2004-05 Game Recaps March 15, Morningside (14th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament - Championship)
Hometown Morningside, playing before a partisan crowd of more than 6,000, beat Cedarville for the second straight year in the NAIA Division II championship game, 75-65. The Lady Jackets, who complete the season with a 35-2 record, had their 22-game winning streak snapped. Cedarville took an early 15-10 lead only to see the Mustangs respond with 10 unanswered points. The Jackets recovered for a 20-20 tie, but the hosts scored seven straight points and never surrendered the lead. CU’s largest deficit was 61-47 with 8:35 remaining and the closest they got was 69-64 with 47.2 seconds to go. The 65 points scored was the lowest offensive output for a game this season. Brittany Smart scored 21 points while Emily Delimpo added 18 points with a career-high 20 rebounds. Smart was named the Hustle Award recipient and was joined on the All-Tournament First Team by Kari Flunker. Delimpo was a Second Team choice. Flunker wraps up an outstanding career as Cedarville’s all-time leader in eight statistical categories including most points scored with 2,275. Smart scored a school record 805 points for the season. [STATS] March 14, Concordia NE (14th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament - Semifinals)
Brittany Smart poured in a tournament-high 36 points and No. 1 seed Cedarville rallied in regulation time to eventually stun Concordia (Neb.) 86-73 in overtime during semifinal action at the 14th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament. It sets up a title game rematch between the Lady Jackets and defending champion Morningside on Tuesday in the Tyson Events Center. CU trailed 69-62 with 2:45 remaining in regulation and were helped by the Bulldogs missing the front end of two one-and-one free throws in the final 30 seconds. Down 73-71, Kari Flunker was fouled with 1.7 seconds to go and responded by making both charity tosses to force OT. Cedarville blanked Concordia 13-0 in the extra session. Flunker finished with 25 points while Karah Walton chipped in 10. [STATS] March 12, Ozarks (14th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament - Quarterfinals)
A potential game-tying three-pointer bounced off the rim as No. 1 seed Cedarville survived a scare from College of the Ozarks with a 78-75 victory in the quarterfinals of the 14th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament. The Lady Jackets, the 2004 runner-up, advance to Monday’s semifinals to face Concordia (Neb.) in the Tyson Events Center at 7:00 p.m. (Eastern). The Bobcats, a team that CU eliminated in the second round last year, put the Jackets on their heels this time by jumping out to a 21-10 advantage. Cedarville chipped away at the deficit and scored the final seven points of the first half for a 31-30 lead. C of O kept it close in the second period and held the lead for the last time, 57-56, with 7:18 left. A 13-2 Lady Jacket run produced a 69-59 margin at the 4:10 mark, but Ozarks rallied again to within the final three-point margin, CU missed two free throws with 15 seconds left, and the Bobcats failed to convert the equalizer at the buzzer. Brittany Smart stepped up to score a game-high 33 points including a 16-for-18 effort at the charity stripe which set a tournament record for most free throws made in a game. Her 748 points scored so far this season established a new school record breaking the previous mark of 743 set by Vicki Butler in the 1979-80 campaign. Emily Delimpo was the only other Cedarville player to score in double figures by producing a double-double of 11 points and 15 rebounds. [STATS] March 11, Saint Francis IN (14th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament - 2nd Round)
No. 1 seed Cedarville whipped Saint Francis (Ind.) 96-67 and Kari Flunker became the program’s all-time leading scorer in a second round game at the 14th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament. It was the Lady Jackets’ 20th victory in a row. CU struggled to beat the Cougars 79-76 in the Callan Athletic Center back on Dec. 30. A close game never materialized this time. The Jackets raced to a 52-29 halftime lead en route to their second straight convincing win in the tournament. Flunker needed 14 points to pass Cedarville’s career scoring leader Kirsten Rossotti (2,229) and she set the record with two free throws in the second half. The two-time NAIA All-American finished with 18 points to up her career total to 2,233 points. Brittany Smart scored 19 points to lead the Jackets while Karah Walton added 18 points and seven assists. [STATS] March 9, Lyndon State (14th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament - 1st Round)
