Jaden Springer continues to state his case as Tennessee’s most valuable player without picking up a basketball.
The five-star freshman guard watched his second straight game from the sideline as a result of the ankle injury he suffered last weekend against Vanderbilt, and for a second straight contest the No. 6 Volunteers went down without much of a fight. Saturday night’s 73-64, wire-to-wire loss to No. 19 Missouri inside Thompson-Boling Arena wasn’t nearly as ugly as last Tuesday’s 75-49 debacle at Florida, but it did saddle Tennessee with its first two-game skid.
Xavier Pinson became the first player this season to reach 20 points against Tennessee, scoring 27 as Cuonzo Martin’s Tigers improved to 10-2 overall and 4-2 in Southeastern Conference play. The Vols (10-3, 4-3) were led by 20 points from Yves Pons.
Vols coach Rick Barnes had demanded more from Pons and fellow senior John Fulkerson after the whipping in Gainesville. Pons seemed to answer the bell in that regard, but Fulkerson scored seven points and committed five turnovers.
Tennessee defeated the Tigers 73-53 at Mizzou Arena on Dec. 30, with a 23-4 opening run by the Vols quickly removing the drama. That triumph was Tennessee’s largest ever against a ranked team on the road.