The Carthage College women's basketball team (9-4, 0-2 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin), ranked 16th in the Jan.4 "D3hoops.com" poll and 15th in the Jan. 4 Women's Basketball Coaches Association/USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division III poll, lost to defending-CCIW-champion and No. 11 Illinois Wesleyan University (10-3, 2-0 CCIW), 70-60, on Saturday, Jan. 8 at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.

Carthage jumped out to a 7-0 lead before Illinois Wesleyan came back to take a 14-13 edge at 10:43.  The game stayed close for the rest of the first half until the Titans opened up a seven-point lead, 35-28, at 1:24.  IWU led by six points at halftime, 38-32.  Illinois Wesleyan went up by 10, 45-35, at 16:51, and the lead went to 18, 58-40, at 8:25.  The Lady Reds pulled to within 13 points, 58-45, at 7:22,  but the Titans' Melissa Gardner drilled a three-pointer at 7:16 to put IWU up by 16, 61-45.  IWU led by as much as 20 points, 65-45, at 5:52.  Carthage managed the reduce the lead to 10 points at game's end but fell, 70-60.

Illinois Wesleyan shot 50 percent (23-46), including 57 percent (13-23) in the first half.  Carthage also shot 50 percent (21-42), including 60 percent (12-20) in the first period.  Illinois Wesleyan out-rebounded Carthage, 27-18.  Four Titans scored in double figures.  Stacey Arlis scored a game-high 20 points and collected four assists.  Olivia Lett had 15 points and four assists.  Hope Schulte had 12 points and six rebounds, while Nikki Preston added 11 points with four assists.  Cailee Corcoran (So., Oak Lawn, Ill./Chicago-Marist) topped the Lady Reds with 16 points on four-of-six field goals, along with eight-of-10 free throws.  Diana Jacklin (Jr., Berwyn, Ill./Morton West) and Taylor Tondelli (Sr., Downers Grove, Ill/South) had 13 points each. 

Carthage travels to Elmhurst, Ill., on Tuesday, Jan. 11 to play CCIW-opponent Elmhurst College (6-7, 1-1 CCIW) in a 7:30 p.m. game at R.A. Faganel Hall.