The LSU women’s basketball players have a newfound gap in their typically busy schedule.The 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. time period during the week will be spent doing something other than practicing in the PMAC.Returning players will continue working out with their teammates throughout the offseason, and school will also become a priority as the semester winds down.Only individual meetings with the coaching staff remain for the team.Senior guard Allison Hightower will have a different offseason than the rest of the Lady Tiger squad.Hightower said she has to wrap up her classes at LSU before she looks to her professional future.”I’m just going to continue to work out and focus on class,” she said.Hightower said she is close to reaching her ultimate goal at LSU: graduating.”All I have is nine hours to graduate,” she said. “I’m looking forward to walking across the stage. That’s what I came here for.”Hightower is entering the WNBA draft after a storied career in Baton Rouge. She finished as the 13th all-time leading scorer in LSU history with 1,508 points. She is fifth all-time in games played with 136 and sits atop the ranks for blocks by a guard with 89.”When I look back on it, I had a great career here,” Hightower said. “I feel like im leaving on a good note.” Hightower said she will be in New York for the draft April 8.Hightower, who went to Juan Seguin High School in Arlington, Texas, hinted at a desire to play for the San Antonio Silver Stars, but she said she had one more thing on her wish list: playing with former LSU teammates in the WNBA.”It would be great to play with a former [LSU] player,” she said.Seven former Lady Tigers are currently on WNBA rosters.SEASON IN PERSPECTIVELSU’s 2009-10 season didn’t go exactly as expected — at least in the eyes of women’s hoops pundits.The Lady Tigers were No. 9 on the preseason Associated Press poll and peaked at No. 5 before losing their first game to Nebraska.LSU was picked to finish first in the Southeastern Conference by a panel of media and second by coaches.But third-year coach Van Chancellor said he is pleased with a 21-10 record and a 13th straight first round win the NCAA tournament.”I’ll never think you can think you had a bad year when you finished tied for third in your league and you went to the NCAA playoffs,” Chancellor said.SO CLOSEChancellor said LSU was on the verge of accomplishing a lot this season.”We were so close all year long to having an unbelievable season,” Chancellor said. “We were so close to being in the Sweet Sixteen.”A 60-52 loss at the hands of Duke in the second round ended a season littered with losses in tight games for LSU.”We did some great things during the year,” Chancellor said. “We just got in some close games and was unable to finish those games. That separated us from having an unbelievable year to a very good year.”The Lady Tigers lost seven SEC games by single digits, including a two-point game against Vanderbilt in the conference tournament. “I’ve been beating around the bush, now I’m going to tell you … This basketball team better get tougher mentally in close games,” Chancellor said. “If it does, it’s got a shot.”—–Contact Michael Lambert at [email protected]