2005-06 Game Recaps
March 11, Northwestern (15th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament)
Brittany Smart exploded for a tournament and school-record 47 points, but No. 2 seed Northwestern got the game winner with eight seconds left to nip the top-ranked Lady Jackets, 77-76, in the quarterfinals of the NAIA Division II National Tournament. Cedarville, the national runner-up in each of the past two seasons at the Tyson Events Center, ends the season at 29-4 after having its 19-game winning streak snapped. Smart piled up 24 points in the first half culminating with a jumper at the 1:35 mark to give CU its largest lead, 41-32. However, the Red Raiders nailed three straight three-pointers to knot the score at 41-41 by halftime. After Smart opened the second period with a field goal, Northwestern went on a 10-0 run for their largest lead, 51-43. The Jackets recovered and a 12-2 spurt gave them a 74-69 advantage with 3:05 remaining. Northwestern rallied to get the game winner and CU was called for a charging foul with 1.4 seconds left to end it. Smart, who grabbed 11 rebounds to account for a double-double, was the only Lady Jacket to score in double figures breaking the old tournament single-game record of 43 points and eclipsing her own school mark of 44. She also tied tournament and school records with 17 field goals made. Senior center Emily Delimpo wrapped up her career 10th on Cedarville's all-time scoring list with 1,556 points and 2nd in rebounding with 1,074 boards. The Lady Jackets posted a 130-12 record in her four years with four American Mideast Conference championships and four NAIA appearances including a pair of national runner-up finishes. [STATS]
March 10, Bryan (15th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament)
Brittany Smart tallied 24 points with a career-high 15 rebounds to lead the top-seeded Lady Jackets to an 86-56 victory over Bryan in the second round of the 15th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament. Cedarville, 29-3 with its 19th win in a row, advances to the Elite Eight for the third straight year to face either Indiana Wesleyan or Northwestern IA on Saturday at 3 p.m. (Central). Smart's three-pointer just before the halftime buzzer created a 43-29 advantage. CU limited the Lions to 21 percent shooting in the second half as the lead swelled to as much as 32. Bryan, who finishes 26-8, shot just 31 percent for the contest. Smart was the only Lady Jacket to score in double figures as all 13 Cedarville players saw action and 12 scored. The only blemish to the 5-9 junior's day was that her school-record streak of consecutive free throws made ended at 41. Crystal Wiley came off the bench with nine points and six rebounds. Karah Walton netted eight points while Emily Delimpo added six points with 11 rebounds. The Jackets controlled the boards by a convincing 59-37 margin. [STATS]
March 8, Maine-Fort Kent (15th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament)
No. 1 seed Cedarville scored the first 15 points of the game and coasted to an 83-39 victory over Maine-Fort Kent in the opening round of the 15th Annual NAIA Division II National Tournament. The Lady Jackets, 28-3 and winners of 18 consecutive games, will face Bryan (Tenn.), a 73-68 winner over Bethel (Tenn.), at noon (Central) in Friday's second round. Cedarville shot 56 percent from the field in the first half in rolling out to a 50-20 bulge by the intermission. Head coach Kirk Martin substituted freely in the second period when the Jackets outscored the Bengals, 33-19. All 13 Lady Jackets played and 11 scored. Karah Walton made every shot she attempted in leading the way with 15 points. She was 5-for-5 from the field with a pair of three-pointers and she converted both of her free throws. Emily Delimpo netted 11 points while Brittany Smart added 10 points and four assists. The starters played an average of 22 minutes in the contest. Maine-Fort Kent, who had it's 15-game winning streak snapped to end the season 19-10, shot just 27 percent from the field. [STATS]
Feb. 25, NOTRE DAME Ohio (AMC Championship Game)
Brittany Smart scored 26 points to lead the NAIA Division II No. 1 Lady Jackets to their fourth consecutive AMC championship with an 85-56 win over No. 21 Notre Dame in the Callan Athletic Center. Cedarville, 27-3 and winners of 17 straight games, has captured all four AMC championship games ever played. Smart, who scored 22 of her points in the first half, broke a 19-19 tie with a jumper that started a 12-0 run by CU. The Jackets forged a 43-32 halftime lead and then immediately pulled away in the second period after a 14-2 spurt. The difference swelled to as much as 77-45 with 4:10 left as all 14 Cedarville players in uniform saw action and 12 of them scored. Senior center Emily Delimpo, who helped CU to a 54-2 home record during her four-year career, finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds in her final appearance on campus. Stacie Travis netted 10 points to go along with a team-high four assists. The AMC North Division champion Falcons head to the NAIA Division II National Tournament with a 25-6 record. [STATS]
