When a team is quite efficient offensively for 31 minutes, it can be forgiven for nine minutes that are, let’s say, not so good. And it helps that when the offense goes south, the defense does not.

That was the case for the Carthage women’s basketball team in its 80-35 drubbing of Augustana on Saturday in a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin game at Tarble Arena.

The Reds (8-2 CCIW, 18-3 overall) won their seventh and a row and did nothing to hurt their No. 14 ranking in the NCAA Division III polls. It was their biggest margin of victory since an 89-43 rout of visiting North Park on Jan. 17, 2009, and the fewest points allowed since a 53-34 victory over Central (Iowa) on Dec. 29, 2005, at the California Lutheran tournament in Thousand Oak, Calif.

Carthage went 1-for-11 the final nine minutes of the first half but still led 28-14 at the break.

Carthage made its first five field goal attempts and shot a scorching 18 of 21 (.857) in the second half. Take away the 1 of 11 and the Reds were 27 of 38 (.711).

“The second half was really fun, offensively,” Carthage coach Tim Bernero said. “It was like tic-tac-toe in hockey. The ball was going where it was supposed to.”

Dani Ripkey (15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from 3-point range) had three teammates join her with 10 or more points: sophomore forward Diana Jacklin (14), freshman forward Cailee Corcoran (13) and senior guard Heather Gilmore (10).

Carthage had 22 assists on its 28 field goals, with junior guard Taylor Tondelli, Gilmore and Drewann Pancratz getting four each.

“Basically, I think this was a really good team effort,” Ripkey said. “I think we all did our part. We all got the best shot we could.”