The NCAA News - News and Features

March 31, 1997

Big breather

North Dakota cruises to 16-point victory in II women's championship

North Dakota relied on two second-half runs to outdistance Southern Indiana, 94-78, and win the Division II Women's Basketball Championship March 22 in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Playing before more than 4,500 fans, the Sioux turned a tie game early in the second half into a 13-point game with a 22-9 run. Then, after the Screaming Eagles climbed back to within two points, North Dakota put together a 20-6 run to end the game and Southern Indiana's hopes of winning a national championship.

Jenny Crouse was big down the stretch for North Dakota, as she scored 10 of the Sioux's 20 points in the last six minutes.

"The whole game was a game of runs. They'd make a run; we'd make a run," North Dakota coach Gene Roebuck said. "Down the stretch, it comes down to a bunch of little things -- make the plays, get a rebound here and there."

Playing in the shadow of perennial national champion North Dakota State, the Sioux weren't about to let this opportunity for a title slip away.

"We wanted to do it for the whole community and for past players," Kelli Britz said. "But we also wanted to do it for ourselves. We put in so much time and we really wanted it this year."

Paced by LeeAnn Freeland and Eileen Weber, Southern Indiana built an early seven-point lead, but Tiffany Pudenz scored a layup in transition and another off a steal to put North Dakota up, 30-29, with just over six minutes left in the first half. Pudenz scored nine of her 23 points during that nine-minute stretch in the first half.

North Dakota led by four at the half, 44-40, before Southern Indiana tied the game at 44 on a put-back by Weber. Three-point shooting by Britz keyed the first second-half run by North Dakota.

Freeland led all scorers with 27 points. Weber contributed 24 for the Screaming Eagles, who ended their season with a 30-2 record.

Pudenz paced five Sioux in double figures with 23 points. Crouse added 20 points and 11 rebounds. Kami Winger had 15 points, Britz added 14 and Jaime Pudenz chipped in 12.

The Sioux ended the year with a 28-4 record. North Dakota defeated Edinboro and Bentley in the Women's Elite Eight to advance to the title game. Southern Indiana knocked off Delta State and UC Davis to earn a spot in the championship game.

Making the all-tournament team were Jaime Pudenz, Crouse, Britz, Freeland, Weber and UC Davis' Jennifer Gross. Pudenz was the tournament's most outstanding player.

SEMIFINALS

Southern Ind. 70, UC Davis 62

Southern Ind.: Ericka Nance 0-2, 2-2, 0, 2; Adrienne Seitz 2-7, 4-6, 4, 9; J. Donner 2-6, 0-0, 0, 4; Randa Gatling 0-0, 1-2, 0, 1; M. Gingerich 1-2, 0-0, 4, 2; C. Miller 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Summer Hart 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; LeeAnn Freeland 6-12, 6-7, 9, 18; Angela Cacello 2-10, 1-2, 4, 5; Angi Lintker 2-3, 0-0, 1, 4; D. Redenbaugh 1-3, 0-0, 1, 2; Eileen Weber 9-15, 2-3, 14, 20; Cathy Tepool 0-0, 3-4, 8, 3. TOTALS: 25-60, 19-26, 46 (1 team), 70.

UC Davis: Kori Sebek 1-2, 0-1, 0, 3; Liz Doud 5-8, 0-2, 5, 10; Nicole Dubriel 3-6, 0-0, 3, 6; Carolyn Byl 4-8, 0-0, 3, 10; Karyn Castro 4-13, 4-6, 4, 12; Jennifer Gross 5-12, 0-0, 1, 11; K. Coolidge 1-6, 0-0, 6, 2; Moira Hester 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; J. Schuster 0-1, 0-2, 5, 0; Jessica Thome 3-4, 2-2, 2, 8. TOTALS: 26-60, 6-13, 35 (6 team), 62.

Half time: Tied at 31. Three-point field goals: Southern Ind. 1-13 (Seitz 1-2, Donner 0-2, Gingerich 0-1, Cacello 0-5, Weber 0-3); UC Davis 4-13 (Sebek 1-1, Byl 2-5, Gross 1-7). Disqualifications: Doud, Castro. Officials: Barbara Smith, Debbie Lee. Attendance: 2,696.

