The signs were there, but power forward Angie Potthoff didn't notice them.

In every women's basketball game, she was mounting the numbers, scoring and rebounding in double figures 13 times. In each outing, she played an average of 30-plus minutes, making each one count as she repeatedly broke her career stat records.

Potthoff was able to do it all, despite sometimes feeling really tired after games and practices.

But then Wisconsin came on Jan. 29, and the redshirt sophomore struggled with only two points and five rebounds before finishing the night with 10 points and 14 boards.

The exhaustion had begun showing its effect, but Potthoff just attributed it to being out of shape.

"I thought I needed to get back on track and practice harder," she said. "I didn't really think of it as being overworked or fatigued. I was just trying to find a way to push myself harder."

As she pushed herself harder, Potthoff began losing weight to the sum of 16 pounds since the beginning of the season.

Then Friday at Indiana, Potthoff put up characteristic numbers --18 points and eight rebounds -- but other telling signs showed up in her game.

On several defensive transitions, she trailed the play. Six minutes into the second half, she hit the floor hard and was slow to get up.

Two days later at Purdue, Potthoff let several shooting opportunities pass her by. Playing only 24 minutes, she went 1-for-6 with nine points and five rebounds.

From the sidelines, Coach Rene Portland watched her leading scorer struggle. Although Potthoff didn't realize she was fading away, her coach did.

"She's gotten smacked in the head, she's got a black eye," Portland said. "It's just one thing after another. Her body physically is not taking the wear and tear."

So after Sunday's 57-43 loss, Portland decided to shut Potthoff down -- no practice for a week and no traveling to Michigan this weekend.

"She's exhausted," Portland said. "When you're exhausted, you just cry a lot. She's physically beaten up, and I think that's contributing to her play right now."

Potthoff said resting for a week will be difficult. She wants to be with her teammates, out on the floor playing. If it were up to her, Potthoff said, she would be in practice.

But she also said she understands that Portland is just looking out for her and the team's best interests.

"I don't want to go out there and fool myself and my teammates, saying I can go the full time when I can't," Potthoff said.

While Potthoff takes a week off, her teammates will not practice again until tomorrow. Hoping rest will help the team rebound from Sunday's loss, Portland gave the Lady Lions a two-day break.

"Because of our numbers and all the injuries we've had, key people are playing a lot of time," the coach said.

With a lack of contribution coming off the bench, Portland has had to rely mainly on her starters. Guards Carla Coleman, Tiffany Longworth and Tina Nicholson are all averaging more than 30 minutes of game time.

"I just think we're extremely tired," Portland said. "Rest is the major word."