Tipoff was 7 p.m. in Albany, which meant 1 a.m. in Budapest, Hungary, where Czinano is playing professional ball.
That means Iowa’s Final Four game with Connecticut will be at 3:30 Saturday morning, Czinano time.
“You’d better believe I’ll be watching,” she said. “I’ve got a good VPN on my laptop.”
A 6-foot-3 post, Czinano stayed at Iowa for a fifth season in 2022-23, and averaged 17.1 points and shot 67 percent from the floor as the Hawkeyes went 31-7 and advanced to the NCAA championship game.
She finished her career with 2,413 points, which ranks No. 3 on Iowa’s scoring chart.
Czinano and McKenna Warnock (10.9 ppg) were key graduation losses, but the Hawkeyes have remained in the national spotlight.
“I always had belief that they would make it back to the Final Four,” Czinano said. “I knew it would be a challenge, and a lot would depend on how the bracket unfolds.”
As the Iowa-LSU game unfolded, Czinano kept her eye on the paint, on both ends of the floor. Iowa’s posts — particularly Addison O’Grady — held their own.
“I was so happy for them,” Czinano said. “I knew what they were capable of. All of them bring something different.
“Hannah (Stuelke) is way different from Addi, who is different from A.J. (Ediger), who is different from Sharon (Goodman). It’s cool that (assistant coach) Jan (Jensen) found the perfect fit for that game.”
Czinano’s pro team has begun postseason play.
“There’s definitely a learning curve. The rules and technicalities are different,” she said. “That’s why WNBA players have to adjust when they come over here, then again when they go back home to play.”
One of the common themes during last year’s NCAA run was the mispronunciation of Czinano’s surname by press-conference moderators.
“Honestly, it’s the same over here,” said Czinano, who’s father is Hungarian.
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