KNOXVILLE — In a recent team meeting, Tennessee women’s basketball freshman Shekinna Stricklen stepped up and apologized to her teammates for her lack of “heart and passion” during a four-game stretch in which the defending national champions dropped three games.

“I really did let my team down,” Stricklen said.

But the 6-foot-2 guard vowed it wouldn’t happen again.

“She’s a woman of her word,” Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said following her team’s 82-68 victory over Mississippi State on Sunday afternoon before an announced crowd of 15,838 at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Stricklen scored 14 points and Kelley Cain led the team with 17 as the Lady Vols surged past Mississippi State in the final seven minutes to extend their winning streak to 30 games against the Lady Bulldogs.

Cain, UT’s 6-foot-6 center, grabbed 11 rebounds and had five blocks. Tennessee senior forward Alex Fuller added 14 points, followed by Alyssia Brewer’s 10.

Mississippi State junior guard Alexis Rack poured in a team-high 24 points — 15 of which came in the first half -- and Mary Kathryn Govero added 14 for the Lady Bulldogs, who remain the only team in the conference never to beat Tennessee.

In a game with 16 ties and 14 lead changes, both teams struggled to pull away. But 13th-ranked Tennessee (19-8, 8-4 Southeastern Conference) held Mississippi State scoreless during a six-minute stretch late in the second half and went on a 17-1 run capped by a pair of free throws from Brewer with 31 seconds in regulation.

“Down the stretch, they were a tougher basketball team,” Mississippi State coach Sharon Fanning said.

The Lady Bulldogs (19-8, 6-6) made seven of 13 3-point attempts in the first half to take a 36-34 lead at the break.

Rack, who entered Sunday as the conference leader in 3-pointers per game, drained four and Mary Kathryn Govero notched three in the first half.

But after the break, the Lady Bulldogs made only four of 14 from beyond the arc as Tennessee switched to a zone defense instead of man-to-man coverage.

The adjustment held Rack made only two treys in the second half.

While Mississippi State cooled off from the perimeter, the Lady Vols relied on its size advantage in the post game. Tennessee outscored Mississippi State 44-16 in the paint.

“When someone throws a punch at us, we try to throw a punch right back at them,” Fuller said.

Tennessee outrebounded Mississippi State 48-31 and dished out 21 assists.

“I'm proud of the way they played today,” Summitt said.

That wasn't the case Thursday when Kentucky handed Tennessee its first two-game losing streak since the 2005-06 season.

After the 66-56 defeat, Summitt barred her players from the team's locker room in Thompson-Boling Arena and told them to dress out in the visiting locker room before Sunday's game.

So will her team be moving back in after a win?

“No, probably not before the postseason,” Summitt said. “I'm kind of liking that locker room.”