The Carthage College women's basketball team (3-0, 0-0 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin), ranked ninth in the pre-season "D3hoops.com" poll and ninth in the Nov. 23 Women's Basketball Coaches Association/USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division III poll, opened at home on Tuesday, Nov. 23 with a 65-49 win over Benedictine University (Ill., 2-1) at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.

The game looked like a blowout early, with Carthage taking a 16-point lead, 21-5, at 10:49.  The Lady Reds upped their margin to 19 points late in the first half, 37-18, at 1:38.  Carthage still led by 19 points, 45-26, at 15:31 when things got a little raggedy for a stretch.  The Eagles used an 11-4 run to close to within 10 points, 47-37, at 8:57.  The Lady Reds came right back with a 12-2 run to take a 22-point lead, 59-37, at 3:51.  Carthage went on to win by 16 points, 65-49.  The Lady Reds shot 53 percent (25-47), while the Eagles shot 43 percent (18-42).  Benedictine (Ill.) turned the ball over 30 times to 23 for Carthage. 

Four Lady Reds scored in double figures.  Diana Jacklin (Jr., Berwyn, Ill./Morton West) had a game-high 19 points on seven-of-nine field goals and five-of-six free throws.  Dani Ripkey (Jr., Deerfield, Ill.) had 14 points on five-of-11 shooting, including four-of-eight three pointers.  Heather Gilmore (Sr., Des Moines, Iowa/Pleasant Hill-Southeast Polk) had 12 points, and Allison Groessl (Jr., Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South) came off the bench to add 11 points on five-of-eight shooting.  Tracey Walsh topped the Eagles with 17 points, while Karyn Conerty chipped in 13 points. 

With Carthage's win over Benedictine (Ill.), Lady Reds coach Tim Bernero tied Diane Mizerka as Carthage's winningest women's basketball coach. Mizerka went 116-74 from 1968 to 1980. Bernero is now 116-71 in eight seasons. On Saturday, Nov. 27, the Lady Reds travel to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to take on No. 50 Coe College in a 4 p.m. game at Moray Eby Fieldhouse