The Carthage College women's basketball team (9-2, 0-0 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin), ranked 16th in the Dec.21 "D3hoops.com" poll and 16th in the Dec. 14 Women's Basketball Coaches Association/USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division III poll, closed out a two-game holiday trip to Texas on Wednesday, Dec. 29 with a convincing, 60-38 win over the University of Texas-Dallas (10-2) at Austin College's Hughey Gym in Sherman, Texas. 

On Tuesday, Dec. 28, Carthage downed Austin College (3-5), 72-53, also at Hughey Gym.  The trip also concluded the Lady Reds' non-conference schedule.  Carthage opens CCIW play on Wednesday, Jan. 5 with a 6 p.m. game against Wheaton College (Ill.) at King Arena in Wheaton, Ill.

In the Texas-Dallas game, Carthage jumped out to a 10-2 lead to 13:42.  Leading by five, 11-6, the Lady Reds took off on a 13-2 run to make it 16-point game, 24-8, at 4:42.  Carthage led by 15 points at halftime. 27-12.  The Lady Reds upped their margin to 20 points, 41-21, at 13:05 second half on a three-pointer by Taylor Tondelli.  While the Comets whittled the lead down to 13 points on three occasions in the second period, Carthage upped its lead to 23 points, 52-29, at 5:30 on a three-pointer by Allison Groessl.

Carthage shot 49 percent (22-45), including 59 percent (13-22) in the second half, while Texas-Dallas managed just 25 percent for the game (12-48), including 15 percent (4-26) in the first period.  The Lady Reds had a narrow, 33-31 rebounding edge, and the Comets turned the ball over 24 times, with 20 turnovers for Carthage. 

Heather Gilmore (Sr., Des Moines, Iowa/Pleasant Hill-Southeast Polk) led the Lady Reds with 16 points on six-of-nine field goals, including two-of-three from three-point range, along with two-of-two free throws, five rebounds and five assists.  Diana Jacklin (Jr., Berwyn, Ill./Morton West) was the only other Carthage player in double figures with 11 points on four-of-seven shooting, along with a game-high nine rebounds and four assists.  Lyndsey Smith topped Texas-Dallas with 14 points and seven rebounds.