Missouri head coach Kellie Harper returned to Knoxville, Tennessee for the first time since her stint as the Lady Vols’ head coach. This showdown wasn’t the matchup she envisioned, as the Tigers fell 98-53.
The game was never really competitive as a 15-4 run helped Tennessee take a 29-13 lead at the end of the first quarter. This marked the largest loss for the Tigers under Harper and the first 40-plus point loss since Vanderbilt in March 2025.
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The team’s 53 points was the second-lowest mark this season as the offense was constantly frustrated by Tennessee’s length and their press. Mizzou was held to 29.6% from the field and 17.4% from three. The Tigers managed to find success at the line, finishing 17-21 at the charity stripe. Turnovers were another key issue as the Tigers finished with 21, leading to 27 Tennessee points.
The loss of Jordana Reisma continues to permeate this rotation as Mizzou’s smaller roster was consistently outgunned by the basket. Tennessee held the edge in paint points 54-24 and rebounds 49-30.
Grace Slaughter and Shannon Dowell did the most they could as the only Tigers in double-digits. Slaughter found her way to 20 points after shooting 6-13 from the field, 1-1 from three and 7-9 from the free-throw line.
Dowell finished the game with 11 after shooting 4-12 on field goals and a perfect 3-3 on free throws. Chloe Sotell scored nine points while making the team’s other three-pointers before fouling out on an offensive foul in the fourth quarter. Abbey Schreacke was the other Tiger to foul out, finishing the game 0-6 from the field in 27 minutes.
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This now marks back-to-back losses for Mizzou after a three-game winning streak. The Tigers look to get back in the win column against Auburn in what is statistically the easiest game remaining on their schedule. The game takes place at 6:30 p.m. next Thursday in Mizzou Arena. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+ which can be found through the ESPN app.
