SPOKANE, Wash. -- Lauren Picha and Emily Guthrie combined for 32 points to lead Whitworth to a 65-58 win over visiting Linfield in a key Northwest Conference women's basketball game on Friday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The Pirates improved to 10-8 overall and 6-3 in the NWC with the victory, moving two games ahead of the Wildcats (9-8, 4-5) for fourth place in the NWC standings. The top four teams make the NWC post-season tournament.

Jenna Cacchillo hit back to back baskets to give Whitworth a 17-10 lead early in the opening half, but Linfield stormed back to tie the game 19-19 on a basket by Gretchen Owens. The teams would trade leads five times and share four ties before the first half was over. The Pirates took a 34-32 lead into the locker rooms.

Abby Olbrich drove for a lay up to give the Wildcats a 44-43 lead six minutes into the second half. But it was Linfield's last lead of the game as Guthrie answered with a three-pointer and Jamie Lyons scored on a fastbreak lay up to give the Bucs a 48-44 advantage. The Pirates took a 56-48 lead on a short jumper by Kayla Johnson with under nine minutes to play, but Linfield closed to within 58-55 after a three-pointer by Gretchen Owens from the corner with 5:50 to go. Whitworth won the game by outscoring the Wildcats 7-0 over the next three and a half minutes, with all seven scored by Picha and Guthrie.

Guthrie and Picha scored 16 points each and both made four three-pointers for the Pirates, who were 8-23 from beyond the arc. Lyons finished with 10 points, while Taylor (LaMoreaux) Taylor contributed eight points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Whitworth held a 38-30 advantage on the boards.

Owens, the NWC's leading scorer coming into the game, led all players with 26 points. Kaely Maltman added 15 points for the Wildcats and led her team with seven rebounds.

Whitworth will put its four-game winning streak on the line on Saturday night when the Pirates host first-place Lewis & Clark. Linfield travels to take on Whitman.