The Carthage College women's basketball team (7-2, 0-0 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin), ranked fifth in the Dec. 7 "D3hoops.com" poll and fifth in the Dec. 7 Women's Basketball Coaches Association/USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division III poll, snapped a two-game losing streak on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 19 by thumping Clarke University (4-9), 70-40, at the Kehl Center in Dubuque, Iowa.

Carthage never trailed in the game, as the Lady Reds opened up a 15-point lead, 27-12, at 6:32. The lead went to 18 points, 30-12, at 5:31, and Carthage led by 20 at the break, 37-17. An 18-2 run at the start of the second period pushed the Lady Reds' lead to 36 points, 55-19, at 12:27. Carthage led by as much as 37, 70-33, at 3:34 and went on to win by 30 points, 70-40.

The Lady Reds shot 51 percent (27-53), while the Crusaders shot just 29 percent (12-41), including a zero-for-10 effort from beyond the three-point line. Carthage won the rebounding battle, 35-30. Diana Jacklin (Jr., Berwyn, Ill./Morton West) led the Lady Reds with 13 points on six-of-nine field goals, while Cailee Corcoran (So., Oak Lawn, Ill./Chicago Marist) had 11 points on five-of-six shooting. Brittany Collier paced the Crusaders with a game-high 15 points.

Carthage is idle until Tuesday-Wednesday, Dec. 28-29 when the Lady Reds travel to Sherman, Texas for a pair of games at Austin College's Hughey Gym. On Tuesday, Dec. 28, Carthage plays Austin College (3-4) at 6 p.m., followed by a Wednesday, Dec. 29 contest against the University of Texas-Dallas, also at 6 p.m.