Carthage 72, Illinois Wesleyan 67 - Box Score, Jan. 30
KENOSHA, Wis. - The Illinois Wesleyan women's basketball team lost for the first time in 2009-10 season, dropping a 72-67 decision at Carthage in Kenosha, Wis., on Jan. 30.
The loss ended a 56 game regular season winning streak by IWU and ended a string of 33 straight College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin victories, a league record. The loss was the first in the regular season since a 68-63 loss to Millikin on Jan. 12, 2008.
The Titans, now 18-1 overall and 7-1 in the league, led 35-31 at halftime but were outscored by a 41-32 margin in the second half. The game was tied at 43-43 with 14:07 to play when the Lady Reds went on a 12-0 run to forge ahead to a 55-43 advantage with 9:38 to play.
Illinois Wesleyan, who was ranked No. 1 in both the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll and the D3hoops.com poll, closed to within two (62-60) on a basket by sophomore Brittany Hasslebring with 2:56 left but Carthage managed to keep IWU at bay, scoring 10 of the game's final 17 points.with eight of those coming from the free throw line.
The Titans were led by the 14 points of junior
Nikki Preston and 13 from junior
Hope Schulte while Hasselbring contributed nine points and handed out four assists. Senior
Christina Solari scored eight points, snared a game-high 12 rebounds and had four assists.
Carthage (16-3, 6-2 CCIW) had four players score in double figures, led by the 19 points from Diana Jacklin, who also grabbed 10 rebounds as the Lady Reds held a 34-31 rebound edge on IWU.
The Lady Reds, who was ranked No. 18 in this week's coaches' poll and No. 20 in the D3hoops.com poll, had lost at Illinois Wesleyan on Jan. 9 by a 76-48 score.
The Titans shot 41 percent from the field (24 of 59) and connected on seven of 26 3-point efforts (27 percent) while making 12 of 19 free throws (63 percent). Carthage shot 49 percent from the field (22 of 45) and made 77 percent from the free throw line (24 of 31).
The Titans next play North Central at the Shirk Center at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 2.