NCAA Basketball: 3 remain in tight 2019-20 National Player of the Year race

Stats: 23.7 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 1.8 bpg

For as good as Pritchard, Toppin, and the other All-American candidates mentioned previously have been, Luka Garza has to be the top guy for National Player of the Year at the moment.

The 6-11, 260-pounder has done everything you could want from a star. He has put up ridiculous numbers (record-setting ones in the Big Ten, at that) in what has been the toughest conference in the country while facing other elite players at his position on a nightly basis.

Garza has also done this without his full supporting cast, as star guard Jordan Bohannon was lost for the season in mid-December due to a hip injury. When that was announced, many (including myself) thought an otherwise average Iowa team would suffer. That didn’t happen thanks to Garza, who has put the Hawkeyes on his back.

We saw prime examples of that this week. Garza shook off an extremely rough first half against Penn State in order to lead a comeback effort with 25 points, 17 rebounds, and four blocks.

That was followed up with a 26-point, 12-rebounds, four-steal, four-block performance against Purdue, but that came in a loss – but there’s no shame in losing to Home Purdue at Mackey Arena this year.

I’ll stop short of saying that Garza has this award wrapped up already, as poor play against Illinois and in the Big Ten Tournament would open the door for a late surge from Pritchard or Toppin, but it’s close. The Iowa big man will win this award as long as he continues to produce near the level he has all season long.