Feb. 18, MALONE
Brittany Smart led five players in double figures with 18 points to guide NAIA Division II No. 1 Cedarville to its third straight AMC South Division unbeaten season with an 85-61 win versus Malone. The contest drew a season-high 2,006 fans to the Callan Athletic Center where the Lady Jackets will host North Division champion Notre Dame (Ohio) on Saturday in the AMC Championship Game. Cedarville used one of its patented runs to score 13 unanswered points midway through the first half to take control en route to a 48-35 halftime lead. The Jackets, 26-3 overall and 18-0 AMC, pushed the bulge to as much as 30 in the second period against the Pioneers, 11-16 and 8-10 AMC. It was their 69th consecutive regular season conference victory dating back to Dec. 7, 2002. Smart made all seven of her free throws to extend her school-record streak of 39 charity tosses in a row. Kristi Beougher came off the bench to score 14 points, Karah Walton tallied 13 points with nine assists, Emily Delimpo had 12 points in her final regular season home game, and Stacie Travis chipped in 11. Delimpo, the only four-year player on the team, completed her AMC career with a 71-1 league record. [STATS]
Feb. 14, at Tiffin
Brittany Smart poured in 39 points and the NAIA Division II No. 1 Lady Jackets won for the 15th straight time with an 84-72 decision at Tiffin in AMC South Division action. Cedarville, 25-3 overall and 17-0 AMC, completed its conference road schedule with a 9-0 mark for the fourth straight year in running their AMC road winning streak to 40 in a row. Ending Tiffin's four-game unbeaten string did not come easy for the Lady Jackets. Smart wrapped up the first half with four consecutive free throws for a 42-38 lead. The Dragons, 13-13 and 10-7 AMC, were as close as four points in the second period and it was still 70-65 with 5:50 left. However, Cedarville threw together a 14-2 run to open up a 17-point lead to take command. Smart was 14-of-21 from the field, including a trio of three-pointers, and she converted all eight of her free throws. Emily Delimpo scored 13 points with a team-high eight rebounds, Karah Walton recorded 12 points to go along with a team-high six assists, and Stacie Travis chipped in 10 points. [STATS]
Feb. 11, at Walsh
Brittany Smart and Karah Walton combined for 47 points to lead NAIA Division II No. 1 Cedarville to a convincing 96-71 win at Walsh to remain unbeaten in the American Mideast Conference South Division. The Lady Jackets, winners of 14 straight, upped their record to 24-3 overall and 16-0 AMC against a Cavalier club they escaped by a 76-75 score in the Callan Athletic Center three weeks earlier. This time, Cedarville scored the final seven points of the first half for a 42-35 edge before taking over with a 54-point explosion over the final 20 minutes. A run of 16 unanswered points in a four-minute span blew the margin out to 89-59 with 4:40 left. Smart totaled 25 points to go along with a game-high 12 rebounds and six assists to pace four players in double figures. Walton nailed five three-pointers and scored 22 points while becoming the 15th player in school history to surpass 1,000 career points. She also posted game-highs of seven assists, four steals, and two blocks. Stacie Travis netted 14 points and Kristi Beougher added 13. Walsh drops to 12-12 and 8-7 AMC. [STATS]
Feb. 7, URBANA
Karah Walton fired in 23 points and the NAIA Division II No. 1 Lady Jackets clinched their fourth straight American Mideast Conference South Division title with an 89-57 victory over Urbana. Cedarville, 23-3 overall and 15-0 AMC, ran its winning streak to 13 straight and earned an automatic berth to the NAIA National Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa on March 8-14. The Jackets rained in a school-record 15 three-point baskets one of which came from Walton at the halftime buzzer for a 43-25 lead. The 5-11 junior point guard buried her fifth and final trey with 10 minutes left for a 35-point bulge. Senior center Emily Delimpo, who had missed the previous eight games due to a knee injury suffered at Urbana four weeks earlier, returned to the starting line-up and produced 15 points. Brittany Smart totaled 13 points and 13 rebounds while Stacie Travis added 11 points. Six different Lady Jackets converted shots outside the arc as they topped the previous school record of 13 three-pointers made. The Blue Knights dropped to 5-19 and 0-14 AMC. [STATS]
