SPOKANE, Wash. -- Whitworth University used a 19-4 run to open the second half to pull away for a 74-52 win over visiting Pacific University in a Northwest Conference women's basketball game on Friday night at the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

The Pirates won their third straight game and improved to 9-8 overall and 5-3 in the NWC. The Boxers fell to 5-11, 1-6.

The first half included six ties and nine lead changes as Whitworth and Pacific exchanged brief scoring bursts. Erica Schultz hit a lay up for a 28-25 lead for Pacific with 3:20 to play, but Lexi Belcher hit a three to tie the game for the final time. Kayla Johnson canned a jumper for a 39-33 Pirate advantage before Pacific's Kristen Corrales scored the final basket of the half.

Emily Travis, Lauren Picha and Taylor Taylor all drained three-pointers during the Pirates' run to start the second half. By the time Picha converted one of two free throws with 12:13 to play, Whitworth had taken a 58-39 lead. Kaley Adams' jumper with 4:30 left pulled the Boxers back to 64-50, but that is as close as Pacific would get in the final 12 minutes. The final margin was Whitworth's largest of the game.

Taylor scored 16 and Guthrie added 15 to lead the Pirates in scoring. Both also grabbed four rebounds. Belcher came off of the bench for 13 points, while Picha finished with 11 points and dished a game-high six assists.

Kandice McArthur led Pacific with 13 points, but only scored two after halftime. Schultz finished with 11 points while Paige Jensen led all players with eight rebounds.

As they have been often this season, the Pirates were strong from three-point range. Whitworth made 13 of 28 (46.4%) from beyond the arc. The Pirates also forced 29 Pacific turnovers, allowing Whitworth to take 19 more shots than the Boxers.

Pacific will head to Walla Walla to play Whitman on Saturday. Whitworth has the night off.