Admiral Schofield and Grant Williams scored 13 points each as number-one Tennessee beat Missouri 72-60 in Knoxville. Javon Pickett led the Tigers with 12 points and Jordan Geist added 11 points. Mizzou dropped to 11-and-10 overall and 2-and-7 in the SEC.
Missouri came out hot, at one point making five straight shots to take an early 17-13 lead, but then missed 16 of its next 17 shots to let the Vols grab control of the game with an 18-2 run. Tennessee led by as many as 12, but the Tigers finished the first half strong to pull to within 37-31. In the second half Mizzou cut the lead to 39-35, but the Vols went on another 11-0 run and the Tigers never got closer than eight.
Mark Smith missed a fourth straight game with an ankle injury. Smith averages 12.6 points to rank second on the team. Jeremiah Tilmon stayed out of foul trouble and finished with eight points and five rebounds in 27 minutes.
Mizzou returns home Saturday for a 5 p.m. tip against Texas A & M, one of their two SEC wins.