Disterhoft ready for expended role

IOWA CITY — It's out there. Far out there, but not unreachable.

Ally Disterhoft will take a more active, more aggressive approach offensively in her junior season. And she should rise steadily on Iowa's all-time scoring chart throughout the second half of her career.

With 977 points through two seasons, the former Miss Iowa Basketball from Iowa City West isn't far off the pace set by scoring leader Cindy Haugejorde, who compiled 2,059 points in her career (1976-80).

'It's crossed my mind a few times,' Disterhoft said Thursday at the Hawkeyes' media day at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 'Obviously, that would be awesome, but it's not something I put much weight on.

'I don't get caught up in the individual aspect of the game. It's not what I'm about, and it's not what Iowa women's basketball is about.'

A 6-foot wing player, Disterhoft scored 474 points (13.2 per game) as a freshman, then upped it to 503 points (14.8 ppg) last season.

With Samantha Logic, Melissa Dixon and Bethany Doolittle graduated, Disterhoft's role will increase.

'Ally is definitely going to be in a different role for us this year,' Coach Lisa Bluder said. 'She's had two terrific seasons in an Iowa uniform. She's been named to the All-Big Ten preseason poll, which is a great honor, and it shows you the respect that everyone around our league has for her.'

Disterhoft said, 'Maybe I'll be a more vocal leader. Maybe I'll have to look to score a little more. But I don't think much will change.'

SMALL SCHOOL TO BIG SCHOOL

Megan Gustafson was a very big scorer at a very small high school.

The three-time first-team all-stater from Port Wing (Wis.) South Shore, Gustafson compiled 3,229 points and 1,724 rebounds. The 6-foot-3 post is the only Wisconsin prep to eclipse 3,000 points, including a 64-point game as a senior.

'She likes to be down in the block and she likes to have that physical contact,' Bluder said. 'So she is going to play significantly as a freshman.'

Gustafson's new team is bigger than her entire high school senior class. She was part of a graduating class of 11 in May.

'There is a picture posted where her class is on their senior class trip and they fit in one van and one selfie,' Bluder said.

'It's been kind of a crazy adjustment,' Gustafson said. 'Going to class every day ... all those people, it's an adjustment.'

Generally the biggest and best player on the court in high school, Gustafson battled with experienced college posts like Doolittle and Chase Coley in the Game Time League last summer. Life in the Big Ten awaits.

'I just hope to help and contribute as much as I can,' she said.

CHANGES TO THE GAME

Bluder reacted Thursday to two rules changes to the women's game coming this season.

On four 10-minute quarters instead of two 20-minute halves:

'I may have had math a long time ago, but it's the same as two 20-minute halves. So I'm not sure how that quickens the game. We do have two less media timeouts I believe than we did last year. So that will quicken it up a couple minutes.'

A two-shot bonus at five fouls in a quarter, and the elimination of the one-and-one:

'I was a fan of the one-on-one. For one thing my team's a good free-throw shooting team. When you face teams that aren't as good of free-throw shooting teams, you get the benefit of the second free throw. Well, they often did not. So to me, that rule ... I'm not a big fan of that change.'

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