Iowa Basketball: Why Luka Garza should win National Player of the Year

2) Consistency

What also made Garza’s season so special was the consistency with which he produced those massive numbers.

The Hawkeyes star scored at least 20 points in 25 games, which was the second-most in the nation. He also ranked second in the NCAA by having 12 games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. Yet Garza’s accomplishments don’t end there – he went for at least 25 and 10 seven times, which is the most by any player from a power conference in the last 17 years.

For as dominant as Toppin was against A-10 competition, even he can’t touch Garza’s level of consistency. There were only five games in which he scored at least 25 points and he only recorded seven double-doubles, only one of which came with more than 25 points.

Meanwhile, Garza had seven double-doubles in the first 11 Big Ten games Iowa played. He also ended the season on a 16-game streak in which he had scored at least 20 points – Toppin had 16 games with at least 20 points all season.

That consistency is what separates Garza from the Toppin and everyone else, according to Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery:

"“I believe the thing that separates him, not to disrespect anybody else that’s under consideration, because there’s some phenomenal players that put up great numbers. The consistency of productivity, considering the quality of teams in our league and the quality of big guy that he’s doing it again I think is what separates him.”"

A lot of guys can be great in flashes, and Garza certainly had his moments as well – but no one did what he was able to do on a nightly basis.