Virginia trusts Hartig for defense

It sounds like perfect harmony to the ears of Kelly Hartig.
Shortly after the basketball is tipped in contests, Virginia’s starting power forward has heard a fair share of moans and groans.
The opposing player that earns the dubious of honor of being guarded by Hartig has become aware of what that assignment entails — contact, contact and more contact.
“What I want to be is the person who when teams come to play us players say, ‘Crap, she is guarding me,’” Hartig said. “That’s the role that I want to have and I have tried to fulfill this year.”
Yes, Hartig seldom fills the box score with gaudy offensive numbers. In fact, the 6-foot-4 sophomore from Highlands Ranch, Colo., averages just 1.4 points per game and has failed to score in 12 of the Cavaliers’ 24 games.
“The only stats that I pay attention to are my rebounds and assist-to-turnover ratio,” Hartig said. “That’s what they have asked me to do this year, really just be the defensive stopper.
“What I like to look at is things like the Duke game and holding Chante Black scoreless in the first half. That’s what I judge my success on. It is not anything else.”
Hartig, possessing great court awareness, dished out a team-best four assists in an eight-point win over Virginia Tech on Sunday as UVa improved to 19-5 overall and 5-3 in the ACC.
Numerous players on Virginia’s roster have raved about Hartig’s ability to create offense with her passing skills.
“It is awesome. She gets the ball, the defense collapses on her and she finds the open man,” Virginia guard Monica Wright said. “The other post players love playing with her.
“I feel like when you have a post player like that it makes it easier for the guards to get open. If you slash to the basket, you can get easy lay ups.”
While the stats may not correctly relay her importance as a starter on the nation’s 17th-best team, Virginia coach Debbie Ryan said Hartig’s value to the team is invaluable.
“She was involved in a lot of tipped balls that we ended up rebounding in the end [against Virginia Tech],” Ryan said. “She is always involved in just a physical play down low.
“She just does a tremendous job. She sees the game extremely well and she is getting better and better and better.”
Having started all 24 games despite numerous undisclosed nagging injuries, Hartig has cherished every moment of her newfound status on one of the league’s best teams.
“I never really expected to be in the position that I am in starting this year. The way things panned out, I was kind of forced into this role,” Hartig said. “It has been amazing and I have loved every second of it.
“It has been a roller coaster sometimes learning my role and what the coaches want me to do, but it is a great group of girls and I couldn’t ask for a better team to be playing with.”
Virginia plays today at Maryland at 7 p.m.