Taylor scores 18 to lead No. 16 Vanderbilt over Arkansas 89-72

No. 16 Vanderbilt 89, Arkansas 72

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Jeffrey Taylor scored 18 points and A.J. Ogilvy added 14 to lead No. 16 Vanderbilt to an 89-72 win over Arkansas on Saturday.

Vanderbilt (22-6, 11-3 Southeastern Conference) moved within one game of first-place Kentucky in the SEC Eastern Division. No. 2 Kentucky was upset by No. 19 Tennessee on Saturday.

Five players scored in double figures for the Commodores, who shot 53.3 percent from the field. John Jenkins and Brad Tinsley each scored 13 points, while Darshawn McClellan had 11 for Vandy, which led 45-5 at the half.

Marshawn Powell led Arkansas (14-15, 7-7) with 27 points.

The Razorbacks have now lost four of their last four after a five-game winning streak had moved them into first place in the SEC Western Division. Powell kept Arkansas in the game with 21 first-half points.

Arkansas suffered its worst home loss since falling 73-51 to Auburn on Jan. 24, 2009. The Razorbacks missed 18 of their first 21 shots in the second half, and Vanderbilt increased its lead to 71-47 on Jenkins’ 10-foot jumper with 9:07 left.

Vanderbilt scored the game’s first six points as the Razorbacks committed turnovers on their first three possessions. Arkansas got within 18-13, but the Commodores responded with a 15-6 spurt to take their largest lead of the first half.

Taylor hit a 19-foot jumper and Jermaine Beal dropped in a 6-foot runner to put Vanderbilt up 33-19 with 7:06 left in the half. Consecutive baskets inside by Powell trimmed Vanderbilt’s lead to 43-35, but the 6-foot-7 freshman scored only six points the rest of the game.

Arkansas’ Mike Washington played Saturday despite a sprained right ankle. He hurt the ankle Tuesday in practice, missed the Razorbacks’ loss Wednesday at LSU and opened Saturday’s game on the bench.

Washington started the second half and finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Rotnei Clarke added 14 points for the Razorbacks.