No. 15 Vanderbilt 86, W. Kentucky 78

11/16/2006 9:58 PM

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) -Caroline Williams scored nine points during a game-ending 17-2 run to help No. 15 Vanderbilt beat Western Kentucky 86-78 on Thursday night.

Williams opened the run with a 3-pointer, and Vanderbilt (2-0) took the lead for good at 78-77 on Christina Wirth's two free throws with 2:15 left in the game.

Western Kentucky (1-1) had a chance to get ahead again, but Kenzie Rich missed a layup with two minutes left and Williams hit two free throws to extend the margin to 80-77. Western Kentucky was unable to get any closer than two points after that.

The Commodores trailed by as many as 12 points in the first half but briefly wrestled away the lead 57-56 on a layup by Merideth Marsh with 11:57 remaining in the game.

Western answered with a layin from Dominique Duck and went on to lead 76-69 on a steal and layup by Duck with 4:07 left.

Williams led Vanderbilt with 21 points, while Carla Thomas added 18 and nine rebounds.

Duck scored 22 points to lead Western, while Crystal Kelly added 12, Charlotte Marshall had 11 and Cammie Campbell had 10.

The Commodores shot 56 percent, including 68 percent in the second half. Western matched Vanderbilt's hot shooting, hitting 52 percent, but committed 24 turnovers which led to 35 points for the Commodores.

The loss ended the Lady Toppers' 16-game home-court winning streak.