COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou women’s basketball tips off the 2026-27 season at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Mizzou Arena. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+ and on the radio through the Mizzou Tigers app.

The year will mark the team’s 53rd season. Mizzou holds an all-time record of 883-681.

Head coach Kellie Harper begins her second year at the helm of the program after claiming the best start for a new head coach in program history with a 12-3 start a season ago. In 21 seasons as a Division I head coach, Harper has led her teams to nine NCAA Tournament berths. She has guided her squads to 15 top-three league finishes and four conference tournament championships. Harper also produced four consecutive first-round WNBA Draft picks from 2021-24.

Mizzou concluded last season with a 17-17 overall record (4-12 SEC) and a second-round appearance in the WBIT. Its 17 victories were the most for the program since 2022-23. The Tigers also earned their first postseason victory since 2023.

Grace Slaughter headlines the Mizzou roster after ranking sixth in the SEC and 37th nationally with 18.7 points per game a year ago. Slaughter enters the season 12th on the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,459 points. She is just 22 points shy of passing Sandie Prophete (1985-89) for 11th place.

The game will mark the debut of Mizzou’s No. 25-ranked recruiting class, the program’s highest-ranked class since 2018. Missouri also has the highest percentage of underclassmen on its roster (8-of-13).

The Tigers bolstered their roster with the additions of Indiana transfer Naveah Caffey and Michigan transfer McKenzie Mathurin. Caffey started all 32 games and averaged 8.5 points per game last season with the Hoosiers. Mathurin appeared in 25 games and helped guide the Wolverines to the Elite Eight.

With the additions of Caffey and Mathurin, Mizzou has five top-100 recruits on its roster spanning the 2025 and 2026 classes: Caffey (No. 42), Maples (No. 96), Mathurin (No. 39), Hodge (No. 54) and Ford (No. 82).

Harper added veteran assistant coaches Mike Nicholson and Devin Hill to the staff during the offseason. Nicholson brings more than 30 years of men's and women's coaching experience, including 27 years in the state of Missouri. Throughout his career, he has developed 41 all-conference selections, seven All-Americans, two honorable mention All-Americans and a first-round NBA Draft pick. He spent five seasons at Kansas State, guiding the Wildcats to 112 wins and three NCAA Tournament berths. Hill, a standout athlete at DePaul, joined the program after spending last season at Bryant.

Mizzou averaged 72.4 points per game last season, its highest scoring average since 2020-21. The Tigers ranked fifth in the SEC in three-point field goal percentage at 34.7%. Mizzou also ranked first in the conference in free-throw percentage at 77.8%.

Howard finished last season with a 26-8 overall record, including a 13-1 mark against MEAC opponents. Projected to finish first in the MEAC preseason poll, the Bison went undefeated at home, won the MEAC regular-season and tournament titles and earned a first-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The 26 victories marked the most in program history.

Howard head coach Ty Grace enters her 11th season on the sidelines. Last year, she earned her second MEAC Coach of the Year award and was named HBCU Women's National Coach of the Year.

Fifth-year guard Zoe Stewart was selected to the HBCU All-American First Team and All-MEAC First Team last season. Stewart ranked seventh in the league in scoring at 11.7 points per game and led the MEAC in field goal percentage at 43%.

The matchup will mark the first meeting between the two programs.

MEDIA COVERAGE

To request a single-game credential, please email Toby Lowe (tlowe@missouri.edu). No credential requests will be accepted less than 24 hours before the game. The Mizzou Arena media entrance will open 90 minutes before tipoff.

SEASON TICKETS

Season tickets for the 2026-27 season are on sale now and start at just $65. Current season-ticket holders can renew through their Mizzou Tigers ticket account.

FOLLOW THE TIGERS

For all the latest information on Mizzou Women’s Basketball, please visit MUTigers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Tigers on Instagram, Facebook and X.