4 leave Tiger women’s basketball team

Starter Abdul-qaadir off to Indiana State as grad transfer

University of Memphis senior point guard Bilqis Abdul- Qaadir is one of four women’s basketball players who aren’t returning for the 2013-14 season, leaving the program with just 10 scholarship players.

Abdul- Qaadir, who would have been the Tigers’ most experienced returnee, will graduate in August and has decided to use her final year of eligibility at Indiana State, where she will immediately be eligible.

Another senior-to-be, center K.K. Harvey, is also completing her degree and reached a mutual decision with coach Melissa McFerrin not to return.

The Tigers will also be without any juniors next season as center Ann Jones and Lauren McGraw are leaving. Jones is transferring to LSU, where she will have to sit out next season. McGraw’s plans are unknown.

Abdul- Qaadir’s loss is the biggest. She is a two-year starter at point guard and coming off her best season, averaging 10.6 points, 2.5 assists, 2.2 steals, and 3.2 rebounds.

“I would say that I was disappointed that ultimately she didn’t decide to remain with us,” McFerrin said. “But I wouldn’t say it was a complete surprise.

“I think we’re seeing what we’re seeing in a lot of college athletics right now that if they have an opportunity to graduate and move on, if they feel like that’s a better opportunity for them, or if they’re displeased with something, the NCAA is giving them opportunity to do that.”

But McFerrin is more than comfortable with sophomore Ariel Hearn taking over the position. Hearn emerged as one of the Tigers’ top scorers last season when Abdul-Qaadir was out with an injury. She averaged 13.8 points as a freshman and led the team with 109 assists.

McFerrin said she would like to sign at least one player this summer, whether it’s a transfer, junior college player, or incoming freshman.

“We’re going to be young again,” she said.

The Tigers, coming off a 17-15 season, will play their first season in the American Athletic Conference, which will feature two of last year’s Final Four participants, Connecticut and Louisville.

The Tigers will also have a new associate head coach. After the departure of Keila Whittington, McFerrin hired Amy Stephens, who spent last season as an assistant at Saint Louis. She was previously a head coach at Drake and Nebraska-Kearney.