Feb. 4, at Ohio Dominican
The NAIA Division II No. 1 Lady Jackets raced to an early lead and coasted to an 87-62 American Mideast Conference South Division win at Ohio Dominican. Cedarville, 22-3 overall and 14-0 AMC, extended their winning streak to 12. This contest was vastly diffferent from the first meeting between the two schools in the Callan Athletic Center on Jan. 14. In that game, ODU put 55 points on the board in the first half alone, led by as much as 12, and had the Jackets tied with four minutes left before losing, 101-87. This time, Cedarville clamped down defensively and outscored the Panthers 21-2 in the final 8:05 of the first half for a 42-19 lead. The Jackets built the margin to 30 points in the first five minutes of the second half and it was a 34-point difference with 10 minutes left. Brittany Smart fired in 24 points to lead 12 Lady Jackets in the scoring column. Karah Walton had 11 points and seven assists while Kristi Beougher tallied 10 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Ohio Dominican drops to 15-10 overall and 7-7 AMC. [STATS]
Jan. 31, at Wilberforce
The NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets placed four players in double figures and rolled to a 78-58 AMC South Division victory at Wilberforce. It was the 11th consecutive victory for Cedarville, 21-3 overall and 13-0 AMC. The Jackets uncharacteristically missed their first 10 shots and made just one of their first 14 to trail 14-8 midway through the opening half. A run of 12 unanswered points gave them the lead for good and a quick start to the final period pushed the difference to 45-35. Cedarville opened up as much as a 22-point advantage thanks in part to 52 percent shooting from the field in the final 20 minutes and a 14-for-16 showing at the charity stripe. Brittany Smart tallied 25 points to lead the offense. Emily Noble came off the bench with a career-high 14 points, Kristi Beougher had 13, and Stacie Travis chipped in 12. Karah Walton handed out 10 assists and Crystal Wiley pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds. The Jackets, who controlled the boards 48-34, held the AMC's top offensive rebounding team without an offensive board in the first half. The Bulldogs drop to 7-14 and 5-8 AMC. [STATS]
Jan. 28, MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE
Brittany Smart fired in a school-record 44 points, including the 2,000th of her career, to lead the NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets to an 88-79 AMC South Division victory over Mount Vernon Nazarene. The 5-foot-9 junior, who stands in fourth place on the school's all-time scoring list with 2,018 points, is the fastest Cedarville player, men or women, to reach the scoring milestone. The Lady Jackets, winners of 10 straight to improve to 20-3 overall and 12-0 AMC, also got a career-high 26 points from Karah Walton. The 5-11 junior point guard handed out seven assists and came away with three steals. Smart, who had tallied a then school-record 43 points two weeks earlier against Ohio Dominican, made all 11 of her free throws in what was her third 40-point contest of the year. Cedarville had rolled to a 31-point win at MVNU on Jan. 7, but it was an uphill battle this time. The Cougars, 12-10 and 4-8 AMC, opened up a 12-point bulge with five minutes left in the first half and held a 43-40 edge at the break. CU did not grab its first lead until 8:50 remaining which came in the midst of a 16-2 spurt giving the hosts a 73-63 advantage at the 6:30 mark. Mount Vernon closed to within five points, but the Jackets hit 9-of-10 free throws in the final three minutes to clinch the win. [STATS]
Jan. 24, at Shawnee State
Brittany Smart poured in 33 points and NAIA Division II No. 3 Cedarville knocked off AMC South Division foe and No. 7 Shawnee State for the eighth straight time, 75-69. It was the ninth victory in a row for the Lady Jackets, their 62nd straight overall in the AMC, and their 36th consecutive league road win. CU, 19-3 overall and 11-0 AMC, figured they would have their hands full against a Bears' program seeking it's first win over the Jackets in five years. The contest was close throughout with the game tied ten times the last of which was 62-62 with 4:20 to go. Two free throws by Stacie Travis at the 3:50 mark started a 9-3 spurt by Cedarville and the visitors sealed the outcome with four straight free throws in the final 30 seconds to stun Shawnee, 17-5 and 7-4 AMC. Smart buried 13-of-24 shots from the field, hit four three-pointers, and was 3-for-3 at the stripe to go along with eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a blocked shot. Travis hit a trio of three-pointers and scored 13 points while Karah Walton played her way through illness to add 10 points. Mary Stockdale pulled down eight rebounds while Crystal Wiley came off the bench with seven points and six boards. The Jackets played their fifth straight game without senior center Emily Delimpo, who remains on the sideline rehabilitating a knee injury. [STATS]
