NCAA Basketball Power Rankings: Seton Hall soars, Auburn drops

Iowa needed to get back on track after dropping back-to-back games to Penn State and Nebraska to fall to 1-3 in Big Ten play. With three straight victories in the past 10 days, the Hawkeyes have been able to do just that. Although that loss to the Cornhuskers still stings, Iowa now holds a 13-5 (4-3 B10) record with a bunch of quality wins. That warrants plenty of attention as a Top 25 team in the country.

Leading the way, of course, is National Player of the Year contender Luka Garza. An absolute star that is dominating every opposing frontcourt that he faces, Garza has taken a massive leap this season and is deserving of praise. His play is the main reason why Iowa is so highly-regarded and he should be ranked among the favorites for NPOY. Even as a big man, Garza dominates most games and is averaging ridiculous numbers of 22.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. Flat-out stud.

Garza, though, is not Iowa’s only offensive threat. There is plenty of scoring balance and shooting around him and that is why the Hawkeyes rank second nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency. It appears as though they can fill up the scoreboard against just about any defense and that makes them especially dangerous. With Garza inside and a ton of threats around him, this is a team built to simply outscore its opposition – and it works more often than not.