KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee stayed unbeaten at home in SEC play, picking up an 80-69 win over Missouri on Sunday inside the Food City Center.
Tennessee took control in the first quarter. Rickea Jackson and Jewel Spear led the charge on offense early on, combining for 18 points in the first ten minutes. The Lady Vols were up 28-17 headed into the second quarter.
Missouri trimmed the lead to single digits in the second quarter, trailing 34-28. The Lady Vols responded with an 8-2 run to get back up by 12.
With about three minutes left in the half, Jackson made a tough layup to make the score 40-30. That bucket marked 2,000 career points for the senior forward.
Tennessee led 46-34 at the half. The Lady Vols didn’t turn the ball over once in the first 20 minutes.
UT got up by as many as 16 points in the third quarter, however, Missouri went on a big run to make the game close as the Lady Vols went on a stretch where they didn't score for nearly three minutes. Missouri went on a 12-0 run capped off by a Grace Slaughter three-pointer. Tennessee led 52-49.
The Lady Vols responded again. Sara Puckett made a three-pointer, Jasmine Powell scored on an and-one, Spear scored on a layup and then knocked down a three-pointer to get the Lady Vols back up 14. That put Tennessee up 63-49 by the end of the third quarter.
The Lady Vols were able to close it out from there.
Spear finished with 22 points and 7 assists. Rickea Jackson had 19 points.
Next up, Tennessee gets back on the road to play Alabama on Feb. 9. The game will start at 7 p.m. in Tuscaloosa.