Jan. 21, WALSH
Kristi Beougher scored a career-high 23 points and NAIA Division II No. 3 Cedarville rallied for a 76-75 victory over Walsh to remain unbeaten in the American Mideast Conference South Division. The Lady Jackets, 18-3 overall and 10-0 AMC, opened up a three-game lead with eight to play in the division after posting their eighth consecutive win. Crystal Wiley's layup with 15 seconds left off a pass from Karah Walton was the game winner and finished off an 18-7 run in the final 7:05 of the contest. The Cavaliers, 9-9 and 5-4 AMC, threw the ball out of bounds with 1.7 seconds left and CU was able to run out the clock. Walsh trailed 53-42 with 15:40 left before exploding on a 26-5 spurt, which included a string of 13 unanswered points, for a 68-58 lead. That's when the Jackets started their comeback and they held the visitors without a field goal in the last five minutes. Cedarville went 8-for-8 from the charity stripe down the stretch to stay close. Beougher made 9-of-13 field goals and was one of four Lady Jackets to grab eight rebounds. Brittany Smart nailed 5-of-8 three-pointers and netted 22 points. Walton finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and three steals; Mary Stockdale pulled down eight rebounds, and Wiley also had eight boards to go along with six points. [STATS]
Jan. 17, TIFFIN
Thanks to Brittany Smart's 34 points, the NAIA Division II No. 3 Lady Jackets fought off Tiffin, 59-51, in an American Mideast Conference South Division game. Cedarville, 17-3 overall and 9-0 AMC, needed a 10-2 run to finish the game for their seventh straight win and make Kirk Martin the school's all-time winningest coach in women's basketball. The Jackets entered the game ranked third in the country in scoring offense at 86.1 points per game and were coming off of a season-high 101 point effort established just three nights earlier. Their fast break offense hit the wall with their fourth game in eight days. Even though the hosts never trailed over the final 35 minutes of the game, they let a 12-point advantage slip to a 49-49 tie with less than three minutes left. A Stacie Travis jumper in the lane at the 2:35 mark started a seven-point spurt to give CU the lead for good en route to their 60th AMC victory in a row. Smart, who is averaging 36 points per game over her last three outings, was the only Lady Jacket to reach double figures. She added eight rebounds, six steals, four assists, and two blocked shots. Kristi Beougher pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds. Martin, in his fifth season at his alma mater, improved his record to 141-21 to surpass the 140 victories that Kathy Freese notched from 1991 to 2001. The Dragons, 7-11 and 4-5 AMC, stayed in the game despite shooting just 29 percent from the field overall and making 6-of-26 three-pointers for 23 percent. [STATS and PHOTO GALLERY]
Jan. 14, OHIO DOMINICAN
Brittany Smart poured in a school-record 43 points and NAIA Division II No. 3 Cedarville outlasted hot-shooting Ohio Dominican, 101-87, in an American Mideast Conference South Division game. Smart, who scored 40 points earlier this season at Master's, broke the previous single-game school mark of 41 points that she shared with two other players. The visiting Panthers, now 12-7 overall and 4-4 AMC despite playing their 17th road game of the season, came out smoking from the field and opened up a 12-point lead late in the first half. Cedarville, 16-3 and 8-0 AMC, crawled back to within 55-49 by halftime and then needed just 2:15 of the second half to regain the lead. The Jackets pushed the difference to eight points before ODU tied the contest at 87-87 on their 10th and final three-pointer with 4:20 left. Cedarville finished the game with a 14-0 run to win for the sixth straight time. Smart played all 40 minutes and scored 27 of her 43 points in the second half. The output tied the third-highest total ever recorded in an AMC game. Kristi Beougher produced her second consecutive double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Karah Walton came through with 16 points and nine assists. CU made 21-of-23 free throws for 91 percent. [STATS and PHOTO GALLERY]
Jan. 12, at Rio Grande
