Lady cager Garner breaks slump, keys comeback vs. Michigan State

By DONNIE COLLINS
Collegian Staff Writer

While her team was engaged in a struggle with a tough conference foe and searching fervently for a spark, it was looking like just another frustrating evening for Andrea Garner.

Coming off a lackluster nine-point performance against Arkansas Saturday, all the preseason All-Big Ten selection hoped for was a chance to validate herself and her team with a solid performance against Michigan State (8-6, 2-2 Big Ten) at The Bryce Jordan Center Monday night.

A 3 for 9 shooting effort which netted a quiet six points in the first half wasn't quite the vindication she had in mind.

In the second half, though, Garner proved that great players aren't always great.

They're only great when they need to be.

Garner scored 16 of her game high 22 points in the second half, leading No. 20 Penn State (10-4, 2-2) to a runaway victory over the Spartans, 90-66.

It was a tale of two halves for Garner, whose halftime pep talk to herself keyed the welcome resurgence for the Lady Lions.

"For the last couple of games, I was in a slump," she said. "At halftime, I just said, ‘I think I'm one of the best post players in the league, and I just have to show it.' I have to be confident in myself and in my shot."

Garner's coach couldn't agree more.

Rene Portland said the change in her star center from last season to this season is obvious. Portland said she was disappointed with Garner's inability to maintain a positive attitude last season.

When things got bad for Garner then, she bowed her head and searched for excuses.

Now a year older and wiser, things are markedly different.

"I think she's a kid with great pride and someone who is not going to let them beat her," Portland said. "This year, she picked up two fouls against Minnesota, came out in the second half and owned the game. I like the changes she's made. She's a marked person in our league. She's the MVP of the (Big Ten) tournament. She has USA Basketball experience. It's important for her to check that in her back pocket and continue to improve."

The 6-foot-3 center from Philadelphia came into the contest averaging more than 14 points and nine rebounds a game, but has had trouble eclipsing those numbers against some of the better post players she has faced this season.

Against Pittsburgh's 6-foot-7 center Nickeia Morris earlier this season, Garner struggled, scoring only five points and grabbing two rebounds. In a 72-54 loss to Ohio State last month, Garner was held in check once again by the likes of forwards Marrita Porter, Larecha Jones and Michaela Moua.

But against big Michigan State center Kristen Rasmussen, Garner made sure that trend didn't continue.

"We came in and we knew that they were strong inside," Rasmussen, who averages more than 15 points and eight boards per game, said. "We had to play good defense in the post, and I thought we did a fairly good job in the first half. In the second half, we kind of lost focus a little bit."

Losing focus against Garner, especially in a game that means a great deal to Penn State, usually spells disaster for opponents.

"It was very important to get ourselves back into the thick of things," Garner said. "In the preseason, we were ranked No. 2 (in the Big Ten). After we lost to Purdue, we were in ninth place. We had to show that we're still there. We had the heart and the mentality to go right back at them."