Luka Garza Named Naismith Trophy Player of the Week

Luka Garza Named Naismith Trophy Player of the Week

 Credit Source: University of Iowa Athletics

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa men’s basketball All-American Luka Garza was tabbed the Naismith Trophy Player of the Week on Monday for his efforts in Iowa’s two victories last week.

Garza (6-foot-11, 265 pounds) helped lead the nationally-ranked Hawkeyes to a pair of victories over No. 21 Wisconsin (77-62) and Penn State (74-68). The All-American averaged 26.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, two assists, and one block in the two contests.

The native of Washington, D.C., became Iowa’s all-time leading scorer in its last outing against Penn State on Sunday. Garza broke the school’s 32-year old record held by Roy Marble. Garza’s layup with 8:18 remaining in the second half was the record-breaking basket. Garza recorded his 31st career double-double and team-leading 10th of the season, totaling 23 points and 11 rebounds, against the Nittany Lions.

Garza totaled 30 points and eight rebounds against the Badgers last Thursday. He was 11-of-19 (.579) from the field, including a blistering 4-of-6 (.667) from 3-point territory. The 15-point victory (77-62) at Wisconsin is its largest margin of victory in Madison since a 15-point win over the Badgers on Jan. 25, 1988; its 77 points are the most scored by a Hawkeye team at the Kohl Center since a 79-76 win on Feb. 3, 1998.

In addition to ranking first in career scoring, Garza is first at Iowa in conference scoring (1,324), total field goals made (799), field goal attempts (1,461), and 40-point games (2); second in 30-point games (12); fifth in double-doubles (31); sixth in rebounding (856); seventh in blocked shots (140); eighth in free throw makes (420); and 15th in 3-pointers made (108).

He is the only men’s basketball player in Big Ten history to accumulate 2,000 points, 850 rebounds, 125 blocked shots, and 100 3-pointers and he is the only player from a major conference with those numbers dating back to the 1992-93 season. Garza is the only Hawkeye in school history to amass four 400-point seasons and is one of 11 Hawkeyes with two 500-point seasons.

Garza and the ninth-ranked Hawkeyes (17-6, 11-5) will face No. 3 Michigan (16-1, 11-1) on Thursday. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. (CT) at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan.