WOMENS BASKETBALL

Following Tionna Herron's transfer, should Texas be concerned with its depth at center?

Danny Davis
Austin American-Statesman
Texas women's basketball coach Vic Schaefer suddenly has a depth issue at center with Monday's transfer announcement of Tionna Herron, a backup center. Her departure leaves Texas with only two center, including returning starter Taylor Jones.

Texas reserve center Tionna Herron announced Monday evening that she is entering the transfer portal.

This will be her second transfer in as many years. She spent her first year of college at Kentucky, but did not play as she recovered from open heart surgery.

In a social media post, she said that transferring was "the best choice for my future both academically and athletically." She also thanked her Texas coaches, teammates and fans.

The 6-foot-4 Herron was not expected to see much playing time this past season for a Texas team that had depth in the paint. She appeared in just 11 games and made seven of the 13 shots she attempted. Longhorns coach Vic Schaefer, though, had previously referred to her as a piece of the program's future, and her departure will certainly hurt Texas' depth chart: not only has Herron transferred this offseason, but so have DeYona Gaston and Khadija Faye.

That leaves sixth-year senior Taylor Jones and redshirt freshman Abbie Boutilier as the only centers on the roster.

Jones averaged 12.3 points this past season while also leading Texas in blocked shots and rebounding. But she has battled injuries throughout her career and has missed 14 games the past two seasons. The 6-foot-9 Boutilier is unproven at the collegiate level.

Texas has additional post players in Aaliyah Moore, Amina Muhammad and incoming freshman Justice Carlton. Those three players, however, are more power forwards than centers.

Texas, of course, still has time to recruit the transfer portal. If needed, a team with a surplus of talented guards also could opt for smaller lineups this upcoming winter.