Brittany Smart poured in 31 points and the NAIA Division II No. 3 Lady Jackets used a strong second half to beat Rio Grande, 92-76, to stay unbeaten in the American Mideast Conference South Division. The win was especially noteworthy for Cedarville, 15-3 overall and 7-0 AMC, in that they were without the services of starting center Emily Delimpo, who sat the game out with a knee injury. The Jackets rallied from a seven-point deficit in a high-scoring first half to forge a 45-45 deadlock at the intermission. A nine-point run early in the second period gave Cedarville the lead for good, 59-51, with 16:30 to play. The Redwomen, 8-9 and 3-4 AMC, got as close as 70-65 at the 9:15 mark. Stacie Travis buried two three-pointers in the final three-minutes to help keep Rio at bay. All five starters scored in double figures with Smart leading the offense again. The 5-foot-9 junior hit 9-of-14 field goals, including 4-of-7 three-pointers, knocked down 9-of-10 free throws, grabbed six rebounds and handed out five assists. Kristi Beougher scored 15 points to go along with a game-high 12 boards. Travis finished with 12 points, Mary Stockdale filled in nicely for Delimpo with career-highs of 12 points and nine rebounds, and Karah Walton chipped in 10 points. [STATS]
Jan. 10, at Urbana
NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville nearly squandered a large lead and then hung on to edge upset-minded Urbana, 66-61, in AMC South Division action. It was the fourth straight victory for the Lady Jackets, 14-3 overall and 6-0 AMC. Cedarville finished the first half with a 24-9 run for a 39-24 halftime lead. The Jackets blew the difference out to 21 points in the second period and still held a seemingly comfortable 55-36 bulge with 10 minutes left. The Blue Knights, 4-11 overall and 0-6 AMC, charged back to within two with 39 seconds left. Brittany Smart, who finished with a double-double of 19 points and 14 rebounds, produced a three-point play with 11 seconds to go to seal the outcome. Karah Walton scored 14 points, Emily Delimpo totaled 13 points and 11 boards, and Kristi Beougher netted 10 points. The Jackets came into the contest leading the 20-team AMC in both field goal percentage and three-point accuracy, but the visitors won despite suffering through 27 percent shooting overall and a 4-for-23 effort outside the arc for 17 percent. A 56-43 rebounding margin and six fewer turnovers than Urbana helped offset the poor shooting. [STATS]
Jan. 7, at Mount Vernon Nazarene
NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville used big runs in each half and Emily Delimpo reached a rebounding milestone in a 93-62 victory at Mount Vernon Nazarene in AMC South Division action. It was the Lady Jackets' 56th conference victory in a row and their 33rd straight league win on the road. The Cougars, who entered the game averaging an AMC-leading 88.1 points per game, kept pace early and held a 21-19 edge at the 13:30 mark. The Jackets, 13-3 overall and 5-0 AMC, erupted on a 23-2 spurt over the next 6:30 for a 42-23 lead. The difference was 19 points at halftime and even though MVNU, 10-5 and 2-3 AMC, snuck back to within 54-41 early in the final period, a streak of 19 unanswered Cedarville points secured the outcome. Brittany Smart tallied a game-high 25 points, Karah Walton scored 18 along with seven assists, and Emily Delimpo added 14 points. Delimpo also became just the third player in Lady Jacket basketball history to surpass 1,000 career rebounds. The six-foot senior now has 1,004 to join an elite group that consists of all-time leader Kirsten Rossotti (1,159) and Amy Zehr (1,049). [STATS]
Jan. 3, WILBERFORCE
Brittany Smart tallied a double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds as the NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets remained unbeaten in the American Mideast Conference South Division with a 92-76 win against Wilberforce. Smart and Emily Delimpo, who netted 21 points in the game, fueled a 13-point run late in the first half for a 45-28 bulge at the intermission. Cedarville, 12-3 overall and 4-0 AMC, could not put the Bulldogs away as they scrapped to as close as 10 points with 13:00 remaining. The Jackets were able to keep the visitors in check by shooting 58 percent from the field for the contest. Karah Walton scored 16 points and Stacie Travis chipped in 10. Smart scored 23 of her points in the first half and moved into fourth place on CU's all-time scoring list with 1,767 points. She also handed out a game-high eight assists. Delimpo grabbed eight rebounds and is one rebound shy from becoming the third player in Lady Jacket basketball history to reach 1,000 for a career. Wilberforce falls to 3-9 and 1-3 AMC with the setback. [STATS and PHOTO GALLERY]
Dec. 30, Fresno Pacific (Master's Challenge)
Tournament MVP Brittany Smart scored 23 points and the NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets used a big second half to defeat Fresno Pacific, 73-61, to wrap up play at The Master's Challenge. Cedarville, 11-3 overall, suffered through a 7-for-27 performance from the field in the first half and trailed by as much as 14 points before entering halftime facing a 29-21 deficit - a season low for points scored in a half. Stacie Travis, who drilled five three-pointers in the game, hit back-to-back treys to open the second period to get CU right back in it. Emily Delimpo's jumper at the 14:15 mark gave the Jackets the lead for good and they built the margin to as much as 17 points against the NAIA Division I Sunbirds, who drop to 4-7. Smart netted 16 of her 23 points in the decisive second half. Travis finished with 17 points while Delimpo totaled 16 points and nine rebounds. Smart set tournament records for most points scored in a game with 40 in the first contest against host Master's. She also set two-game records for most points scored (63) and most field goals made (22). [STATS]
Dec. 29, at Master's (Master's Challenge)
NAIA Division I No. 7 Master's got a three-point play with four seconds left for an 88-85 victory over NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville in the opening round of the Master's Challenge. The visiting Lady Jackets, 10-3 overall, rallied from a 12-point deficit to tie the game at 85-85 with 22 seconds left when Karah Walton converted two-of-three free throws. That set up the game winner for the Mustangs, now 7-2, and CU was unable to get off a shot before the final buzzer. Brittany Smart fired in a tournament record 40 points for the Lady Jackets which was one point shy of the single-game school record of which she is one of three players to hold the mark. Walton and Emily Delimpo had 12 points each and Kristi Beougher tallied 10. [STATS]
Dec. 17, at Central State
NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville scored the final five points of the game to edge NCAA Division II Central State, 74-69, in a non-conference battle of Greene County rivals. The outcome squares the season series at 15 wins apiece between the two schools which are located four miles from one another. The Lady Jackets, 10-2 overall, opened up a 12-point lead in the first half despite playing without the services of starting point guard Karah Walton, who sat out to rest her knee that was injured a week earlier versus Shawnee State. After a 32-25 halftime advantage, CU built the difference to 12 once again before the Lady Marauders, 4-6, rallied for a tight finish. A Kristi Beougher layup off of a fast break gave the Jackets the lead for good, 71-69, with 1:15 left. Brittany Smart's 15-foot jumper with 23 seconds to go provided a four-point cushion. Smart finished with a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds to go along with eight assists. Emily Delimpo tossed in 17 points and Stacie Travis added 15. Crystal Wiley stepped into the starting line-up and responded with nine points and 10 boards. [STATS]
Dec. 10, SHAWNEE STATE
Brittany Smart scored 27 points and Emily Delimpo hit two free throws with eight seconds remaining to lift the NAIA Division II No. 3 Lady Jackets over No. 6 Shawnee State, 73-69, in an AMC South Division battle. The win was the 54th regular season conference victory in a row for Cedarville, 9-2 overall and 3-0 AMC. Smart and Delimpo scored 36 of the team's 44 points in the second half to pull out the win. This came after the hosts clawed back from poor shooting and a 12-point deficit in the first half to tie the contest at 29-all by the intermission. The Jackets scored the final seven points of the first half and the first seven of the second for a 36-29 margin. The lead grew to 49-37 at the 13:55 mark, but the Bears, 9-2 and 2-1 AMC, got as close as one point twice in the final three minutes. Delimpo converted four free throws and Smart his two more in the final 32 seconds to preserve the win. Smart netted 22 of her 27 points in the second period and 14 of Delimpo's 16 also came in the last 20 minutes. Shawnee State scored four more field goals in the game, but Cedarville had an 18-6 advantage at the charity stripe. [STATS]
Dec. 3, Lindsey Wilson (Georgetown Classic)
Brittany Smart fired in 25 points to lead NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville to an 84-69 victory over Lindsey Wilson at the Georgetown Classic. The Lady Jackets, 8-2, inched out to a 42-38 halftime lead before shooting 57 percent from the field in the second half to pull away. CU made 17-of-30 shots after the intermission including a 5-for-7 showing outside the arc. The Blue Raiders, 4-4, converted just 32 percent of their attempts from the field over the final 20 minutes. Emily Delimpo scored 16 points and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds. Stacie Travis buried three treys en route to 15 points and Karah Walton added 14. Smart was 3-for-4 on three-pointers to go along with team-highs of six assists and four steals. [STATS]
