Can Connor Dow Crack the Cowboys' Rotation Next Season?

Going into his sophomore season, Dow is looking to be a consistent contributor for OSU.
Jan 27, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Connor Dow (13) drives around West Virginia Mountaineers guard RaeQuan Battle (21) during the first half at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 27, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Connor Dow (13) drives around West Virginia Mountaineers guard RaeQuan Battle (21) during the first half at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports / William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma State may not have many returners next season, but they can still be valuable members of the team.

OSU finished last season 12-20 and fired Mike Boynton after a disappointing seventh year in Stillwater. When Boynton was fired, some of OSU’s most impactful players from last season entered the transfer portal.

Headlined by Brandon Garrison and Javon Small, OSU’s departures made a significant impact on the offseason in the early stages. Still, OSU hired Steve Lutz to rebuild the roster and try to get the team back to the NCAA Tournament.

Despite many players leaving, some of the Cowboys from last season will be in Stillwater again. Among those players will be Connor Dow as he heads into his sophomore season.

Dow’s calling card is his outside shot, and although he struggled from deep last season, he could be a key player for OSU’s spacing under Lutz. In his freshman season, Dow shot 24% from 3-point range, but he connected from outside in eight of the 19 games he attempted a 3-pointer. 

That is not necessarily the most encouraging sign, but Dow’s inconsistent playing time and struggles to adapt to Big 12 play were major factors. Still, his energy helped Dow earn some consistent playing time later in the season.

For a seven-game stretch in Big 12 play, Dow started for the Cowboys. In that stretch, he averaged 18 minutes but could never find his rhythm offensively, as OSU went 2-5 in those games.

Coming out of high school, Dow was one of the best players in Oklahoma and was seen as a future contributor for the Cowboys. Although he will be playing for a new coach next season, Dow’s potential to be a regular rotation player is still there.


READ MORE: Could Oklahoma State Host ESPN's College GameDay in 2024?

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Ivan White

IVAN WHITE

Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.