The top-seeded Lady Jackets overwhelmed Lyndon State 111-33 to open play at the 14th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament at the Tyson Events Center. The 78-point win set tournament and school records for the largest margin of victory. Cedarville dominated the Hornets from the outset and blew out to a 55-13 halftime lead. The second half was a mismatch as well with the Jackets outscoring Lyndon State 56-20. CU shot 54 percent from the field for the game compared to 22 percent for the Hornets. The rebounding advantage for the Lady Jackets was 63-24 and they had 15 fewer turnovers, 32-17. CU placed six players in double figures led by Kari Flunker’s 18 points. She made all seven of her shots from the field including a 4-for-4 showing outside the three-point arc. Brittany Smart tallied 16 points, Emily Delimpo and Kylee Teboda had 12 points apiece, and Crystal Wiley and Kristi Beougher chipped in 10 points each. The previous largest margin of victory in Lady Jacket basketball history was 70 points and it happened twice during the 1976-77 season. Cedarville defeated Wittenberg 97-27 on 1/20/77 and beat Wilmington 90-20 on 2/7/77. The previous tournament record of 57 points was set earlier in the day at Sioux City by College of the Ozarks, 96-39, over Bethel (Tenn.). [STATS] Feb. 26, at Daemen (AMC Championship Game)
Brittany Smart totaled 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead NAIA Division II No. 1 Cedarville to a 79-64 victory at No. 23 Daemen in the American Mideast Conference Championship Game. The outcome marked the third consecutive time that the Lady Jackets have taken home the title. The host Wildcats entered the contest with a 21-game winning streak and a perfect 14-0 mark at home. The two teams remained close throughout most of the first half with Daemen clinging to a 22-21 lead with 6:57 left. However, the Jackets reeled off nine straight points to take the lead for good and finished the frame on a 13-4 run for a 34-27 advantage. CU bolted to a 17-point cushion in the first 4:10 of the second half, led by as much as 19, and Daemen could get no closer than 11 the rest of the way in what would be the Jackets’ 18th win in a row. Karah Walton scored 13 points and dished out seven assists. Kari Flunker netted 12 points with six assists, Tami Gheen came off the bench to drain three treys en route to 12 points, and Emily Delimpo added a double-double of 11 points and 11 boards. [STATS] Feb. 19, at Malone
Kari Flunker netted 27 points, including a school-record 5-for-5 showing outside the three-point arc, as NAIA Division II No. 1 Cedarville finished unbeaten in the AMC South Division for the second straight year with a 93-70 win at Malone. The Lady Jackets, 30-1 overall and 18-0 AMC, completed the regular season with a 17-game winning streak. Cedarville used one of its patented scoring runs to take control. Leading 18-16 with 10:55 left in the first half, the Jackets erupted for 15 unanswered points. That spurt fueled a 30-7 onslaught to finish the half for a 48-23 lead. The margin swelled to 33 points just four minutes into the second period. CU shot 60 percent from the field for the game and outrebounded the Pioneers 36-24. Flunker, who drilled 8-of-10 treys when the Jackets bounced Malone at home back in November, also contributed five assists and four steals without a turnover. Brittany Smart poured in 24 points, Karah Walton tallied 13 points with a game-high eight assists, and Emily Delimpo scored 12 points with a game-high 11 rebounds. The CU women continue put up staggering numbers in recent years. They have won 51 consecutive regular season conference games dating back to Dec. 7, 2002 which was a home loss to Ohio Dominican. The Jackets have not dropped a regular season league contest on the road in over three seasons - a run of 31 in a row. It’s also the program’s third straight 30-win season. [STATS] Feb. 15, at Tiffin
