The Carthage College women's basketball team (10-2, 1-0 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin), ranked 25th in the Jan. 3 "D3hoops.com" poll and 28th in the Jan. 3 Women's Basketball Coaches Association/USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division III poll, opened CCIW play on Wednesday, Jan. 4 with a 72-48 win over North Central College (6-6, 0-1 CCIW) at Merner Fieldhouse/Gregory Arena in Naperville, Ill.

With the game tied at 12-12 at 11:30 first half, Carthage used a 12-2 run to take a 10-point lead, 24-14, at 7:10.  With Cailee Corcoran connecting on seven-of-eight field-goal attempts, the Lady Reds extended their lead to 14 points, 30-16, at 4:24.  The Cardinals closed to within single-digits, 30-23, at 3:01, but Carthage led by 11 points at halftime, 36-25.  The Lady Reds scored the first six points of the second half to up their lead to 17 points, 42-25, at 18:03.  Carthage made it a 21-point game, 48-27, at 15:42, a 23-point contest, 53-30 at 11:26 and a 29-point game, 70-41, at 4:14.  The Lady Reds went on to win by 24 points, 72-48.

Carthage shot a sizzling 63 percent (30-48), including 71 percent in the second half (15-21) and five-of-10 for the game from three-point range, while North Central (Ill.) shot just 35 percent (19-54), including three-of-13 three-pointers.  The Lady Reds out-rebounded the Cardinals, 36-21.  Cailee Corcoran (Jr., Oak Lawn, Ill./Chicago-Marist) matched her career high with 20 points on nine-of-11 field goals and two-of-three free throws.  Diana Jacklin (Sr., Berwyn, Ill./Morton West) had 16 points on eight-of-12 shooting, along with six rebounds.  Helen Meleya led North Central (Ill.) with seven points. 

"We executed offensively and made a lot of shots," said Carthage head coach Tim Bernero.  "We did manage to turn the ball over 27 times, but it was still a very satisfying win.  We did what we set out to do, defensively, by not letting them take the three-point shot.  They put the ball on the floor pretty well the first half, but we adjusted pretty well to that and took that away in the second half.  I was really pleased with how we started off the second half to put the game away, and it was our defensive intensity that got that done.  It's a big win on the road, and that's a good start."

On Saturday, Jan. 7, the Lady Reds play host to conference-opponent Millikin University (9-3, 1-0 CCIW) in a 2 p.m. contest at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.