The 20th-ranked Lady Vols defeated Missouri 78-73 on Thursday night in Colombia despite trailing by five going into the fourth quarter. Tennessee is now 14-6 on the season and 8-4 in conference play as it enters the regular season finale against Auburn on Sunday.
Tennessee (14-6, 8-4 SEC) was led by two 20-point scorers in senior forward Rennia Davis and junior guard Rae Burrell, who combined for 49 of the team’s 78 points. Davis scored a team-high 28 points, while Burrell dropped in 23 points, respectively. The duo were the only two players in double-figures.
The Lady Vols out-rebounded Missouri 46-25. They have now out-rebounded 19-of-20 opponents on the glass this season and have done so by an average of 45.9 rebounds to 32.8 rebounds. The only team they did not win the battle of the boards with was No. 2 South Carolina, as the two teams both grabbed 40 rebounds in Tennessee’s upset win.
Missouri (8-10, 4-9 SEC) was led by four players in double-figures. Haley Troup and Aijha Blackwell each scored 16 points to lead the team, while Shug Dickinson and Shannon Dufficy chipped in 10 points apiece, respectively.
“We knew this was going to be a tough game,” Lady Vols head coach Kellie Harper said after the game. “I thought they had a really good practice on Tuesday, thought we had a good preparation day on Wednesday. They wanted this win and they were focused.
“Their head was spinning around a few times and that’s what Mizzou can do to you. It wasn’t a lack of try or want to that we struggled early. That preparation and their desire allowed us to figure it out.”
Here’s everything Harper had to say about the win:
