“Elite” Ending | News, Sports, Work

And despite the gusts of wind that fell 61-50 to end the historic season, Hauger was one of several senior leaders who said his college career had an elite ending.

A loss to Smith College in Massachusetts (30-2), the Gasties finished the season with a 29-2 mark, winning program record, marking the women’s program’s first ever reach the Elite Eight.

Ranked fifth in the nation, Gust of Wind followed just 30-29 at halftime. Ranked eighth, Smith made a slow push and controlled the fourth quarter by surpassing the Gasties 14-6 in a 61-50 victory.

This has led Smith to the Final Four for his third consecutive season.

Photo courtesy of Jordan Modeski/Gustavas Athletics Gustavas Sydney Hauger dribbles the ball while being protected by McMurray’s Kylie Flippin during the March 12 Sweet 16 National Tournament match at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.

“It’s not exactly different to us that we got out of the game. We had 11 turnovers in the first half, and we were usually like 13 in the game.” Hauger said. “At the end of the first half, they had some steps and stealing, but I think it eventually broke the game. Because of the matchups, we feel like we’re in pretty good alignment with them.

Landau finished the game with 22 points.

The Gusties were hanging in the game until the cold fourth quarter forced a foul in the final minute. Hauger picked up a back-to-back foul in the final minute, stopping the clock to give the team a chance, giving the fourth and fifth fouls of the game, making sure they were seated.

“I don’t think I was emotional until I had to go to the bench.” Hauger said. “Another senior sitting on the edge of the bench was waiting for me, and I think I had to put everyone in high five and hold her and I had to hold her and hold her, and that was really tough.

Gustavus’ big playoff run began after beating Bethel 66-53 after winning the MIAC Tournament Championship on the home court on March 1st.

The Gasties then hosted Wisconsin Lutheran in the first match of the NCAA Tournament on March 7th. This is a 61-49 overtime victory that Gustavas gave him another home tournament game against Wartberg on March 8th. The Gasties won that game 56-50 and advanced to Sweet 16, the second in program history that first came in the 2017-18 season.

The Wortburg victory set up Gustabus for a long trip to Brunswick, Maine, opening the next round of the tournament. The Gasties left St. Peter at around 4am last Wednesday and caught a flight to Main. One group stopped in Chicago and the other stopped in Dulles, Virginia.

After arriving in Maine, Hauger said the team had several team meals and gatherings at places like the back naked BBQ & Studio Bar, Antonia’s Pizzeria, Big Top Deli and Bay Bowl.

Despite being split into flights until backing up in Portland, Maine, the Gasties were in full sync during a sweet 16-game with McMurray on March 19, when he won 71-58 at Boud Inn College.

During that victory, Hauger finished the game with 12 points, scoring 1,000 points in his three-quarter Gustavus career.

“We didn’t know how many needed, but they didn’t stop the game, but all fan sections put up these papers with 1,000.” Hauger said.

That 3 saw her join the 1,000-point club for the second time in her basketball career, as she did with the Springfield Tigers in 2018. Hauger scored over 1,000 more points with the Tigers, finishing his career in 2020 with the Tigers Girls’ record of 2,219 points.

Hauger said that while he scored 1,000 points in college it was still a great achievement, but she was even more worried about winning.

“It’s pretty cool, but that’s not something I think about often.” She said. “I think more about my team and what we enjoy doing together, but that’s kind of a bit of an added bonus.”

Hauger and The Gusties hope to play their final four games in Salem, Virginia on Thursday, but there’s a lot that the team can be proud of. Hauger said reaching the Elite Eight is evidence of how good Gustavas women’s basketball team is.

“When I first started with Gustavas, it was like, ‘OK, our goal is to go to a national tournament.’ ” Hauger said. “And now we’ve grown so much and our goal this year was to reach the Sweet 16. I’m very proud of our team. I’m very grateful to have reached the Elite Eight. At that point, all of our teams are excellent.

“I think the NCAA and many of the other teams counted us because MIAC hasn’t played in national tournaments in general before. One of the goals this year was to prove that we are in fact really a high quality basketball team.

Hauger finished his college career with two MIAC All Conference selections and 1,013 points and 1,013 points in the history of Gustavus Women’s Basketball.