LINCOLN, NEB. ? Freshman Lauren Ervin has returned to Kansas University’s women’s basketball team.
Whether she’ll play tonight against Nebraska is uncertain.
Ervin missed Wednesday’s trip to Texas Tech for what KU officials termed “personal reasons.” She did not practice Thursday, but returned to drills Friday and boarded the bus to Lincoln later in the afternoon.
KU interim head coach Lynette Woodard declined comment on Ervin’s status and Ervin was unavailable to the media.
Tipoff will be at 7 p.m. at the Devaney Center. The game will be broadcast on the Jayhawk Radio Network, including KLWN 1320.
Ervin, a 6-foot-3 freshman forward, has been a key contributor for the Jayhawks, averaging 7.7 points and a team-best 6.9 rebounds.
However, the prep standout from Inglewood, Calif. — who garnered national recognition as a prep player after averaging 24 points and 18 rebounds per game — is sixth on the squad in minutes played.
Woodard is 1-1 since taking over for coach Marian Washington, who took a medical leave of absence Jan. 29 for an undisclosed length of time.
Nebraska (14-6 overall, 4-5 Big 12 Conference) has been one of the biggest turnaround stories in the nation this year after going 8-20 a year ago. The Cornhuskers pulled off one of the biggest surprises in Big 12 play so far this season by stunning Kansas State, 81-63, in the Devaney Center, where they have won 10 of 11 games this season.
“It will be a challenge. It’s always tough away from home,” Woodard said. “They’ve had some good success, but we’ve been getting better every day and we’re going to take that attitude to Lincoln. We’re ready. It’s a game that we think we can win.”