GAME STATS PICTURED ABOVE: Ellie Zeller (PICTURED LEFT) led Wheaton with 21 points and Katie McDaniels (PICTURED RIGHT) tallied 13 points with six assists.
Wheaton, Ill. – The Carthage Lady Reds snapped the 11-game win streak of the Wheaton Thunder women's basketball team on Wednesday night as Carthage picked up a 77-69 inside Wheaton's King Arena in a battle of nationally-ranked teams. Carthage entered tonight's game ranked 14th in the D3hoops.com Top-25 and Wheaton is ranked 12th in the same poll.
Carthage improves to 13-2 on the season, with a 4-0 record in CCIW play. Carthage is now alone in first place in the CCIW standings. Wheaton is 12-2 on the year with a 3-1 conference record. The Thunder will travel to Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday for a 5 PM tipoff against the Titans.
Carthage scored the first 10 points of tonight's game, however Wheaton countered with a 13-4 scoring run to trim Carthage's lead to 14-13 with 10:50 remaining in regulation. Carthage led the Thunder 28-26 with 6:00 left in the first half when the Lady Reds put together a 12-6 run to close out the half as the guests led 40-32 at halftime.
Wheaton out-scored Carthage 12-4 to open the second half as the Thunder tied the game at 44-44 with 14:30 left in regulation. However, a three-pointer by Carthage's Stephanie Kuzmanic sparked a 13-4 run for the guests that gave the Lady Reds a 65-56 lead with 4:55 remaining in the second half. The key surge by Carthage put the Lady Reds in the lead for good. The closest Wheaton could get in the final 4:40 of the game was a four-point lead for the guests with a 71-67 Carthage advantage with 1:01 remaining in regulation.
Ellie Zeller led the Thunder with 21 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the field. Zeller also grabbed four rebounds with four assists. Wheaton freshman
Katie McDaniels scored 13 points with six assists. Senior
Maria Panaggio scored nine points with five assists.
Maris Hovee (PICCTURED LEFT) grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, with seven points and four steals.
Chantal Meacham tallied seven points with five rebounds.
Stephanie Kuzmanic led Carthage with 34 points, making six three-pointers. Kuzmanic also distributed eight assists, with eight rebounds. Haley Stercic scored 15 points, making five three-pointers. Michelle Wenzel scored nine points, with eight rebounds.
Wheaton shot a 42.9% (24-56) field goal percentage, with 28.6% (4-14) from three-point range and 81% (17-21) at the free throw line. The Lady Reds posted a 48.2% (27-56) field goal percentage, including a 57.1% (12-21) mark from behind the three-point arc and 55% (11-20) at the free throw line. Each team grabbed 33 rebounds, with Wheaton collecting seven offensive boards and Carthage had six offensive rebounds.
