-66 at Carthage College on January 6 in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Millikin outscored Carthage 45-30 in the second half to overcome a very poor start to the game. The Big Blue struggled in the first quarter making only three baskets and committing eight turnovers to trail 17-9 at the end of the first quarter. Millikin trailed by 13 with 7:55 left in the first half before they started to battle back. The Big Blue used a 14-6 run in the quarter to pull to 31-27 with 1:51 remaining. Millikin then closed out the first half with back-to-back three-pointers from Emily White and Bella Dudley to trail 36-33 at halftime. Millikin led 51-48 at the end of the third quarter after holding the Firebirds to two field goals. Millikin then took control of the game in the fourth quarter outscoring Carthage 27-18. The Big Blue shot 9-14 (65 percent) from the field in the final quarter and went 8-8 from the free throw line.

Senior Sophie Darden came up big in the game for Millikin. With Elyce Knudsen and Bailey Coffman held to six total points in the first half, Darden scored 13 points with eight rebounds to keep the Big Blue in the game. Darden finished with her eighth double double of the season with 22 points, 11 rebounds, six steals and three assists. Knudsen had 21 second half points to finish with 25 for the game. Emily Brenneisen added nine points including two important second half three-points. Coffman added eight points and seven rebounds. Dudley finished with seven points.

Marianna Morrissey led Carthage with 19 points and eight rebounds. Marqueret Spears added 14 points.

The Big Blue shot 27-56 (48 percent) from the field for the game going 6-15 (40 percent) from long range. Carthage shot 38 percent (24-63 from the field) and made 9-21 from three-point range.

Millikin improves to 11-3, 3-2 while Carthage goes to 10-5 (3-3).