Dec. 2, at Georgetown (Georgetown Classic)
NAIA Division I No. 8 Georgetown erased a 16-point halftime deficit and outgunned the Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets 97-93 at the Georgetown Classic. The Tigers, 5-2 overall, finished the game with a 12-3 run to end Cedarville's six-game winning streak. The Jackets, 7-2 came out with a lethal long-range attack and nailed 10-of-13 three-pointers in the first half for a 59-43 lead at the break. The Tigers defensive pressure limited Cedarville to 29-percent shooting in the second half on 11-of-38 accuracy including a 1-for-10 effort outside the arc. Despite the shooting woes coming down the stretch, CU still held a 90-85 advantage before Georgetown rallied to win. Brittany Smart produced game-highs of 35 points and seven assists to lead all five Lady Jacket starters in double figures. Kristi Beougher and Stacie Travis scored 17 points apiece, Emily Delimpo netted 12, and Karah Walton chipped in 10. [STATS]
Nov. 29, RIO GRANDE
Brittany Smart tallied 27 points and 10 rebounds as NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville pulled away late for an 89-71 victory over Rio Grande in AMC South Division action. It's the sixth consecutive victory for the Lady Jackets, 7-1 overall and 2-0 AMC. CU labored throughout the first half and broke a 35-35 tie with 1:25 remaining to take the lead for good en route to a slim 40-37 halftime advantage. The Redwomen, 5-2 and 1-1 AMC, drew to within 66-60 at the 6:25 mark, but a 10-2 Lady Jacket spurt put the contest out of reach. The final score was the biggest difference the entire game. Karah Walton finished with 13 points and seven assists; Kristi Beougher produced 12 points, eight boards, and four assists; and Emily Delimpo registered a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds. The Jackets made 17-of-28 shots for 61 percent in the second half and controlled the boards by a commanding 49-29 margin. [STATS]
Nov. 22, at Malone
The NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets needed six straight free throws in the final 45 seconds to hold off upset-minded Malone, 93-89, in a shootout to open the AMC South Division schedule. Three-time defending champion Cedarville has run off 52 consecutive regular season conference victories and 32 straight AMC road wins, but this one was a test right up until the final buzzer. The Pioneers, 1-4 and 0-1 AMC, jumped out to a 10-point first-half lead and the Jackets turned it around to a 10-point advantage before assuming a 54-48 margin at the intermission. CU could never get the second-half lead into double digits. Brittany Smart hit four free throws in the final minute. After Malone got to within two points with 1.9 seconds left, Karah Walton iced the outcome with two free throws. Smart finished with a game-high 34 points including a 12-for-15 showing at the charity stripe. Walton scored 23 of her career-high 25 points in the first half when she nailed all five of her three-point shots. Stacie Travis was 3-for-3 beyond the arc and finished with 13 points. Emily Delimpo had a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds. The Jackets, 6-1 overall, shot an impressive 51 percent from the field, drilled 10-of-15 three pointers, and converted 17-of-21 free throws, but Malone stayed close by virtue of a 44-31 rebounding advantage. [STATS]
Nov. 18, at DAEMEN
Brittany Smart scored 22 points to pace four players in double figures as the NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets blew out No. 18 Daemen, 88-58. It was the fourth win in a row for Cedarville, 5-1 overall. Smart scored 17 of her points in the first half when the Jackets opened up as much as a 17-point lead before settling for a 48-35 halftime spread. The Wildcats, 2-3 with their third straight setback, hung around to within 55-47 with 15:00 to play. Then Cedarville went off on a 22-2 run over the next 8:30 to lead by 30 points. Karah Walton totaled 17 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and four steals. Emily Delimpo scored 14 points with eight rebounds while Kristi Beougher netted 14 points with six boards. Smart pulled down six rebounds and handed out a game-high nine assists. [STATS]
Nov. 15, at Taylor
