As Iowa keeps winning, Megan Gustafson sets her alarm and keeps watching

Iowa’s Megan Gustafson (10) acknowledges her household and followers as she comes out of the sport late within the fourth quarter of their NCAA ladies’s basketball regional-semifinal sport in 2019. The Hawkeyes are again within the Elite Eight, and face Louisville on Sunday in Seattle. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

SEATTLE — Megan Gustafson is in the midst of knowledgeable national-championship best-of-7 collection.

She is also sleep-deprived.

Gustafson set her alarm for 1:30 a.m. Saturday, in time for the NCAA ladies’s basketball Candy 16 tipoff between Iowa and Colorado.

“It’s so thrilling,” mentioned Gustafson, 26, and Iowa’s all-time main scorer (for now). “It brings again so many reminiscences.”

The nationwide participant of the yr in 2019, Gustafson led the Hawkeyes to the Elite Eight that yr; the street ended at Greensboro, N.C., in opposition to eventual-champion Baylor.

Monika Czinano was a freshman backup to Gustafson on that workforce. Kate Martin had arrived in Iowa Metropolis as effectively, however was redshirting attributable to a torn ACL.

Gustafson has an enormous gentle spot for her former understudy, who blossomed into an elite put up in her personal proper.

“Monika deserves a lot extra credit score that she will get,” Gustafson mentioned. “She actually is the engine to this workforce.

“I keep in mind earlier than Monika bought on campus, (assistant coach) Jan (Jensen) got here as much as me and mentioned, ‘There’s a freshman who has plenty of potential.’

“She was uncooked, however she was so constructive and keen to do no matter it takes. No matter I did, she did. On off days, I might textual content her and inform her I used to be going to the health club. She by no means complained. It was all the time, ‘OK, I’m prepared.’”

Czinano nonetheless shakes her head about these days, and about Gustafson’s position in her success.

“Right here’s Megan, a senior All-American and the Massive Ten participant of the yr, asking a freshman to tag alongside,” Czinano mentioned. “I in all probability slowed down her exercises a lot.

“If Megan hadn’t accomplished that for me, I by no means would have identified what it takes to get to this stage.”

When Gustafson concluded her profession with 2,804 factors, it was extensively believed that her scoring file would final for a protracted, very long time.

Then alongside got here Caitlin Clark.

“As quickly as I noticed her play as a freshman, I believed, ‘Yeah, this file isn’t going to final lengthy in any respect,’” Gustafson mentioned. “I like it.”

Clark’s scoring whole stands at 2,605 factors, with one season remaining, and perhaps two.

“Enjoying with Caitlin could be a lot enjoyable,” Gustafson mentioned. “In September, I jumped in with the workforce. Caitlin and I had been on the identical workforce … we did fairly effectively.”

So, who would win between Iowa 2019 and Iowa 2023?

“Whew, I take into consideration that generally,” Gustafson mentioned. “It will be a back-and-forth battle.

“It’s loopy how related the groups are. Monika and me, Caitlin and Kathleen (Doyle).”

Gustafson was strolling house from the seashore throughout an interview Saturday. Her European professional workforce, Olympiacos, holds a 2-1 lead within the Greek League finals. Recreation 4 is Thursday.

In the meantime, third-ranked Iowa (28-6) faces Louisville (26-11) Sunday; tipoff is 8 p.m. (Iowa time) at Local weather Pledge Enviornment.

Win, and the Hawkeyes advance to the Last 4 (subsequent week at Dallas) for the primary time since 1993.

Gustafson will set her alarm once more … will probably be 3 a.m. Monday in Greece.

“It is going to be exhausting to get up, however I’m not going to overlook it,” Gustafson mentioned. “Attending to the Last 4 … it’s historical past.

“I believe they’re going to get it accomplished.”

Feedback: jeff.linder@thegazette.com