Kari Flunker scored 25 points and handed out nine assists to lead NAIA Division II No. 1 Cedarville to a 81-65 American Mideast Conference South Division victory at Tiffin. It’s the 16th victory in a row for the Lady Jackets. CU shot 46 percent from the field in the first half and forced the Dragons into 15 turnovers to forge a 38-23 halftime lead. Flunker netted 14 of her points in the second half thanks to 5-for-6 shooting while the margin inflated to as much as 23 points on multiple occasions. The Jackets made 49 percent of their shots in the final period and committed 11 fewer turnovers than TU for the game. Brittany Smart tallied 19 points while Karah Walton produced 12 points and six steals. Emily Delimpo added 11 points and joined Kristi Beougher for team-high rebounding honors with seven boards apiece. [STATS] Feb. 12, WALSH
Kari Flunker tallied 20 points with a career-high 11 assists as the NAIA Division II No. 1 Lady Jackets overwhelmed Walsh, 106-60, in AMC South Division play for their 38th straight win in the Callan Athletic Center. Fellow seniors Tami Gheen, Crystal Stuckey, and Kylee Teboda, whom head coach Kirk Martin awarded starting assignments along with Flunker, assembled a 54-5 record at home during their four-year stay. Flunker, CU’s career leader in three-point shooting, missed her first trey of the night and then drilled four straight including one at the halftime buzzer for a 49-22 bulge. The Jackets then made an impressive 23-of-29 shots in the second half for 79 percent. Cedarville finished the game with a 62 percent field goal accuracy and they forced 35 Cavalier turnovers. Brittany Smart came off the bench with 20 points. Karah Walton scored 14 points and Emily Delimpo chipped in 13. [STATS] Feb. 10, at Rio Grande
Kari Flunker scored 20 points to move into second place on Cedarville’s all-time scoring list, and the NAIA Division II No. 1 Lady Jackets won their third straight AMC South Division title with a 83-65 win at No. 18 Rio Grande. The championship carries with it an automatic berth to the NAIA Division II National Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa on March 9-15 where the Jackets finished as runner-up last season. The Rio contest had an odd twist in that the game actually started on Jan. 13, the Redwomen jumped out to a 12-9 lead, and then the campus lost power when a transformer blew with 12 minutes remaining in the first half. That’s where the two teams picked things up when play resumed. A 14-2 run to finish the period gave the Jackets a 39-29 halftime lead. Flunker then led a second-half surge by drilling 3-of-4 shots from outside the three-point arc which helped keep CU in command with the difference swelling to as much as 23 points. Brittany Smart totaled 19 points, Emily Delimpo had 16, and Karah Walton finished with 14 points and eight assists. Flunker ran her career point total to 2,114 points to move past Vicki Butler (2,103) into second place on the Lady Jackets’ all-time scoring list. She trails top scorer Kirsten Rossotti (2,229) by 115 points with a minimum of five games to play. [STATS] Feb. 8, at Urbana
Emily Delimpo scored 19 points as NAIA Division II No. 1 Cedarville cooled off Urbana, 83-62, in an AMC South Division game for their 13th victory in a row. The Blue Knights had won six of their previous seven contests. The Lady Jackets broke a 10-10 tie with a 14-2 run to take control. Brittany Smart, who finished with 18 points, buried a three-pointer just in front of the halftime buzzer for a 43-26 bulge. A 7-2 spurt to open the second half blew the game open and the margin swelled to as much as 25 points on three occasions. Karah Walton was the only other CU player to score in double figures totaling 12 points. The Jackets had a 53-43 rebounding edge with Kristi Beougher hauling in a career-high 13 rebounds. [STATS] Feb. 5, OHIO DOMINICAN
The NAIA Division II No. 1 Lady Jackets shot a blistering 79 percent in the second half and 68 percent for the game to bury Ohio Dominican, 107-59, in AMC South Division action. It was Cedarville’s 37th straight win in the Callan Athletic Center since losing 78-71 to ODU on Dec. 7, 2002. This time, the Jackets finished the first half with a 32-11 run to lead 49-26 at the intermission. Cedarville, who entered the game second in the country in field goal percentage, put the game away by making their first 12 shots from the field to start the second half. Brittany Smart led five players in double figures with 22 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Emily Delimpo made all nine of her shots to tally 20 points, Kari Flunker netted 18, Karah Walton scored 13 with a career-high 11 assists, and Crystal Wiley chipped in 10 points. [STATS] Feb. 1, WILBERFORCE
