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19 L uka Garza entered his junior season as one of 20 players named to the Kareem Abdul- Jabbar Award Watch List, recognizing the top center in college basketball. Garza has been a force over the first six weeks of the season, ranking first in the Big Ten Conference in scoring (21.6 points per game) and third in rebounding (10.0). As of Jan. 1, 2020, he is the only player in Division I to average 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. Garza has taken his skills to the next level, as the 6-foot-11 center from Washington, D.C. has turned heads across the country. "Luka Garza is the toughest post cover in the country and is the only player I have seen this season that truly plays hard end-to-end all the time," ESPN color analyst Dan Dakich said. Garza's toughness has been on display in every game this season, but none more than matchups against Texas Tech and Iowa State. Garza got hit in the mouth versus No. 12 Texas Tech, went back to the locker room to receive four stitches, and returned to the court down the stretch to lead the Hawkeyes to victory. Against Iowa State, he got hit by an elbow fighting for a rebound, which loosened one of his front teeth. "Luka wears you down," said BTN color analyst and former Purdue All-American Robbie Hummel. "He's so good at getting position and holding defenders off. He draws contact and draws fouls as well as anybody in the country. He is playing like an All-American." Over the course of the first 13 games of the season, Garza grabbed eight-or-more rebounds in every game and led the team in scoring 12 times, including a 44-point outburst at No. 4 Michigan on Dec. 6. Garza's point total against the Wolverines are the most by an Iowa center in program history and ranks third-most in school history (49 and 46 points by John Johnson). e 44 points are the most scored by a visiting player in Crisler Center history and second highest scoring output by any player in Crisler Center history (48 by Rudy Tomjanovich versus Indiana on Jan. 7, 1969). Garza's performance at Michigan and the road win at Syracuse (23 points, nine rebounds), earned him Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week and Big Ten Player of the Week recognition. Garza enters January with seven double-doubles, scoring 20 points or more in five of those contests. He is tied for second nationally with five 20-point/10 rebound games. "Luka Garza is a relentless worker," said ESPN color analyst and former college coach Seth Greenberg. "He has a complete offensive game. Luka Garza is a tough match-up because of his energy, passion, work ethic, and how versatile he is around the basket." JANUARY SCHEDULE Jan. 4 vs. Penn State Jan. 7 at Nebraska Jan. 10 Maryland Jan. 14 at Northwestern Jan. 17 Michigan Jan. 22 Rutgers Jan. 27 Wisconsin Jan. 30 at Maryland