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INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana — University of Iowa center Luka Garza was named a first-team All-American by Sporting News on Wednesday. Sporting News is one of four outlets used by the NCAA to determine its consensus All-America teams (Associated Press, National Association of Basketball Coaches, United States Basketball Writers Association, and Sporting News).
Joining Garza on the five-player first team are Dayton’s Obi Toppin, Myles Powell of Seton Hall, Marquette’s Markus Howard, Oregon’s Payton Pritchard.
Yesterday, Garza was named the National Player of the Year by Sporting News. Garza is the first player in program history to earn national player of the year distinction. He has also been voted the USBWA District VI Player of the Year and the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Player of the Year earlier this week.
The Washington, D.C., native is a finalist for five national awards: Naismith Trophy, Oscar Robertson Trophy, Wooden Award, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, and the Lute Olson Award.
Garza ranks second nationally with 12 20-point/10-rebound performances, 20-point games (25) and field goals made (287); third in points per 40 minutes played (29.9), fifth in scoring (23.9), 10th in 30-point games (5), 19th in double-doubles (15) and offensive rebounds per game (3.58), and 34th in rebounding (9.8). His 15 double-doubles are third most in a single-season by a Hawkeye in three decades and the most since 2002 (Reggie Evans, 18). Garza has averaged 26.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 12 games against AP ranked opponents this season, including recording 11 straight 20-point performances.
Garza finished the 20-game conference schedule averaging 26.2 points per game, becoming the first player to average at least 26 points in Big Ten play since Purdue’s Glenn Robinson in 1994 (31.1 ppg). Garza has scored a school-record 740 points this season, breaking the program’s 50-year old record previously set by John Johnson in 1970. He has scored 20 points or more in a school-record 16 straight Big Ten games, the longest streak by any player in the Big Ten since Ohio State’s Dennis Hopson 16 in 1987. He is the fourth player nationally since 2007 to amass 700+ points, 300+ rebounds, 50+ blocks, and 35+ 3-pointers in a season (Frank Kaminsky, 2015; Michael Beasley, 2008; Kevin Durant, 2007).
Garza has scored 25 points or more 13 times this season, including the last three contests. He is the only Big Ten player to register seven 25-point/10-rebound performances in the same season in more than 17 years. He has produced the two highest point totals in a game by a Big Ten player this season (44 at Michigan; 38 at Indiana).
No. 18 Iowa (20-11, 11-9) will open Big Ten Tournament play on Thursday against Minnesota/Northwestern. Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 1:30 p.m. (CT) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
LUKA GARZA HONORS (2019-20)
• Sporting News National Player of the Year
• Bleacher Report National Player of the Year
• Seth Davis of The Athletic’s National Player of the Year
• Sporting News First-Team All-America
• Big Ten Men’s Basketball Player of the Year
• USBWA District VI Player of the Year
• Wooden Award National Ballot
• Naismith Trophy Semifinalist
• Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Trophy Semifinalist
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Finalist
• Lute Olson Award Top 30
