By Ryan Bakken
Herald Staff Writer
Ten North Central Conference Players of the Week have been named this season. None of them are from UND.
Given the Sioux's domination of the league, there are three possible explanations for this oddity: 1) the sports information director voters are throwing the rest of the league some bones; 2) UND has too much balance for one player to stand out; or 3) both of the above.
"We haven't had a Player of the Week, but we might have been Team of the Week a couple of times," UND coach Gene Roebuck said with a grin.
UND was a candidate for that distinction for its play again this weekend. Their 101-49 dismantling of overmatched Nebraska-Omaha Saturday night at Hyslop Sports Center came on the heels of their 15-point win over Northern Colorado Friday in a matchup of conference unbeatens.
With North Dakota State defeating UNC Saturday in Fargo, the Sioux (9-0 in the NCC, 17-1 overall) have opened a two-game lead on the field at the halfway point in the conference season. And their 9-0 record hasn't done justice to their steamrollering of the conference that claimed yet another flattened victim and the sixth time they've reached triple figures. The six 100-point games is a school season record.
Again, it was a team effort, as 29 of their 34 field goals came via assists, no one played 30 minutes, all 11 players scored and five reached double figures -- Tiffany Pudenz (21), Jenny Crouse (16), Mandy Arndtson (15), Katie Richards (12) and Jaime Pudenz (11).
"If we get a lead, we're going to play everyone," Roebuck said. "That hurts some players who would otherwise score more. That Player of the Week award most of the time is all about points. And we're not selfish. We're going to help our younger players."
Despite that sharing of the wealth, the Sioux again have a legitimate player of the week candidate in Tiffany Pudenz. The senior off-guard put up 21 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists atop the 22 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists she laid on Northern Colorado.
"We've never talked about us not having a Player of the Week," Pudenz said. "We don't even know who wins them. We just want to keep playing as a team. That's what got us this far and that's what got us the big lead tonight."
Pudenz had a breakthrough year as a junior. But she's playing even better this season, when she's let the game come to her rather than force matters as she sometimes did a year ago. That consistency extends beyond her scoring, as she also leads the Sioux in assists, steals and ballhandlers harassed.
"I have more confidence this year and I have more concentration, too," Pudenz said. "And when I have a down game, I don't let it bother me as much. I just hate playing badly. But if I get down, the whole team could get down.
"I can't let that happen."
She hasn't. And the sheer joy and energy she has played with has rubbed off on her 10 teammates.
"Tiffany is enjoying her teammates a lot," Roebuck said. "And maybe the way we finished last year (with a national championship) took a lot of weight off her shoulders. She's more relaxed and enjoying her senior year.
"I'm going to say she's the best guard in the conference right now. And I rank her with the very best few who have played here for me."
The other huge Sioux weekend besides Pudenz' belonged to Arndtson, a freshman reserve forward. In just 17 minutes, the human impersonation of perpetual motion had 15 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. She had a similar showing Friday, too.
Even if they were at full strength, the Mavericks would have faced a monumental task. But they were without two ailing starters -- Kim Birkel and Beth Wilkinson.
Plus, they are in a slump, suffering their seventh straight loss after an impressive non-conference season and 2-0 start in the NCC. The mismatch was evident from the start, as Crouse had three of her seven blocks in the first 76 seconds and the Mavericks twice needed 15 seconds early to cross the half-court line.
Omaha's bright spot was the 15-point showing by reserve center Idelle Murphy, who is both the league's biggest player (a sturdy 6-foot-4) and oldest (at 30 years). She received an appreciative round of applause from UND fans when she fouled out late.
The rest of the plentiful applause went to Sioux players, who made yet another bid for Team of the Week.