Spring Break
Gardler helps UConn to victory
Mike Northup
Issue date: 2/4/09 Section: Sports
HARTFORD - In UConn's 75-56 win over Rutgers Tuesday night at the XL Center, the Huskies' biggest spark had the following stat line: zero points on 0-for-0 shooting with just two rebounds in 14 minutes off the bench.
Forward Meghan Gardler didn't score a single point in the victory, but then again, she didn't have to in order to impact the game. Instead, she did everything else to help propel the Huskies to the grind-it-out win.
"Meghan Gardler is the player of this game," said forward Maya Moore, who finished with a game-high 24 points. "I think when we have confidence and we know she is going to be in there battling, it gives our team confidence on the offensive end. She made some good passes on offense. She passed the ball and took care of it."
The Huskies' frontcourt of Tina Charles and Kaili McLaren struggled to get anything going against the Scarlet Knights in the first half, going a combined 1-for-8 from the floor with only two rebounds.
At the 6:28 mark, with UConn's lead narrowed down to 22-20, Auriemma opted to play with a smaller lineup, putting in the 6-foot Gardler in the post in place of McLaren. It didn't take long for Gardler to start having an impact. She had two steals in her first three minutes of play, the second of which led to a pair of Greene free throws.
"I was trying to get a spark off the bench because the post players were not producing a lot," Gardler said. "I knew I wasn't going to score but I just wanted to get the offense going and people moving. I had a good perspective of what we had to do from the bench."
Before the half was over, Gardler added a pair of offensive rebounds, which led to a Kalana Greene basket in the paint. Gardler's hustle helped push UConn's lead back up to eight points at the end of the half.
Rather than go back to the initial starting lineup to open the second half, Auriemma chose to keep Gardler in the game. Gardler took it all in stride.
"I just tried to keep a cool head and I told myself that I just had to do what I did in the first half," Gardler said.
Forward Meghan Gardler didn't score a single point in the victory, but then again, she didn't have to in order to impact the game. Instead, she did everything else to help propel the Huskies to the grind-it-out win.
"Meghan Gardler is the player of this game," said forward Maya Moore, who finished with a game-high 24 points. "I think when we have confidence and we know she is going to be in there battling, it gives our team confidence on the offensive end. She made some good passes on offense. She passed the ball and took care of it."
The Huskies' frontcourt of Tina Charles and Kaili McLaren struggled to get anything going against the Scarlet Knights in the first half, going a combined 1-for-8 from the floor with only two rebounds.
At the 6:28 mark, with UConn's lead narrowed down to 22-20, Auriemma opted to play with a smaller lineup, putting in the 6-foot Gardler in the post in place of McLaren. It didn't take long for Gardler to start having an impact. She had two steals in her first three minutes of play, the second of which led to a pair of Greene free throws.
"I was trying to get a spark off the bench because the post players were not producing a lot," Gardler said. "I knew I wasn't going to score but I just wanted to get the offense going and people moving. I had a good perspective of what we had to do from the bench."
Before the half was over, Gardler added a pair of offensive rebounds, which led to a Kalana Greene basket in the paint. Gardler's hustle helped push UConn's lead back up to eight points at the end of the half.
Rather than go back to the initial starting lineup to open the second half, Auriemma chose to keep Gardler in the game. Gardler took it all in stride.
"I just tried to keep a cool head and I told myself that I just had to do what I did in the first half," Gardler said.
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