Brittany Smart scored 23 points to lead four players in double figures as NAIA Division II No. 1 Cedarville defeated Greene County rival Wilberforce, 95-65, in an AMC South Division contest. It marked the second straight game that all 12 Lady Jackets scored in extending their winning streak to 11 in a row. CU never trailed by using an 11-point run and another spurt of 12 consecutive points to shoot 68 percent in the first half. That effort produced a 51-30 bulge at the intermission. The Jackets made 59 percent of their shots in the second period and finished with a 63.5 percent accuracy for the game which helped to keep the Bulldogs from posing a threat. Emily Delimpo scored 16 points while Karah Walton tallied 11 points with five assists. Kari Flunker totaled 10 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. [STATS] Jan. 29, MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE
The NAIA Division II No. 1 Lady Jackets won for the 10th straight time with a 96-63 victory over Mount Vernon Nazarene in an American Mideast Conference South Division game. All 12 CU players in uniform played and scored. Cedarville shot 54 percent from the field while racing out to a 48-28 halftime lead. The hosts then shot 59 percent in the second period when the lead grew to as much as 36. The Jackets, who entered the game 4th in the country in field goal percentage and 2nd in rebound margin, finished the game with a 56.5 percent accuracy from the field and a 44-31 rebound advantage. Kari Flunker led four players in double figures with 18 points to go along with five assists. Brittany Smart made 8-of-9 shots en route to 16 points and five assists; Karah Walton netted 12 points and dished out nine assists; and Tami Gheen came off the bench with 11 points. [STATS] Jan. 25, SHAWNEE STATE
NAIA Division II No. 1 Cedarville overcame a sluggish start to defeat Shawnee State, 80-63, in American Mideast Conference South Division action. The Lady Jackets, who earlier in the day moved up to the top spot in the polls, won their 43rd straight AMC regular season contest and their 34th in a row at home. The visiting Bears jumped out to a 17-6 lead and had two more possessions to build on the advantage. However, a 32-8 reversal by CU, which included a 14-0 run, gave the hosts a 13-point cushion en route to a 41-35 halftime lead. The closest Shawnee State could get was scoring the first field goal in the second period to close within four. It was 66-58 at the 6:20 mark when the Jackets netted 12 consecutive points to up the spread to a game-high 20. Kari Flunker finished with 23 points, Brittany Smart tallied 22, and Emily Delimpo chipped in 10. It’s the second time CU has been ranked No. 1 this year. They earned the top spot in the second rating of the season back in December. But, in their first game after the polls came out they dropped their only decision of the campaign, 76-68 to Vanguard (Calif.), who at the time was No. 2 in NAIA Division I and is now ranked No. 1. [STATS] Jan. 22, at Walsh
Kari Flunker became just the third Cedarville women’s basketball player to surpass 2,000 career points and the NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets sprinted to a 101-92 victory at Walsh to remain unbeaten in the American Mideast Conference South Division. Flunker, who tallied 20 points and six assists, upped her career point total to 2,016 to join all-time leader Kirsten Rossotti (2,229) and Vicki Butler (2,103) in what is an exclusive club. It was a shootout from the opening tip and the Jackets had to erase a six-point deficit in the first half for a 51-48 halftime advantage. The Cavaliers took their only lead in the second period, 61-60, at the 14:25 mark. A 14-3 response by CU gave them the lead for good although Walsh cut the difference to 80-78 with 5:55 left. However, another spurt - this time a 19-8 run - gave the Jackets their largest margin in the game at 13 points. Brittany Smart finished with 25 points and seven assists while Emily Delimpo recorded a double-double of 17 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. Kristi Beougher chipped in 11 points. Cedarville shot 57 percent from the field in the second half and converted 21-of-24 free throws for the game. [STATS] Jan. 18, TIFFIN
The NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets shot 55 percent from the field and used a tight defense to beat Tiffin, 84-50, in an American Mideast Conference South Division game. The outcome ran Cedarville’s winning streak to seven straight and it’s the program’s fourth 20-win season in a row. A 10-2 run to finish the first half resulted in a 36-22 advantage. The Jackets made 20-of-34 shots from the field for 59 percent in the second period while pushing the margin to as much as 39 points. All 12 CU players saw action and 10 scored. Brittany Smart’s double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds led the way. Kari Flunker netted 17 points with six assists and Emily Delimpo chipped in 14 points. The Jackets, who lead NAIA Division II nationally in rebound margin, controlled the boards by a decisive 45-25 difference. [STATS] Jan. 15, at Ohio Dominican
Brittany Smart scored 24 points, including the 1,000th point of her career, to lead NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville to a 83-67 victory at Ohio Dominican in an American Mideast Conference South Division game. The 5-foot-9 sophomore needed just 58 games to reach the milestone thus becoming the fastest Lady Jacket player to accomplish the feat. CU got off to a sluggish start and fell behind by as much as five points early. Trailing 19-15 at the 7:40 mark, the Jackets ran off 15 unanswered points to grab the lead for good. It was 38-27 at the intermission and after ODU got as close as 49-43 with 14:13 remaining, Cedarville exploded for a 14-point spurt to take command. The difference grew to as much as 23 points in the final minutes. Kari Flunker was the only other Lady Jacket to score in double figures finishing with 18 points. CU had a decisive 54-30 rebounding edge with Kristi Beougher pulling down a game-high 10 rebounds. [STATS] Jan. 11, URBANA
Brittany Smart fired in 26 points and Emily Delimpo scored her 1,000th career point as NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville outgunned Urbana, 86-77, in American Mideast Conference South Division action. The Lady Jackets extended their streak to 32 consecutive victories in the Callan Athletic Center. Smart didn’t score her first basket until 13 minutes into the contest and finished the first period with nine points. Kari Flunker led CU to a 40-33 halftime lead by nailing four treys en route to 14 points. The Jackets let a 12-point cushion in the second half melt away to a 62-61 lead at the 10:05 mark. The hosts recovered with six straight points, but still struggled to put away the Blue Knights who were as close as 76-72 with 4:45 remaining. Kristi Beougher totaled 19 points and eight rebounds before fouling out. Flunker finished with 18 points and Delimpo tallied a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds. She now has 1,002 career points and became the 13th player in Lady Jacket basketball history to surpass 1,000. [STATS] Jan. 8, at Mount Vernon Nazarene
Brittany Smart led four players in double figures with 14 points and NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville cruised to a 79-53 victory at Mount Vernon Nazarene in American Mideast Conference South Division play. All 12 Lady Jackets played and 11 found the scoring column. Cedarville held the Cougars to just 17 percent shooting in the first half en route to a 37-22 lead at the break. The Jackets shot 59 percent over the final 20 minutes while increasing the difference to as much as 36 points with 5:35 remaining. Smart added eight rebounds, eight assists, and three blocked shots to her performance. Karah Walton hit all three of her three-point shots and scored 11 points, Kari Flunker chipped in 11 points, and Kristi Beougher manufactured a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds. CU controlled the boards, 51-34, with Emily Delimpo also hauling in 11 rebounds. [STATS] Jan. 4, at Wilberforce
Kari Flunker scored 16 of her game-high 22 points in the second half to rally the NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets to a 81-69 victory at Wilberforce in an American Mideast Conference South Division contest. Cedarville struggled from the outset against the pesky Bulldogs, trailed by as much as six points in the first half, and faced a 38-37 deficit at the intermission. Eight straight points early in the second period gave the Lady Jackets the lead for good. However, they were never able to push the bulge to double digits until 8:45 remaining. The largest margin was 15 points. Brittany Smart tallied 21 points and Emily Delimpo added 14. The Jackets shot 50 percent from the field, 80 percent at the line, and outrebounded the Bulldogs, 47-38. [STATS] Dec. 30, SAINT FRANCIS (Ind.)
