Garza Named To Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 List

Garza Named To Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 List

 Credit Source: University of Iowa Athletics

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Los Angeles Athletic Club announced the John R. Wooden Award’s Late Season Top 20 Watch List, which includes University of Iowa senior All-American center Luka Garza.

 

Chosen by a poll of national college basketball experts based on their performances during the 2020-21 season thus far, the list comprises of 20 student-athletes who are front-runners for one of the sport’s most prestigious honors.

Garza (6-foot-11, 265 pounds) has been the most dominant player in college basketball in 2020-21. Garza leads the country in points per game (26.4), player efficiency rating (42.65), 30-point games (6), and field goals made (159). He ranks 11th nationally in double-doubles (7) and 14th in free throws made (80). The native of Washington, D.C., is one of only two players in the country (Notre Dame’s Nate Laszewski) to shoot at least 60 percent from the field and at least 45 percent from 3-point range (minimum 25 3-pointers made); Garza has more than double the field goals made and attempted as Laszewski.

 

Garza became Iowa’s all-time leading scorer in Big Ten games on Jan. 10, 2021. He is 18 points from netting point No. 2,000 and 135 passing from surpassing Roy Marble as Iowa’s all-time leading scorer.

 

In addition to being named a Wooden Award All-American last season, Garza was recognized as the National Player of the Year by six national media outlets, the Pete Newell Big Man and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year, Big Ten Player of the Year, and District VI Player of the Year.

 

The Wooden Award All American Team will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2021 John R. Wooden Award will be announced following the NCAA Tournament in April.
No. 8 Iowa (12-4, 6-3) returns to action on Tuesday against Michigan State (8-6, 2-6). Tipoff is set for 6:07 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game will be televised on FS1.