The Carthage College women's basketball team (16-6, 7-4 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) defeated CCIW-opponent Elmhurst College (9-12, 4-6 CCIW), 79-58, on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.  The win left the Lady Reds in fourth place in the league, trailing first-place Illinois Wesleyan University, second-place Wheaton College (Ill.) and third-place Millikin University. 

Carthage never trailed in the first half, as the Lady Reds opened up a 13-point lead, 30-17, at 8:19.   The Bluejays came back with a 20-10 run to tie the game, 37-37, at 1:11, and Elmhurst trailed by two points at the break, 41-39.  Carthage pulled away steadily in the second half.  The Lady Reds went up by 11 points, 52-41, at 12:34.  Elmhurst got the margin down to nine points on several occasions, the last time at 56-47, at 10:07.  The Lady Reds then used a 16-7 run to take a 20-point lead, 72-52, at 5:35, and Carthage went on to win by 21, 79-58.

The Lady Reds shot 54 percent (29-54), including five-of-14 from three-point range and 65 percent overall in the first period (17-26).  The Bluejays shot just 36 percent (20-55), including three-of-17 three-pointers and just 21 percent overall in the second half (6-28).  Carthage out-rebounded Elmhurst by a 39-29 margin.  Four Lady Reds starters scored in double figures. 

Diana Jacklin (Jr., Berwyn, Ill./Morton West) had a team-high 20 points on eight-of-11 field goals, along with four-of-five free throws and five rebounds.  Cailee Corcoran (So., Oak Lawn, Ill./Chicago-Marist) had 14 points and eight boards.  Heather Gilmore (Sr., Des Moines, Iowa/Pleasant Hill-Southeast) scored 13 points with five assists, and Dani Ripkey (Jr., Deerfield, Ill.) tallied 12 points on four-of-five from three-point range. 

Megan Ney led the Bluejays with a game-high 24 points on seven-of-10 shooting, along with 10-of-12 from the free-throw line and a game-high 10 rebounds.  Meghan Merklein added 16 points and eight rebounds.

Carthage travels to Naperville, Ill., on Saturday, Feb. 12 to take on conference-opponent North Central College (7-14, 3-7 CCIW) in a 5 p.m. contest at Merner Fieldhouse/Gregory Arena.