As March Madness approaches, another anticipated SEC game awaits in Tennessee. It will be Kim Caldwell’s Tennessee going head-to-head against her predecessor at the Lady Vols’ program, Kellie Harper, who will be in charge of the Missouri Tigers. While Harper’s return to her alma mater and hometown has grabbed much of the attention of the media, the contest between the two sides is poised to be nothing different.

The Lady Vols have lost momentum big time after a steady start, with several flaws, including ball security and shooting from open play. Caldwell’s team has dropped from 15th to 22nd in the AP Rankings and is 2-3 in its last five games. The Tigers arrive on the back of a defeat to Georgia before winning three on the trot. Missouri currently sits unranked and, like the Lady Vols, is looking to turn its season around quickly before things go further south.

Let’s delve deeper into a full breakdown of the game:

Tennessee vs Missouri: Where to watch

Date: Thursday, February 12, 2026

Time: 6:30 p.m. ET

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Venue: Food City Center

Watch on: SEC Network+ (accessible via ESPN+)

Listen on: Lady Vol Networks

Tennessee vs Missouri: Injury report

Tennessee Lady Volunteers:

• Mia Pauldo

Missouri Tigers:

• Averi Kroenke
• Sydney Mains
• Hannah Linthacum
• Jordana Reisma (questionable)
• Jayla Smith (probable)

Tennessee vs Missouri: Probable Starting Lineups

Tennessee Lady Volunteers:

• Alyssa Latham
• Zee Spearman
• Janiah Barker
• Talaysia Cooper
• Jaida Civil

Missouri Tigers:

• Chloe Sotell
• Shannon Dowell
• Abbey Schreacke
• Grace Slaughter
• Jayla Smith

Prediction: Can Tennessee Get their Season Back on Track?

Kim Caldwell’s Tennessee Lady Volunteers were eagerly striding towards a comeback going into the South Carolina game, following a disastrous defeat to the UConn Huskies last week. As reality set in, Caldwell’s team crumbled further, suffering the program’s largest defeat (43 points). On the other hand, the Missouri Tigers have shown steady growth over their recent stretch of games, despite a blowout loss to Georgia, with impressive road wins over Mississippi State and Arkansas.

Yet after these improvements, the Missouri Tigers will be the underdogs going into the match, while the Lady Vols are in strong contention to win.

Despite the Lady Vols’ dip in form, the team has been a formidable force on offense. The team averages 76.6 points per game, well above Missouri’s 75.2. This highlights a major reason the Lady Vols are entering the game as favorites. The Lady Vols’ supremacy prevails on defense, too. While Caldwell’s team has conceded an opp ppg of 65.1, Missouri trails further in 73.6.

Moreover, Tennessee boasts a formidable, experienced roster, with four players averaging over 10 points per game this season. While one of them, Mia Pauldo, will be out of the game, the likes of Zee Spearman, Janiah Barker, and Talaysia Cooper can still single-handedly take out opponents of any stature. Moreover, young players like Mya Pauldo and Jaida Civil have been impressing for the Lady Vols, quietly logging quality minutes, adding to the already existing problems for Missouri.

The ESPN analysts have also given the Lady Vols a 94.9% chance of winning the contest, seemingly fair given the team’s decorated roster. In addition, the Missouri Tigers have struggled mightily against ranked opponents, losing to teams like Texas, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and Alabama in a single stretch. Therefore, in all possibilities, the Lady Vols contest isn’t poised to be any different.

However, on the day of the game, no box score or head-to-head records matter; rather, it’s just the performance on the court. For now, it’s just a few hours until the game. Who do you think will prevail in this SEC game? Will Missouri upset Tennessee? Or will the Lady Vols be able to finally turn their season around? Do let us know in the comments.