KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jania Barker led the scoring for Tennessee with 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Talayshia Cooper contributed 17 points and four steals as the No. 22 Lady Vols dominated Missouri 98-53 on Thursday night.
Barker shot 9-of-16 from the floor and connected on 2-of-5 from three-point range for Tennessee (16-6, 8-2 SEC), who snapped a slump of losing three out of their previous four games.
For Missouri, Alyssa Latham tallied 15 points on an efficient 7-of-10 shooting, Nya Robertson added 14 points, and Deniya Prall achieved her first career double-double with 13 points and a career-best 10 rebounds.
The Lady Vols surged to a double-digit lead within the first eight minutes and extended their dominance with a 9-0 run in the second quarter, pushing the gap to 30 points. They held a commanding 53-22 advantage at halftime. In the first half, Barker scored 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, and Latham added 10. Tennessee shot an impressive 55% as a team while limiting Missouri to just 27%.
The Tigers (16-11, 4-8) were paced by Grace Slaughter’s 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting. Shannon Dewell also contributed 11 points, five rebounds, and two steals. Missouri declined to participate in a postseason tournament for the second year running, ending a streak of three consecutive appearances.
Looking ahead, Missouri will host Auburn on February 19, while Tennessee prepares to face No. 4 Texas at home this Sunday.
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Fan Take: This decisive win shows Tennessee’s potential to rise back into elite status after recent struggles, which is exciting for fans hoping to see a competitive SEC race. Such performances highlight the growing depth and talent in women’s college basketball, promising more thrilling matchups ahead.