North Dak. 70, Bentley 48

Bentley: Kara Hanover 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; T. Pomerenke 1-7, 2-2, 3, 4; Bri Fecteau 1-10, 9-10, 2, 11; Nickie Sparks 2-7, 0-0, 2, 4; Sarah Blaisdell 0-3, 0-0, 1, 0; Alyssa Sluz 1-5, 2-2, 2, 4; S. Adamian 6-12, 1-2, 8, 13; Missy Pappas 1-1, 0-0, 1, 2; Stacey Connors 0-1, 2-2, 2, 2; C. Gallagher 0-1, 0-0, 1, 0; D. Chaisson 3-17, 2-2, 10, 8. TOTALS: 15-64, 18-20, 38 (6 team), 48.

North Dak.: Jaime Pudenz 1-5, 1-2, 1, 4; Tiffany Pudenz 1-13, 7-8, 5, 9; Allison Derck 0-2, 0-0, 3, 0; Anna Feit 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; P. Johnson 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Kami Winger 2-6, 2-5, 4, 6; Kelli Britz 5-9, 2-3, 8, 15; Elisha Kabanuk 1-3, 2-2, 8, 4; Casey Carroll 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Katie Richards 1-5, 4-7, 8, 6; Elisabeth Melin 1-1, 0-0, 0, 2; Jenny Crouse 811, 8-12, 16, 24. TOTALS: 20-56, 26-39, 55 (2 team), 70.

Half time: North Dak. 37, Bentley 20. Three-point field goals: Bentley 0-9 (Pomenke 0-2, Fecteau 0-4, Blaisdell 0-1, Chaisson 0-2); North Dak. 4-14 (J. Pudenz 1-2, T. Pudenz 0-5, Derck 0-1, Britz 3-6). Disqualifications: Connors, Chaisson. Officials: Tanya Porter, Peggy Lynch. Attendance: 2,696.

CHAMPIONSHIP

North Dak. 94, Southern Ind. 78

Southern Ind.: Ericka Nance 1-5, 0-0, 2, 2; Adrienne Seitz 0-4, 0-0, 3, 0; J. Donner 1-6, 0-0, 0, 3; Randa Gatling 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; M. Gingerich 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; C. Miller 1-5, 0-0, 3, 3; Lora Copelin 0-1, 0-0, 2, 0; Summer Hart 0-1, 0-0, 1, 0; LeeAnn Freeland 9-16, 9-16, 8, 27; Angela Cacello 2-3, 0-0, 4, 5; Angi Lintker 1-5, 1-1, 2, 3; D. Redenbaugh 3-7, 0-0, 4, 7; Eileen Weber 10-15, 2-2, 4, 24; Cathy Tepool 2-3, 0-0, 3, 4. TOTALS: 30-73, 12-19, 41 (5 team), 78.

North Dak.: Jaime Pudenz 3-12, 5-7, 2, 12; Tiffany Pudenz 9-19, 4-8, 3, 23; Allison Derck 0-0, 0-2, 2, 0; Anna Feit 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; P. Johnson 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0; Kami Winger 6-9, 3-4, 7, 15; Kelli Britz 5-14, 0-0, 5, 14; Elisha Kabanuk 0-0, 0-1, 10, 0; Casey Carroll 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; Katie Richards 4-5, 2-3, 6, 10; Elisabeth Melin 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Jenny Crouse 8-10, 4-5, 11, 20.

Half time: North Dak. 44, Southern Ind. 40. Three-point field goals: Southern Ind. 6-14 (Nance 0-1, Donner 1-3, Gingerich 0-1, Miller 1-3, Cacello 1-1, Redenbaugh 1-1, Weber 2-4); North Dak. 6-19 (J. Pudenz 1-6, T. Pudenz 1-3, Britz 4-10). Disqualifications: None. Officials: Tanya Porter, Debbie Lee. Attendance: 4,524.