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Tennessee Lady Vols lose 66-64 heartbreaker to Missouri: 3 takeaways

By Caleb Calhoun

KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 21: Tennessee Volunteers fans hold up a cardboard photo of women's basketball coach Pat Summitt during the game against the Connecticut Huskies at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 21, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee defeated Connecticut 60-57. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - JANUARY 21: Tennessee Volunteers fans hold up a cardboard photo of women's basketball coach Pat Summitt during the game against the Connecticut Huskies at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 21, 2012 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee defeated Connecticut 60-57. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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The Tennessee Lady Vols suffered a close home loss to the Missouri Tigers Sunday. Here are three takeaways from the women’s basketball Volunteers’ defeat.

In a back and forth game all day, the Tennessee Lady Vols fell to 1-1 in the SEC and suffered their second home loss of the season on Sunday afternoon to the Missouri Tigers. Rennia Davis missed a shot at the buzzer to tie with the team down by two.

The match-up was close throughout and a major defensive struggle in the first half, which finished with UT clinging to a 25-24 lead. However, the No. 10 Lady Vols couldn’t hold it in the second half, and the game remained close.

With the loss, UT falls to 12-2 on the year. Missouri improved to 13-3 and is now 2-0 in the SEC. Both of Holly Warlick’s team’s losses this year have come at home. Up next for Rocky Top is a home game on Thursday against the No. 16 ranked Kentucky Wildcats. But before that, here are three takeaways from the Tennessee Lady Vols’ Sunday loss.

1. Shooting was horrendous. 

Part of this is a credit to the Missouri Tigers’ defense, but there was no excuse for the Tennessee Lady Vols to shoot 34 percent from the field in this game. They settled for too many deep threes when they couldn’t get their offense going, but they also missed numerous layups. It was a bad outing overall shooting, and while the 66 percent rate from the free throw line was only slightly below average, eight missed free throws was enough to cost them.

2. Perimeter defense was equally as bad. 

The Tennessee Lady Vols actually did a good job forcing 19 turnovers, and they defended the paint well. But they could not stop the three. Mizzou moved the ball around the perimeter at will and went 10-of-22 from the three-point line. They shot better from three than they did from the field overall! In fact, they shot the ball so well that UT was lucky to be in the game. Their aggression inside, which was commendable, is the only reason they had a chance.

3. Meme Jackson fell back into a slump.

It seems like Meme Jackson is the reverse J.R. Smith. Smith has one red-hot shooting night and is horrible for nine games after that. Jackson, meanwhile, is a great shooter for nine games and will have one horrendous outing. This was her horrendous outing. Evina Westbrook going 5-of-19 from the field and getting in foul trouble alongside Cheridene Green didn’t help. But Jackson shot 0-for-9 from the field in this game and finished with only two points. It was just a bad game on her end, but the good news is she should be back to her red-hot self before Kentucky if the law of averages kicks in.