The Lady Vols got a much-needed win Thursday night, albeit at the expense of a former Lady Vol, and showed no signs of the stagnant team that lost last Sunday.

“We wanted a response,” said Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell, whose post-game presser can be watched HERE. “I think this is a good start. We have to continue it. Our schedule just keeps getting harder and harder.”

The good start was a 98-53 wipeout of Missouri, which had won three of its last four SEC games, in Knoxville, where Kellie Harper, now at the helm for the Tigers, had won three national titles as a player for Tennessee and coached at her alma mater until being replaced by Caldwell after the 2023-24 season.

Harper put on her game face and slipped into coaching mode, but Thompson-Boling Arena is a tough place to walk back in with a lot of memories.

“It can be a lot,” said Harper, whose post-game presser can be watched HERE. “I think just the number of people you want to say hello to and that want to say hello to you, and it’s a lot. But I think I do a pretty good job of keeping the focus where the focus needs to be, and I understand my job.

“But also, I get it. I get it. I understand. My name’s on, I don’t know if it’s a star or something up there, on the placard. Maybe it’s on the brick. My name’s on a brick up there, so I get it. Anytime I come here, I’m going to get it, and I willingly accept that. It’s just part of who I am and where I’m at and where I’ve been. I understand that, but I can also get on that bus and get really excited about the team I’m coaching.”

Nya Robertson holds her form after shooting a three. (Tennessee Athletics)

Caldwell spent the days before the game getting her team refocused after a 43-point loss to South Carolina last Sunday that created a lot of noise from fans and media. Her players not only responded with 53 points in the first half, but also kept their poise and commitment on both ends for 40 minutes.

Janiah Barker led Tennessee (16-6, 8-2) with 22 points, while Talaysia Cooper notched 17 points, Deniya Prawl posted 13 points and 10 boards, Alyssa Latham tallied 15 points, and Nya Robertson added 14 points. Jaida Civil tallied eight points and 10 rebounds. The Lady Vols also won the board battle, 49-30, and second chance points, 23-2.

Grace Slaughter led Missouri (16-11, 4-8) with 20 points, while Shannon Dowell tallied nine points.

Tennessee will see a much bigger team Sunday when Texas arrives in Knoxville for a 3 p.m. matchup of two teams trying to stay among the top four in the SEC as the conference reaches the stretch run in February. Sunday’s game will be broadcast on ABC.

“There’s not very many days left when you think about it,” Caldwell said. “You think about how long we have been working, how long we’ve been together. We’re towards the end of it, so there’s a sense of urgency with all of us now.”

The South Carolina game was one of quick shots and empty possessions. The Lady Vols showed offensive patience against Missouri and worked the ball around the perimeter and inside.

“The 40 minutes was really important, that we didn’t come out and get lax and see the score and then start taking shots that are not within our offense, people trying to get theirs,” Caldwell said. “I didn’t see any of that tonight, not one second of it, which was really important to me. It meant something to me.”

Maria M. Cornelius, a senior writer/editor at MoxCar Marketing + Communications since 2013, started her journalism career at the Knoxville News Sentinel and began writing about the Lady Vols in 1998. In 2016, she published her first book, “The Final Season: The Perseverance of Pat Summitt,” through The University of Tennessee Press and a 10th anniversary edition will be released June 16, 2026.