The DePauw women's basketball team kept pace with league-leading Trinity in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference race on Friday evening with a 63-55 win over visiting Southwestern University and they did so with a great performance from their guards.

Sophomore Lindsey Rush came off the bench to post career highs with 25 points and seven rebounds in just 24 minutes and starter Sarah MacKay chipped in 12 points in the win that lifted the Tigers to 16-5 overall and 11-3 in the SCAC. Southwestern fell to 7-12 overall and 4-8 in conference play.

A 12-0 first-half run lifted the Tigers from a 17-16 deficit to a 28-17 lead and the Old Gold never looked back. Southwestern closed the half with six straight points to close the gap to 28-23 at the break.

The Tigers still held a 30-25 advantage early in the second half before MacKay hit a basket and a three and Rush hit two threes and a basket to stake the Tigers to a 43-28 advantage with 13:47 left in the contest.

From there the Tigers kept the lead in double-digits for most of the half with a high of 17 points at 53-36. A late run by the Pirates closed the margin to eight at the buzzer.

"We played better in the second half in extending the lead, coach Kris Huffman said. "But we still need to come out stronger from the opening tip."

"We can't play the way we have and expect to compete with a team of the caliper of Trinity," Huffman said.

Amy Hasbrook also hauled down seven rebounds in the win including three off the offensive glass. Jamie Selip contributed to the effort with eight points on a perfect four-for-four evening from the floor along with four assists and six rebounds.

Heather Johnson led Southwestern with 15 points followed by Kathryn Murfee with 13.

DePauw's defense, which had held seven of its nine conference opponents to their season-low point totals, aided in the Pirates' 31 turnovers.

The Tigers host Trinity on Sunday at 2 p.m. and if they entertain any thoughts of defending their conference title, they need to beat the visiting Tigers.

"Trinity is playing extremely well at this point in the season and it will take our best effort on Sunday to knock them off."