Cal Women's Only Second-Half Turnover Ruins the Bears

The Cal women committed just one turnover in the second half against Missouri on Thursday, but that one turnover probably cost the Bears a victory.

Ultimately, Missouri's Shannon Dowell scored on a driving layup with 1.7 seconds left to give the Tigers a 68-67 victory over Cal in Columbia, Missouri, in the ACC/SEC Challenge. But what led up to that was pivotal.

Cal (6-3) had taken a 67-66 lead when Mjracle Sheppard scored the last of her team-high 18 points on a driving layup with 31 seconds remaining. Cal then got a defensive stop aided by a blocked shot by Cal center Sakima Walker.

After a timeout, Cal inbounded in the frontcourt to Lulu Twidale, the team's only returning starter and the most experienced Cal player. But after taking one dribble, she lost control of the ball, which was picked up by Missouri with 10 seconds left. Cal had not committed a second-half turnover until that moment.

Missouri (8-2).brought the ball upcourt quickly before calling timeout with 6,2 seconds left. The Tigers got the ball to Dowell, who drove down the right side with little defensive resistance and laid the ball in with 1.7 seconds left.

Shannon Dowell is THAT girl 🔥

FINAL | Mizzou 68, Cal 67#MIZ x #OurZou pic.twitter.com/gU8t7dwxzD
— Mizzou Women’s Basketball (@MizzouWBB) December 5, 2025

Dowell finished with 20 points, and the Tigers' Grace Slaughter led all scorers with 24 points.

Walker had 12 points and five blocks for Cal, while Twidale finished with 11 points, and freshman Taylor Barnes had 10.

Cal led by seven points with 40 seconds left in the third quarter, but the fourth quarter was tight throughout. Neither team led by more than two points for the final eight minutes of the game.

Cal held a 65-63 lead when Barnes made a follow shot with 2:02 remaining in the game, but Slaughter beat the shot clock with a three-pointer that bounced around the rim several time before falling through to give the Tigers a one-point advantage with 42 seconds to go.

That led to the final sequence with Sheppard scoring, Cal getting a defensive stop, Twidale committing the turnover and Dowell hitting the game-winner. Cal had no timeouts left after Dowell's basket, and the Bears were unable to get off a shot before the buzzer sounded.

Slaughter had 14 points in the first half, which ended with Missouri holding a 33-31 lead.

Mjracle Sheppard led Cal with 10 points in the first half, while Gisella Maul came off the Cal bench to hit two three-pointers and score eight first-half points.

The Tigers built an early 19-12 lead, but the Bears rallied to take thjeir first lead at 22-21 on a Maul three-pointer with 5:45 remaining in the second quarter.

Slaughter scored seven points in a matter of 1:30 to put Missouri back in front 33-27 before Cal scored the final four points of the half on a pair of buckets by Sheppard.

NOTES

Cal plays its next two games at home – against San Jose State on Sunday and Idaho on Wednesday – then opens ACC play with a road game against Stanford on Sunday, December 14.

Cal is 6-0 at home this year after going 16-1 at Haas Pavilion last season.

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