Brittany Smart scored 25 points and Karah Walton added a career-high 23 to lead the NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets to a 97-77 non-conference victory at No. 24 Taylor. It was the third straight win for Cedarville in a game that featured a 20-minute tornado warning delay just four minutes after the opening tap. CU, 4-1 overall, shrugged off the interruption by racing to a 55-32 halftime lead. The margin swelled to as much as 29 points in the second period, but the Trojans, 1-3, clawed back to within 14 before the Jackets regained control. Smart, who is shooting 67 percent from the field through the first five games this season, made 11-of-15 shots and grabbed nine rebounds. Walton hit 9-of-12 from the floor, converted all four of her free throws, handed out five assists, and came away with five steals. Emily Delimpo produced a double-double of 14 points and 10 boards while Kristi Beougher chipped in 10 points. [STATS]
Nov. 12, at Huntington (Huntington Classic)
Tournament MVP Brittany Smart scored 18 points and NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville capped off the Huntington Classic with an 83-61 victory over the host Foresters. It's the third straight year that the Lady Jackets have won the event with Smart being named MVP each time. CU bolted to a 49-27 halftime lead thanks to 58 percent shooting from the field. The Jackets shot 52 percent for the field for the game, converted 21-of-24 free throws, and controlled the boards 48-23. Smart grabbed eight rebounds, handed out six assists, and came away with two steals. The other four starters joined the 5-foot-9 junior in double figures in the scoring column. Stacie Travis, who netted a career-high 17 points the night before, scored 17 again while Kristi Beougher contributed 16 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Karah Walton had 11 points and Emily Delimpo chipped in 10. Travis and Delimpo also earned spots on the six-player all-tournament team. [STATS]
Nov. 11, Trinity Christian (Huntington Classic)
The NAIA Division II No. 2 Lady Jackets never trailed in cruising to a 92-68 victory over Trinity Christian in the Huntington Classic. All 11 players in a CU uniform played and 10 scored. Cedarville shot 57.5 percent from the field in the first half en route to a 55-32 lead at the intermission. The margin grew to as much as 37 points in the second half. Emily Delimpo scored 23 points to lead four players in double figures. Stacie Travis hit four treys and had a career-high 17 points. Brittany Smart and Karah Walton netted 11 points each. Smart also matched the school record of 12 assists. [STATS]
Nov. 5, INDIANA WESLEYAN
NAIA Division II No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan held on to edge No. 2 Cedarville, 71-68, and end the Lady Jackets' 39-game homecourt winning streak. CU had not lost a game in the Callan Athletic Center since a 78-71 setback to American Mideast Conference foe Ohio Dominican on Dec. 7, 2002. A 14-point run by the Wildcats late in the first half gave them a lead that they would never relinquish. IWU turned around a 22-18 deficit at the 7:20 mark by holding the Jackets scoreless over the next six minutes for a 32-22 lead. The difference was 38-28 at the intermission. The bulge grew to as much as 12 points on three occasions in the second half, the last of which was 59-47 with 9:02 left. Cedarville charged back to within 69-68 on a Brittany Smart three-pointer with six seconds to go. IWU hit two free throws before Smart's trey at the buzzer bounced off the rim. Smart finished with a game-high 31 points to go with seven rebounds, five assists, and four steals. She earned a spot on the all-tournament team along with Karah Walton, who totaled 11 points and nine rebounds. [STATS] Madonna won the other game in the Cedarville Classic by outscoring Spring Arbor, 73-53. [Madonna-Spring Arbor STATS]
Nov. 4, SPRING ARBOR
NAIA Division II No. 2 Cedarville raced to a 33-point halftime lead and coasted to a 99-51 victory over Spring Arbor to open the 2005-06 season before 1,015 in the Callan Athletic Center. All five starters hit double figures and all 11 players in uniform scored for the Lady Jackets. NAIA All-American Brittany Smart resumed her assault on the record books with 25 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. She made four-of-five three-point shots. Emily Delimpo netted 16 points with nine rebounds while Stacie Travis converted all three of her three-point attempts en route to a career-high 13 points. Karah Walton tallied 12 points with seven assists and Kristi Beougher chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds. The Jackets made 57 percent of their shots for the game including a 67-percent showing in the first half which produced a 57-24 lead at the intermission. They made 8-of-14 threes, 13-of-14 free throws, and controlled the boards, 50-36. [STATS] No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan stifled Madonna, 55-45, in the first game of the Cedarville Classic. [IWU-Madonna STATS]
