The Carthage College women's basketball team (13-5, 4-3 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) ripped CCIW-opponent North Park University (7-11, 1-6 CCIW), 81-43, on Tuesday, Jan. 25 at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis. The win left the Lady Reds in a tie for fourth place in the CCIW standings with Elmhurst College at 4-3 each.
Carthage scored the first 12 points of the game and led, 12-0, at 17:05. After North Park closed to within nine points, 19-10, at 12:04, Carthage used an 11-2 run to open up an 18-point lead, 30-12, at 6:12. The Lady Reds led by 16 at the half, 41-25. Carthage out-scored North Park, 40-18, in the second period. The Lady Reds opened the period with a 23-5 run to open up a 34-point lead, 64-30, at 11:14. Carthage led by as much as 42 points in the second period, 76-34, at 4:50 and cruised to a 38-point decision, 81-43.
The Lady Reds shot 51 percent (28-55), including nine-of-20 from three-point range. Carthage connected at 65 percent clip (15-23) in the first half. The Vikings shot just 27 percent for the game (12-45), including three-of-17 three-pointers. Carthage out-rebounded North Park, 41-26. Three Lady Reds starters scored in double figures. Dani Ripkey (Jr., Deerfield, Ill.) scored game-high 16 points on six-of-eight field goals, including four-of-six three-pointers, along with seven rebounds. Diana Jacklin (Jr., Berwyn, Ill./Morton West) had 15 points on six-of-10 shooting, along with seven boards and four assists, and Cailee Corcoran (So., Oak Lawn, Ill./Chicago-Marist) added 12 points. Roxannne Jones topped North Park with 12 points.
"The offense came easier early on, that's for sure" said Carthage coach Tim Bernero. "Saturday's Millikin game was such a struggle on both ends. It was a physical game. Tonight, we were able to get stops and make the game go a little faster earlier and get easy baskets. That's always good to get off to a good start. Illinois Wesleyan this weekend will be a marathon, because they keep pressing you the whole time. We have to be able to withstand that and make them pay for pressing. If people press and you don't score, they just press harder, and they're able to get away with it." (courtesy of the Kenosha News)
Carthage travels to Bloomington, Ill., on Saturday, Jan. 29 to take on conference-opponent and No. 6 Illinois Wesleyan University (15-3, 7-0 CCIW) in a 5 p.m. contest at the Shirk Center. Illinois Wesleyan has won 10-straight games since losing to non-conference opponent Olivet Nazarene University, 110-106 in overtime, on Dec. 13.