Kara Richards is a great teammate.

She proves it with her work ethic and skill every day ... in practice.

"She just does some amazing things in practice," Colorado head coach Kathy McConnell-Miller said before Tuesday's practice. "First and foremost, she doesn't ever let down on a play. She's physical, she's competitive. There's no real sideline or end line with her, she runs into the bleachers or into the tunnel for a ball."

Richards took full advantage of the extra practices the Buffs were given after receiving an automatic bid to the WNIT. So McConnell-Miller pulled her 6-foot-4 junior aside before Monday's second-round game against Gonzaga and told her she would be rewarded with a surprise spot in the starting lineup.

It was the first time all season that the Buffs began a game with Richards playing center alongside Susie Powers (point guard), Bianca Smith (shooting guard), Brittany Spears (wing) and Jackie McFarland (power forward).

The balanced lineup got off to a quick start (CU led 27-11) en route to an 82-68 victory over the Bulldogs. Richards -- who didn't score a point orgrab a single rebound in four minutes of playing time at the Big 12 Tournament -- finished with six points and nine rebounds in 19 minutes.

"The thing with our team is nobody is really concerned about playing time," Richards said. "I think because we work so hard in practice to prepare the other girls, when Coach only uses seven or eight players in a game the rest of us know that we're getting the job done in practice and that's why those eight players can go out there and perform."

McConnell-Miller used 11 players against the Zags. She hopes to ride McFarland (21 points, nine rebounds) deep into this tournament while getting the 2008-09 Buffs prepared for life without the first-team All-Big 12 star at the same time.

No single player will be able to replace McFarland next season, but the coaching staff is counting on Richards be the head of the committee of front-line players who will have to raise their level of play.

"I want her to be the leader that I know she's capable of being on the floor, but that takes more playing experience," McConnell-Miller said. "Hopefully the more experience she gets the better she's going to be. Because with Jackie's absence there is going to be a huge void in a lot of ways.

"You never replace a person like Jackie but you really need somebody to step in and take that position. Kara's the one true center that we have and we need to take advantage of that."

Richards, who has averaged 9.4 minutes, 3.3 points and 2.1 rebounds this season, said she will focus on improving her outside shooting during the offseason after studying McFarland's "phenomenal footwork" in the post this year.

"Experience is the key right now," Richards said. "It's definitely not going to hurt."

The Buffs host Villanova in the third round of the WNIT at 7 p.m. on Thursday night at the Coors Events Center.