The Carthage College women's basketball team (5-1, 0-0 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) ranked 16th in the Nov. 26 "D3hoops.com" poll and 18th in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association/USA Today NCAA Division III poll, came back from a 15-point first-half deficit to beat No. 45 the University of Chicago (3-2), 80-65, on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 1 at the Gerald Ratner Athletic Center in Chicago.  The win was the fifth in a row for the Lady Reds following a season-opening loss to Ohio Northern University.

Carthage had an early, 17-10 lead at 14:27.  Chicago erased that margin, tying the game, 17-17, at 9:33.  Following an 18-18 tie, the Maroons took control, going on a 16-3 run to open up a 13-point lead, 34-21, at 2:52.  Chicago extended its lead to 15 points, 38-23, at 1:49 and led by 12 at the break, 40-28.   The Lady Reds opened the second half with a 17-2 run to take a three-point lead, 45-42, at 13:41.  Kristi Schmidt scored six of those 17 pints on two field goals and a pair of free throws. Down by a point, 53-52, with just under nine minute to go, Carthage's Stephanie Kuzmanic took charge, scoring four baskets between 7:45 and 5:18 and helping the Lady Reds take an eight-point lead, 64-56, at 5:10.  Kuzmanic scored on two layups, a three-pointer and a jumper.  Carthage went on to win by 15 points, 80-65, outscoring Chicago in the second half by a 52-25 margin.

Carthage shot 47 percent (30-64), including a sizzling 59 percent in the second half (19-32) and a game total of six-of-13 three-pointers.  Chicago shot 34 percent (23-68), including just 26 percent in the second half (9-35) and nine-of-29 from three-point range.  The Lady Reds out-rebounded the Maroons, 51-39.  Carthage got to free-throw line 16 times and made 10, while Chicago converted 14-of-22 from the stripe.

Three Carthage starters scored in double figures.  Stephanie Kuzmanic (Sr., Mount Prospect, Ill./Wheeling) led the way with a career-high 30 points on 11-of-23 field goals, including three-of-five three-pointers and five-of-six free throws, along with nine assists.  Kristi Schmidt (Sr., Bloomington, Ill./Normal-Community) also had a career-day with 25 points on eight-of-12 shooting, nine-of-13 from the free-throw line and 11 rebounds.  Michelle Wenzel (Sr., Darien, Wis./Delavan-Darien) added 14 points, a game-high and career-high 17 rebounds and six blocked shots.  Julia Muguira led the Maroons with 19 points and six boards, while Maggie Ely had 16 points.

"Chicago played like we thought they would in the first half," said Carthage coach Tim Bernero, "and I like the way they play.  They were tough, and I challenged our team at halftime to stand up to them, to physically go where they wanted to go and to not panic.  We were running around like a fire drill late in the first half, and I had all seniors and juniors on the floor.  Stephanie Kuzmanic eventually took the game over, and as an All-American, that's what she should be doing.  We did a way better job on the defensive end in the second half, after Chicago got way too many opportunities off their dribble-drive in the first half.  We let them get started.  Michelle Wenzel was fantastic, and we need someone like her to get those tough rebounds.  We've played Chicago every year for the last six years or so, and it's always a great game.  We stopped them in the second half and just played the game at a higher level."

Carthage plays host to Clarke University on Wednesday, Dec. 4 in a 5:30 p.m. game at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.