Kelsey Maffin couldn't have asked for a better start to her senior season. At the Disney Tip-Off Classic in Orlando, Fla., Maffin averaged 19.7 points and led the Sioux to the title. She was named the tournament's MVP as well.
After three games, she was on the brink of a remarkable season - considering she put up good numbers against some of the top Division II teams in the country.
However, Maffin suffered an ankle injury a week later. Then, just before UND's break for Christmas, Maffin sprained her other ankle. Shortly after she recovered from her ankle sprains, she suffered a slight knee sprain.
Her average of 19.7 points per game dipped to 10.2 by midseason. As the Sioux continued to roll, Maffin's role wasn't what it was at the start of the season. She remained a starter. She had solid games, average games and games she'd like to forget.
"It definitely was a mental thing," Maffin said of her roller coaster senior year. "Everyone will go through injuries. Unfortunately, I had to go through more than normal. The first few weeks after you get back always are tough, too. You'll be slower than the rest of the team. I'm just getting back into the flow."
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Maffin's finish to the season is beginning to mirror her start. Her play in last week's NCAA Division II North Central Region tournament earned her MVP honors. She averaged 13.3 points in UND's three regional wins, and her play in the semifinal round against Regis (19 points) was the difference in a 78-63 Sioux win.
Maffin hopes to maintain her elevated play Wednesday against No. 1-ranked Flordia Gulf Coast in the quarterfinal round of the Elite Eight tournament in Kearney, Neb.
Her injuries this season, however, weren't her first. As a sophomore, Maffin suffered a knee injury late in the season, which didn't help UND's appearance in the North Central Region tournament.
"I've struggled with inconsistency my whole career," Maffin said. "I don't want to make excuses, but I'm sure injuries have had something to do with it. But it's more of a mental thing."
Maffin's numbers, despite her injuries, are solid. She's averaging 9.7 points and 3.8 rebounds.
She complements UND's powerful inside game with her ability to score on drives to the basket. And she also has a solid mid-range jump shot.
"Kelsey has a lot of confidence," said UND's other senior, Carissa Jahner. "She's had to battle a lot of injuries. Last week just proved how good of a player she is."
Maffin's play in the region tournament didn't surprise UND coach Gene Roebuck.
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"I think she's back to 100 percent," Roebuck said. "More than anything, she might have been hampered by injuries. But right when we needed her, that's when we got her to full strength.
"She's playing with emotion, too. She's stepped up. That's what seniors should do at this time of the year."
And Maffin knows she has one final chance at a national title, which has eluded UND since 1999.
She approached the postseason with a determined mindset.
"I knew I had to pick my game up," Maffin said.
UND vs.
Florida Gulf Coast
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday.
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Where: Health and Fitness Center, Kearney, Neb.
Radio/TV: KSNR (100.3 FM), WDAZ (Channel 8, GF).
Records: UND 32-3, Florida Gulf Coast 32-0.
Of note: Kelsey Maffin has scored in double figures 12 times this season.
Reach Nelson at 780-1268, (800) 477-6572 ext. 268 or wnelson@gfherald.com .
