APPLETON, Wis. -- The Lawrence University women's basketball team pulled away in the first half Tuesday and rolled to a 71-41 Midwest Conference victory over Lake Forest College at Alexander Gymnasium.
    Maggie Culver poured in a game-high 21 points for the Vikings as she went 8-for-13 from the floor, including 2-for-3 from 3-point range. Culver added six rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block. 
    Mallory Meyer added 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals for Lawrence (13-10, 7-7 MWC). Libby Crandall had eight points and seven rebounds, and Charlotte Brennan and Emma Carlson had six points apiece as 12 players broke into the scoring column for Lawrence.
    This marks the biggest victory for the Vikings in the series with Lake Forest that dates back to the 1975-76 season. Lawrence's 30-point victory eclipses the 28-point margin in a 74-46 win in the 1994-95 season.
    Lawrence, which has won four of the last six against Lake Forest, held the Foresters to just 26.7 percent shooting (12-45) from the floor for the game and forced 17 turnovers. 
    The Vikings went on a 7-0 run, sparked by a Crandall 3-pointer, to grab a 15-5 lead with 1:53 left in the opening quarter. Lawrence led by eight heading to the second and steadily built the advantage. A layup and 3-pointer by Culver, followed by a Carlson jumper, gave Lawrence a 42-23 lead at the half.
    Karly Beck buried a 3-pointer with three minutes left in the third to give Lawrence a 51-28 lead, and Meyer hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds of the third for the biggest lead of the game at 55-31. 
    Lake Forest cut the margin back to 57-37, but that's as close as the Foresters would get. Lawrence's subs played the final four minutes, and they pushed the final margin to 30 points.
    The win also keeps Lawrence's hopes alive for a berth in the Midwest Conference Tournament. Lawrence is now in fifth place, just a half-game out of fourth with two games remaining. 
    Melissa Gomez led Lake Forest (6-16, 4-9) with 11 points.