SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Jill Zaruba, a 6-foot-2 starter who averages eight points and five rebounds, will not be with North Dakota State's women's basketball team at the Summit League postseason tournament.
Zaruba missed the last two regular-season games last week, nursing a contusion on her kidney which she incurred from a collision with teammate Katie Birkel during practice.
"She's been told no physical activity," said Bison head coach Carolyn DeHoff, whose team opens tournament play today with a 2:30 p.m. game against Western Illinois. "She is feeling much
better. But she's been ordered 10 days of bed rest, no classes and limited walking."
With the loss of Zaruba, the Bison are now down to six scholarship players. During the season, the Bison lost Abby Plucker, Megan Shea and Nicole Vigil to injuries.
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Like last week, junior Ashley Samuelson of Underwood, Minn., will start in place of Zaruba. Kate Moser, a 6-1 junior walkon from Bismarck, N.D., will see more playing time.
"Mentally, our players are kind of numb to all of this anymore," DeHoff said of the flurry of injuries. "It now becomes a matter of depth -
especially for a tournament.
"We will miss Jill, no doubt ... from a rebounding perspective and her ability to score from 17 feet on in."
