The perfect senior player.That’s how LSU women’s basketball coach Van Chancellor described guard Allison Hightower, the lone senior Lady Tiger this season.She has been to two Final Fours in her LSU career and has evolved into the face of the Lady Tigers.”I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a player who’s going to be as hard to replace,” Chancellor said. “[Former LSU center] Sylvia Fowles was a great player, but Allison does everything — a great defensive player, great offensive player and handles the basketball. She does it all.”Hightower will have no trouble being remembered as one of the Lady Tiger greats. She was named to the Freshman All-Southeastern Conference team in 2007, won the SEC Sixth Woman of the Year award in 2008 and received First-Team All-SEC honors as a junior and senior.The Arlington, Texas, native also scored her 1,000th career point Nov. 22 against Nicholls State and holds the school record for blocked shots by a guard with 88.Hightower said she wants people to remember her as a selfless player who loves the game of basketball.”I want to be known as a person that made a big impact and continued to carry this legacy of Coach [Sue] Gunter,” Hightower said. “I just want to be known as a hard worker who always had passion for the game and wanted to do everything for my teammates.”Hightower said one of her favorite memories as a Lady Tiger was reaching the Final Four in her freshman season by upsetting then-No. 1 UConn, 73-50.”It was really emotional because it was my first Final Four, and I wanted to get one so bad,” Hightower said. “As a team we came closer, and it was a huge win.”More recently, Hightower highlighted LSU’s 63-61 home victory against Tennessee in her junior season as a defining moment. She sat on the bench for the final 9:31 with cramps, but LSU still sealed the victory along with a bye in the 2009 SEC Tournament.”Even though I was out with cramps, I was just happy to see the team pulled it out,” Hightower said. “It showed a lot of toughness in our team.”LSU junior guard Katherine Graham said Hightower demonstrates her dedication to the team on a daily basis.”She never takes any plays off,” Graham said. “She tries to go even if the trainers and coaches tell her she can’t because she always wants to be out there fighting for us.”Chancellor said Hightower’s overall presence has garnered her the admiration of the entire team.”Everybody on this team respects her because of her work ethic,” Chancellor said. “She’s the hardest working player we’ve got here today. That makes coaching 10,000 times easier.” Chancellor said the way Hightower leads the team reflects her personality. “If anything, I wish she was a bit more verbal than she is, but it’s not her nature,” Chancellor said. “She leads by great example and does a great job in that respect.”Hightower leads LSU in several statistical categories this season as well. She is No. 1 in scoring with 536 total points and 18.5 points per game, tops in 3-point shooting percentage at 40 percent and is the leader in steals with 2.1 per game. Hightower also averages the most minutes played per game with 32.3.Hightower said she expects LSU will still be successful after her departure, and she is hopeful the Lady Tigers have learned from her example.”When I was on [the Final Four teams], I had veteran players with a lot of experience who made me better every day,” Hightower said. “I’m basically the only one left from those teams, so I was able to take from that and bring it to this team. We have a lot of talent, and somebody is going to have to step up.”
 
__
Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]