WATCH: Mizzou celebrates first win at Tennessee. Sophie stands up to UT assistant

by | Jan 7, 2019 | Sports Features

The Mizzou Women won their first-ever regular season road game over a top-10 ranked opponent knocking off the number 10-Tennessee Volunteers, 66-64. The win was also Mizzou’s first ever win in Knoxville.  This was the scene in the locker room after the game.

The Tigers were led by 20 points from senior guard Sophie Cunningham and it wouldn’t be an SEC road game for Mizzou without some type of controversy surrounding Mizzou’s hard-nosed competitor. Cunningham was called for an unsportsmanlike foul in the third quarter after she elbowed Rennia Davis. Cunningham continued toward the rim and scored on the play. Game officials consulted video replay and a foul was called.

“I’m really not surprised because of who it was,” Davis said during the Vols’ postgame press conference. “At the end of the day, I was just playing defense and she was dribbling and stuck her elbow all the way up and I flew back. She hit me dead in the eye.”

But, does Davis believe Cunningham is a dirty player?

“I just think she plays her own way,” Davis said. “She plays physical. She plays hard. I wouldn’t say dirty. She just plays her own way.”

After the game as the team’s teams went through their handshakes, Janet McGee, a personal assistant to UT coach Holly Warlick refused to acknowledge Cunningham. Sophie, reached out and grabbed the arm of McGee to get her attention.  That gesture led to some jawing from Vols players.