Allen out for rest of season for Lady'Backs

FAYETTEVILLE – Junior post player Danielle Allen will miss the final games of the 2005-06 women’s basketball season after a knee injury in practice, University of Arkansas women’s basketball coach Susie Gardner announced today. “Danielle has already endured a challenging year,” Gardner said. “She’s raising a young son, balancing that against the life of a student athlete with practice, classes and studying. Now she’s facing major surgery. “As with everything in Danielle’s life, I’m confident that she will continue to put her faith in God and lean on Him during this time.” Allen injured her left knee at the close of practice Thursday, and preliminary examinations indicate she has likely torn ligaments. An MRI is scheduled for today to confirm the initial physician’s assessment. The 6-0 junior from Harrison, Ark., returned to the team at midterm after taking the fall semester off to give birth to her son, Caden. A starter for Arkansas as a sophomore, Allen played in eight games this spring to average 4 ppg, but had missed several games at the beginning of Southeastern Conference games with an unrelated foot injury. Arkansas travels to Baton Rouge on Saturday for a game with second-ranked LSU on Sunday afternoon. The Lady Razorbacks, 13-11 overall, have three games remaining in the regular season plus the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament at ALLTEL Arena in North Little Rock. Allen is the second player this season to suffer a season-ending knee injury. Junior post Sarah Pfeifer tore her anterior cruciate ligament in the team’s Red-White Game in October.