Rutgers guard Arella Guirantes is returning for her senior year instead of entering the WNBA draft, the school announced on Tuesday, the deadline for players to declare.

Guirantes and the Scarlet Knights will now have another chance to chase a championship after this season's NCAA tournament was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The junior, who has scored 1,292 career points, led Rutgers this season with 20.6 points per game while shooting 41.3 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three-point range. She also averaged 6.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per contest.

Guirantes was named to the All-Big Ten first team after leading the conference in scoring.

"Arella is the perfect leader to bring Rutgers women's basketball to the next level as we continue our resurgence as a national power," head coach C. Vivian Stringer said in a statement. "We appreciate her dedication to our program and her commitment to excellence. Her work ethic and competitive drive is second to none and we are excited to welcome her back for her senior season."

Guirantes, who played one year at Texas Tech before transferring to Rutgers, and Stringer will now have another chance at a title.

"It's one of the reasons I came to Rutgers," Guirantes said of her mentor. "To learn from one of the best of all time. We are part of each other's journey and we are both leaving a legacy at Rutgers."

The 5-foot-11 Long Island native helped lead Rutgers to a 22-9 record (11-7 in the Big Ten) and the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament this season.

The Scarlet Knights appeared to have a spot in the NCAA tournament locked up before its cancellation.

Many WNBA mock drafts projected Guirantes as a first-round pick.

The league and players' union agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement in January, which increased player salaries.

Under the new deal, players selected within the first four picks receive a base salary of $68,000. Players selected fifth through eighth receive $65,250 and the rest of the first-round picks would earn $62,500.

But Guirantes' professional career will wait another year.

"I have my goals written down, and I didn't write them down for nothing," Guirantes said in a statement. "This morning I read my bible and started reflecting. I was feeling overwhelmed and feeling anxious to get it over with. This verse stuck out to me and reminded me the process is part of the journey. I was going to make a decision to get it over with, but this decision is what I'm supposed to be going through. What I needed to do was be faithful toward my goals.

"I want to be the Big Ten Player of the Year, a First Team All-American and win a championship with Rutgers Basketball. This is what I'm supposed to go through to be prepared for those moments."

HONORS:C. Vivian Stringer receives 'Legends of Coaching' award

DISAPPOINTING CONCLUSION:C. Vivian Stringer reacts to shocking, abrupt end to season

The fate of the upcoming WNBA season is in flux.

It was scheduled to begin May 15, but that has been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Email: iseman@northjersey.com Twitter: @chrisiseman