The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

LASHANN Higgs is officially back with the Texas Longhorns women's basketball programme.

The Big 12 approved a hardship waiver for Higgs, making the senior guard eligible to return to the Longhorns for the 2019-20 season.

In November 2018, Higgs was diagnosed with a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee. Recovery time for the injury is traditionally 9-12 months. "We are obviously thrilled to welcome Lashann back for a final year at Texas," Texas head coach Karen Aston said.

"She is a special player and an even better young woman who has benefited in so many ways from being at Texas for an additional year. I know she is going to be very motivated to help our team be successful and accomplish her own personal goals at the same time."

Higgs has appeared in 107 career games for the Longhorns and has scored 1,019 career points. She played in just four games of her senior season before suffering the season-ending injury.

Though sidelined, Higgs received her third selection to the Academic All-Big 12 Teams. She was one of just eight student-athletes in the conference this year to have at least three selections.

First team members consisted of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA. To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 20 per cent of their team's scheduled contests.

Through three games, Higgs was averaging 16.3 points, five rebounds and 4.3 assists per game on 56 per cent shooting from the field. Despite her limited time on the floor this season, she became the 44th player in Texas history to reach the 1,000-point plateau when she scored 20 points in a 64-54 win over North Texas.

Higgs entered her senior season projected to be one of the top players in the Big 12 conference and was named to the 10-member Preseason All-Big 12 Team.

She came off a junior season where she claimed All-Big 12 Second Team, Big 12 All-Defensive Team, USWBA National Player of the Week and Big 12 Player of the Week.

As a junior, she started 35 games and averaged 12.8 points per game, which ranked third on the team, 3.3 rebounds per game and was third on the squad with 1.4 steals per game.

She scored in double figures on 21 occasions, including four 20-plus point performances. In her sophomore season, Higgs - a Harbour Island native - averaged eight points, three rebounds, 1.5 assists and one steal in just over 17 minutes per game. She built upon the numbers from her freshman season when she averaged 7.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game in 13.2 minutes.