The Carthage women's basketball team (10-4, 3-0 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) erased a 12-point halftime deficit to beat CCIW-opponent Illinois Wesleyan University (6-8, 0-3 CCIW), 69-62, on Saturday, Jan. 10 at the Shirk Center in Bloomington, Ill.

Carthage had a six-point lead, 21-15, at 8:28 first period, but Illinois Wesleyan closed out the period on a 23-5 run to take a 12-point lead at the break, 38-26.  The Lady Reds failed to score a field goal after Erin Thomas connected on a three-pointer at 4:27.  Carthage also turned the ball over 18 times in the first half to 10 for IWU.  Carthage scored the first seven points of the second half, including two Taylor Boardman layups, to pull to within five points, 38-33, at 18:21.  The Titans went back up by 10, 46-36, at 15:41, but a pair of three-pointers by Kasey Kleiner helped the Lady Reds make it a four-point game, 53-49, at 9:14.  A three-pointer by Thomas at 8:38 cut the lead to one, 53-52, and a three by Morgan Harris at 6:00 tied the game, 58-58.  Carthage re-gained the lead, 61-58, on a three by Thomas at 4:34 and went on to win by seven points, 69-62.

Carthage shot 57 percent (26-46), including 12-of-19 from three-point range, while Illinois Wesleyan shot 41 percent (23-56), including 10-of-22 three-pointers.  The Lady reds got to the free-throw line nine times and made five, while the Titans connected on six-of-nine.  Carthage out-rebounded Illinois Wesleyan by a 32-36 margin but turned the ball over 26 times to 15 turnover for the Titans

Four Lady Reds starters scored in double figures, with Taylor Boardman (Jr., Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way North) collecting a "double-double" with 18 points and 10 rebounds.  Boardman made eight-of-11 field goals and two-of-three free throws.  Kasey Kleiner (Sr., South Milwaukee, Wis./Somers-Shoreland Lutheran) scored 16 points on five-of-11 shooting, including four-of-seven three-pointers, along with four assists.  Erin Thomas (Jr., Spring Grove, Ill./Richmond-Burton) had 15 points on five-of-seven, all threes, and Alexis Hahn (Jr., Itasca, Ill./Roselle-Lake Park) chipped in 11 points and nine boards.  Molly McGraw led Illinois Wesleyan with 13 points.

"We handled their zone for awhile, and then we lost it for awhile in the first half," said Carthage coach Tim Bernero.  "We gave their shooters to much space early on and didn't contest them enough.  We did some silly stuff against their press, and all of the sudden, they had all the advantages.  Our nice are all nice kids, they prepare well, and then all of the sudden, they stop doing things, and I have to go bananas at halftime.  If they're going to play well and be mad at me, I guess that's OK.  My job is go the result, however we do it.  We got some timely shots in the second half, particularly Kasey Kleiner and Morgan Harris.  We're still level with Wheaton College, who I think is the best team in the league.  We still have a couple of games to play before we see them, if we can keep winning the home games."

Carthage plays host to conference-opponent Elmhurst College (9-5, 2-1 CCIW) on Wednesday, Jan. 14 in a 7 p.m. game at Tarble Arena in Kenosha, Wis.