Peoples Vaughn lead Arkansas rally past WKU 83-79

FAYETTEVILLE – Junior Kristin Peoples tied her career high with18 points and added six steals to lead the University of Arkansas Lady Razorback basketball team to an 83-79 come from behind win against Western Kentucky on Sunday afternoon at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville. The win improves the Lady Razorbacks to 4-1 on the season while Western Kentucky falls to 2-2. Trailing by as many as 15 points to WKU, Arkansas battled back in the closing minutes. Junior Rochelle Vaughn’s driving jumper in the last 30 seconds gave the Lady’Backs the lead for good. Her eight-foot jumper from the left side to put the Lady’Backs up by two with just 12 seconds to play. On the ensuing posession, Western Kentucky drove down the right side but gave up the ball forcing them to foul Peoples. Two free throws later and the Lady’Backs iced the contest 83-79. “What really clicked in the second half was going from man press to zone press,” Arkansas head coach Susie Gardner said. “Peoples picks were well timed and she played very smart basketball in the second half.” After shooting a dismal 25% in the first half, Arkansas came out guns blazing in the second, forcing two Western Kentucky turnovers on its first two posessions and converting layups in both instances to get within six. The Hilltoppers again increased their lead, but inspired play by Danielle Allen put the Lady’Backs down by just five with 14:03 to play. The ensuing Western Kentucky posession was stolen by Sheree Thompson and a feed to Rochelle Vaughn in the corner led to a three to bring Arkansas within two. Continuing to battle, Arkansas fell behind again by five, then took it down to just one on a steal and subsequent layup by Kristin Moore at the nine-minute mark. Taking it to one on three different occassions, Arkansas took its first lead of the contest at 7:16 when another Arkansas steal led to a layup and foul for Kristin Peoples giving the Lady’Backs a 67-65 lead. “Arkansas works extremely hard and we are getting better every year by playing them,” Western Kentucky head coach Mary Taylor-Cowles said. “You have to give Arkansas credit for their defensive intensity and pressure.” The Lady’Backs broke their three-game old school and Walton Arena records for steals with 29 against the Lady Toppers, besting 28 against Centenary on Nov. 21. For the third consecutive home game, Arkansas forced 40 turnovers from their opponent. With the advantage, Arkansas was able to keep the Hilltoppers at bay by forcing more turnovers and capitalizing on the visitor’s miscues. Arkansas’ lead grew to five, but Western Kentucky eventually tied the game at 79 before Vaughn’s game winner. A sloppy game at the outset, Arkansas missed its first seven shots before Ruby Vaden came off the bench to break the Lady Razorbacks scoreless streak with a tough layup at 16:18. “I felt in the first half that we had good looks at the basket,” Gardner said. “It was the confidence on defense that kept us in the game until halftime.” Kristin Moore had 17 points, eight rebounds and a career high eight steals for Arkansas. Vaughn had 16 points and five steals. Western had all five starters in double digits led by Porter-Talbert with 22 points. Leslie Logsdon had 14 followed by Cacie Pope and Krystal Kelly with 12 each. Tifany Zaragoza had 10. The Lady Razorbacks are back in action on Wednesday, Dec. 1 when they take on Indiana University at Bud Walton Arena at 7:00 p.m. For more information about Lady Razorback basketball or about Arkansas women’s athletics, please go to www.ladybacks.com.