Kristi Beougher scored the go-ahead basket and added two crucial free throws as NAIA Division II No. 1 Cedarville held off No. 12 Saint Francis (Ind.), 79-76, in a non-conference battle. It was the 31st consecutive victory in the Callan Athletic Center for the Lady Jackets. Beougher’s jumper with 38 seconds left gave CU the lead for good, 77-76. Following a Cougar miss with 11 seconds remaining, she was fouled on the rebound, and promptly buried both ends of the one-and-one to account for the final. The six-foot sophomore scored eight of her 12 points in the final six minutes to help Cedarville rally from a five-point deficit. Brittany Smart netted 17 points, Kari Flunker had 14, Emily Delimpo racked up 13 points and 13 rebounds, and Karah Walton chipped in 10 points. Neither team led by more than seven points and there were 10 ties in the ball game. [STATS] Dec. 18, at California Baptist (Cal Baptist Classic)
Kari Flunker and Brittany Smart scored 26 points each to lead NAIA Division II No. 1 Cedarville to an 85-74 victory at host California Baptist in the second round of the Lancers’ Classic. The Lady Jackets finished with a split in their two west coast games against NAIA Division I competition. CU exploded out of the gate to a 21-5 lead in the first seven minutes. After the Lancers regrouped to get back within four, the Jackets ran out to a 24-point advantage and settled for a 50-30 halftime spread. Cal Baptist continually chipped away at the deficit and closed to within eight on two occasions, the last of which was 79-71 with 50 seconds left. Flunker drilled 5-of-8 shots from behind the three-point arc to go along with seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Smart hit 9-of-12 field goals, handed out six assists, blocked two shots, and came away with two steals. Emily Delimpo chipped in 10 points and was one of four Lady Jackets with seven rebounds. [STATS] Dec. 17, Vanguard (Cal Baptist Classic)
Vanguard, ranked No. 2 in NAIA Division I, handed the NAIA Division II No. 1 Lady Jackets their first loss of the season, 76-68, in the opening round of the Cal Baptist Classic. Cedarville’s 13-0 start was the best in school history. It was the Jackets who took control early and led 18-11 at the 13:25 mark. Vanguard, who advanced to the NAIA Division I Elite Eight a year ago, responded with a 27-7 run en route to a 45-35 halftime advantage. A 16-6 spurt by the Lions to open the second period pushed the bulge to 61-41 with 14:10 left. Cedarville scored 14 of the next 17 points to make it a game, but they could not get any closer than eight points. Brittany Smart finished with 18 points as one of four Lady Jackets in double figures. Emily Delimpo scored 16 points, Kari Flunker tallied 13 points with seven assists, and Karah Walton netted 11 points. CU, who leads NAIA Division II in rebound margin, had a slim 40-39 rebounding edge over the Lions, who lead Division I in that category. Kristi Beougher pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds. [STATS] Dec. 11, at Shawnee State
Brittany Smart tied the school record with 41 points to lead unbeaten NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville to an 81-75 victory at Shawnee State in an American Mideast Conference South Division contest. It was the 36th consecutive conference win for the Lady Jackets and 23rd straight on the road. The continuation of the streak didn’t come easy. The host Bears jumped out to a 10-2 lead and it took CU the entire half to catch them before settling in for a 35-35 halftime tie. Shawnee State held a slim 59-58 edge with 9:20 left until Smart keyed a 10-point spurt over the next two minutes with six points of her own. That gave the Jackets their largest lead of the afternoon, 68-59, and SSU got no closer than three points down the stretch. Kristi Beougher provided timely support with career-highs of 18 points and 12 rebounds. Emily Delimpo pulled down 10 boards for CU, who outrebounded the Bears, 49-36. The Jackets also made 21-of-22 free throws. Smart’s 41 points matched the school mark first set by Amy Zehr in 1991 versus Earlham and tied five years later by Jill Detwiler against Rio Grande. [STATS] Dec. 4, at Cardinal Stritch (Cardinal Stritch Invitational)
Tournament MVP Brittany Smart fired in 31 points to lead the NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets to a 92-86 win at No. 17 Cardinal Stritch in the championship game of the Wolves’ own tournament. Unbeaten Cedarville, 12-0, continued the best start in school history. Smart, who also grabbed 10 rebounds, handed out five assists, and set a school record with a perfect 4-for-4 shooting effort outside the three-point line, broke an 85-85 tie by converting a three-point play with 1:33 remaining. She added two free throws with 28 seconds left to give the Jackets a four-point cushion. CU made 16-of-20 charity tosses in the second half. Kari Flunker totaled 19 points, nine rebounds, and five steals while Emily Delimpo’s double-double included 15 points and 10 rebounds. Both players joined Smart on the all-tournament team. Cedarville had a decisive 54-29 rebounding edge. [STATS] Dec. 3, Finlandia (Cardinal Stritch Invitational)
The NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets defeated Finlandia, 81-59, in the first round of the Cardinal Stritch Invitational to hand head coach Kirk Martin his 100th career victory at Cedarville. His record is 100-16 for an .862 winning percentage in three-plus years at his alma mater. It took a while for the unbeaten Jackets to get going as they held a slim 33-27 halftime lead. CU quickly got the margin back to double digits and stayed in control thanks to 58 percent shooting from the field in the final 20 minutes. Emily Delimpo led the victory with 17 points and eight rebounds. Kari Flunker returned to her home state to score 16 points while Brittany Smart chipped in 11. Cedarville had a 43-34 rebounding edge and committed 12 turnovers compared to 19 for the Lions. [STATS] Nov. 30, RIO GRANDE
Kari Flunker scored 27 points and Brittany Smart added 25 as the NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets remained unbeaten with an 88-75 win over Rio Grande in American Mideast Conference South Division action. It was Cedarville’s 30th straight victory in the Callan Athletic Center. The Jackets surrendered the first basket and never trailed again after Smart drilled a three-pointer. CU rolled out to a 23-point margin early in the second half, but the Redwomen charged back to get as close as 10 points with less than a minute to play. Emily Delimpo contributed a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds. The Jackets outrebounded Rio 52-37 and made 22-of-27 free throws for 82 percent. [STATS] Nov. 23, MALONE
Kari Flunker drilled a school-record eight three-pointers and scored 28 points to lead the NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets a 93-72 victory over Malone in their American Mideast Conference South Division opener. Cedarville broke open a tight game midway through the first half and took a 41-27 lead into the intermission. The up tempo attack continued into the second period where the hosts built the lead to as much as 33 points with a 79-46 difference with 8:00 left. Flunker made her eight treys in 10 attempts to break the previous mark of seven held by her and former CU player Chris Friesen. Brittany Smart netted 17 points, Karah Walton tallied 10 points and seven assists, and Emily Delimpo dropped in nine points with a game-high 11 rebounds. The Jackets shot 60 percent from the field and controlled the boards by a 42-31 margin. [STATS] Nov. 20, Indiana Tech (Grace Invitational)
Tournament MVP Kari Flunker put together a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds to pace the NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets to a 99-62 victory over Indiana Tech in the Grace Invitational championship game. It’s the fourth straight year that Cedarville has won the event. The Jackets took a 12-point halftime lead and then put the Warriors away by outscoring them 56-31 in the final period. CU shot 55 percent from the floor and controlled the boards, 68-37. Brittany Smart poured in a game-high 20 points and joined Flunker on the all-tournament team. Emily Delimpo scored 16 points and Kylee Teboda came off the bench with a career-high 12 points. [STATS] Nov. 19, Saint Ambrose (Grace Invitational)
NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville sprinted to a 22-point halftime lead and cruised to an 85-36 win over Saint Ambrose in the first round of the Grace Invitational. Kari Flunker paced four players in double figures with 18 points. Brittany Smart added 17 points while Tami Gheen and Emily Delimpo chipped in 10 points each. The Jackets shot 55 percent from the field, forced 32 turnovers, and held the Queen Bees to 25 percent shooting. CU also registered a 48-37 rebounding advantage. [STATS] Nov. 16, TAYLOR
Brittany Smart matched her career-high with 29 points and the NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets remained unbeaten with an 82-68 non-conference victory over Taylor. The win was CU’s 28th in a row in the Callan Athletic Center and it turned around a 101-92 overtime setback suffered on the Trojans’ homecourt during last year’s record-setting 35-3 season. This time, Cedarville shot 62 percent in the first half en route to a 47-39 lead at the intermission. The Jackets quickly pushed the difference to 14 early in the second period and Taylor could get no closer than five points the rest of the way. Kari Flunker totaled 23 points and seven assists while Emily Delimpo produced a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds. The Yellow Jackets had a decisive 50-30 rebounding edge. [STATS] Nov. 13, at Huntington (Huntington Invitational)
NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville shot 64 percent from the field and placed five players in double figures during a 98-51 romp at Huntington in the championship game of the Foresters’ own tournament. It’s the second straight year that CU has won the event. The two schools were tied at 12-12 seven minutes into the contest when Cedarville shifted the offense into high gear. A 21-2 explosion, fueled by a run of 17 unanswered points, led to a 43-29 halftime lead. The Jackets outscored Huntington 55-22 in the second period. The fast break accounted for 15 layups in the final 20 minutes which led to 24-of-35 shooting for 69 percent. Kari Flunker racked up a game-high 23 points and eight assists in the victory while Emily Delimpo contributed 22 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Tournament MVP Brittany Smart tallied 19 points, Stacie Travis netted a career-high 11 points, and Kristi Beougher chipped in 10. Karah Walton handed out a career-high nine assists. Flunker and Delimpo joined Smart on the all-tournament team. [STATS] Nov. 12, Saint Joseph's (Huntington Invitational)
Brittany Smart pumped in 24 points and NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville pulled away in the second half to pummel Saint Joseph’s, 89-50, in the opening round of the Huntington Invitational. The Jackets scored 20 of the first 21 points in the second period and put together runs of 16 and 15 unanswered points to blow the game open. Smart added a game-high nine rebounds to her production. Karah Walton scored a career-high 20 points to go along with seven assists and three steals. Kari Flunker added 15 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Cedarville shot 53 percent from the field and made eight three-point baskets. The Jackets also had a 47-34 rebounding edge. [STATS] Nov. 9, URSULINE
Emily Delimpo led five players in double figures with 20 points and NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville had little problem in a 103-32 win over Ursuline. The Jackets surrendered the first basket of the game and then exploded on a 28-3 run including one stretch of 20 unanswered points. Kari Flunker netted 17 points, Brittany Smart produced a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds, and Crystal Wiley and Mary Stockdale chipped in 12 points each. Cedarville outrebounded the Arrows 58-18, forced 31 turnovers by the visitors, and held them to 26.5 percent shooting from the field. [STATS] Nov. 6, INDIANA WESLEYAN (Cedarville Invitational)
The NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets used a late-game rally to escape No. 5 Indiana Wesleyan, 71-70, in the championship game of the Cedarville Invitational. It was CU’s 26th straight victory in the Callan Athletic Center. The Wildcats, who drilled 10-of-21 three-pointers, hit back-to-back treys for a 68-63 lead with 2:10 left. However, Kari Flunker responded with a three-pointer and two free throws to tie the game at 68-68 at the 1:15 mark. IWU scored which was followed by Flunker making one-of-two free throws with 40 seconds left for a 70-69 Wildcat margin. The visitors turned the ball over and Brittany Smart made what would be the game-winning jumper in the lane with 23 seconds left. Indiana Wesleyan missed two jumped shots and the front end of a one-and-one free throw situation in the final seconds that could have won the game. Smart tallied a team-high 20 points while Flunker finished with 15 points. Tournament MVP Karah Walton finished with 11 points and five assists, Kristi Beougher chipped in 10 points, and Stacie Travis came off the bench to hit all three of her three-point attempts for a career-high nine points. Flunker joined Walton on the all-tournament team. Indiana-South Bend won the consolation game with a convincing 87-68 win over Madonna. Others named to the all-tournament team were Jennie Martin (Indiana Wesleyan), Liz Howerth (Indiana Wesleyan), Stephanie Campbell (Indiana-South Bend), and Sarah Thomson (Madonna). [STATS] Nov. 5, MADONNA (Cedarville Invitational)
Kari Flunker scored 19 points and the NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets opened the season with a 85-67 win over Madonna in the Cedarville Invitational. CU scored the first 16 points of the contest and led 22-4 at the 13:40 mark. However, Madonna scored the next nine points and the hosts had a difficult time putting the Crusaders away, who got as close as 10 points early in the second half. Flunker added six assists and four steals without turning the ball over in 28 minutes of action. Brittany Smart tallied 16 points, eight assists, and four steals. Emily Delimpo scored 12 points and Karah Walton chipped in 11. Cedarville made 36-of-63 shots from the field for 57.1 percent. [STATS]
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