Carthage never trailed after the game’s opening minute. The Lady Reds inched out to a 12-point lead, 24-12, at 6:19, before the Big Blue closed to within five points at halftime, 30-25. Carthage opened the second half on a 14-4 run to take a 15-point lead, 44-29, at 12:03. Millikin came back with a 15-4 run of its own to make it a four-point game, 48-44, at 2:48, but the Lady Reds went on to win by nine, 53-44.
Carthage shot 39 percent (20-52), while Millikin shot 37 percent (16-43). Katie Jarger was the lone Carthage player in double figures with 14 points on six-of-eight field goals, along with seven rebounds. The Big Blue’s Andrea Riebock had nine points and seven rebounds. The Lady Reds limited Lindsay Ippel, the CCIW’s “Most Outstanding Player” in 2007, as well as Women’s Basketball Coaches Association/Kodak honorable mention All-America, to a season-low seven points. Carthage is the first team this season to hold Ippel, who leads the both the conference and NCAA Division III with a 25.6 scoring mark of Jan. 27, to less than 16 points. Ippel scored 16 points against Robert Morris-Springfield on Dec. 15. Carthage travels to Bloomington, Ill., on Saturday, Feb. 2 to play CCIW-opponent and No. 18 Illinois Wesleyan University (16-2, 6-1 CCIW) in a 5 p.m. game at the Shirk Center.
“It was a completely different game than the one at Millikin earlier,” said Carthage coach Tim Bernero. “In both games, we let them have the three-point shot, and that takes some guts when the other team starts making that shot. That builds their momentum and makes you think about moving out farther to defend. Our girls did a fantastic job, and they did what we wanted to do. Forrest Smith did a great job guarding Lindsay Ippel. She’s real good defender, and the baskets she got late in the game were just a bonus. Neither team shot very many free throws, and that’s probably good when you’re defending an All-American player like Ippel. Katie Jarger played a great game, and she shot well. I was surprised we rebounded so well. I didn’t do anything different to make that happen, so that was nice. If we can handle the Illinois Wesleyan defensive pressure and take away their three-point shooting on Saturday, it’ll be a heck of a game. I picked Millikin to win the league, and we’ve sort of made a statement by beating them twice. Now, we have to go play the team that everybody else picked to win the league.”
Newspaper Box Score Millikin vs Carthage 1-29-08 7:50 p.m. at Kenosha, Wis./Carthage PEC At Kenosha, Wis./Carthage PEC CARTHAGE 53, MILLIKIN 44 MILLIKIN (13-5, 5-2 CCIW) Riebock,Andrea 4-10 0-0 9; Yantis,Tracie 3-6 2-3 9; Steers,Kelley 3-9 0-0 7; Ippel,Lindsay 2-8 3-6 7; Pembrook,Kayla 1-3 1-2 4; Mateer,Megan 1-1 0-0 3; Carlson,Brooke 1-2 0-0 3; Wildman,Elise 1-1 0-0 2; Schwartz,Whitney 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 16-43 6-11 44. CARTHAGE (15-3, 7-0 CCIW) Jarger, Katie 6-8 0-0 14; Smith, Forrest 4-7 0-0 8; Buchholz, Erika 2-9 2-3 7; Gilmore, Heather 2-3 2-2 7; Lieberman, Shana 2-8 3-6 7; Janowiak, Carlie 1-5 0-0 3; Klemke, Katie 1-3 0-0 3; Gartelos, Lisa 1-2 0-0 2; Burshiem, Katherine 1-5 0-0 2; Dorn, Rosie 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 20-52 7-11 53. Millikin...................... 25 19 - 44 Carthage...................... 30 23 - 53 3-point goals--Millikin 6-15 (Carlson,Brooke 1-2; Mateer,Megan 1-1; Riebock,Andrea 1-2; Pembrook,Kayla 1-1; Yantis,Tracie 1-4; Steers,Kelley 1-3; Schwartz,Whitney 0-1; Ippel,Lindsay 0-1), Carthage 6-21 (Jarger, Katie 2-3; Janowiak, Carlie 1-4; Gilmore, Heather 1-2; Buchholz, Erika 1-4; Klemke, Katie 1-2; Dorn, Rosie 0-1; Lieberman, Shana 0-5). Fouled out--Millikin-None, Carthage-None. Rebounds--Millikin 28 (Riebock,Andrea 7), Carthage 38 (Smith, Forrest 8). Assists--Millikin 10 (Pembrook,Kayla 3), Carthage 14 (Janowiak, Carlie 4). Total fouls--Millikin 12, Carthage 16. Technical fouls--Millikin-None, Carthage-None. A-425