The Missouri women’s basketball program suffered a significant early loss in the transfer portal as guard Shannon Dowell announced she is leaving after just one season, with one year of eligibility still remaining.
Dowell’s Impact at Mizzou
In her debut season under coach Kellie Harper, Dowell quickly became a standout contributor, averaging 14.9 points per game as the team’s second-leading scorer and adding 6.1 rebounds.
She provided the perfect offensive complement to Grace Slaughter, who will return for her senior season.
Dowell assumed primary ball-handling duties after a preseason injury to Averi Kroenke, posting career highs in assists (2.3) and turnovers (3.5) per game.
She made an immediate splash, scoring 21 points in the season opener and a season-high 30 points later that month against Southern Illinois.
A mid-December injury sidelined her for four games and impacted her efficiency for much of January. During SEC play, she struggled at times, scoring below her average in eight games, including just three points in the SEC Tournament matchup against Alabama Crimson Tide women’s basketball.
However, she also delivered standout performances, tying her career-high with 33 points in the regular-season finale against Oklahoma Sooners women’s basketball.
Career Before Mizzou
Before joining Missouri, Dowell played two seasons at Illinois State Redbirds women’s basketball after receiving limited recruitment out of high school.
In her final season as a Redbird, she averaged 17.6 points and 5.2 rebounds, catching the attention of Harper and her staff.
Implications for Missouri
Dowell’s departure leaves a substantial gap in the Tigers’ lineup but also opens up a roster spot that could be used to bring in a replacement.
Missouri has flexibility to recruit either a shooting guard or a small forward, as Slaughter can cover the 3 or 4 positions to accommodate a potential new addition.
Her exit marks the beginning of what promises to be a busy transfer portal period for Mizzou women’s basketball. Buckle up.
