IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa standout Luka Garza is one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Trophy, which is presented annually to the most outstanding player who achieves tremendous on-court success, it was announced Thursday by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.

Garza (6-foot-11, 260 pounds) ranks first nationally with 12 20-point/10-rebound performances and field goals made (275), second in 20-point games (24), third in points per 40 minutes played (29.9), fifth in scoring (23.7), ninth in 30-point games (5), 17th in double-doubles (15) and offensive rebounds per game (3.7), and 33rd in rebounding (9.9). His 15 double-doubles are third most in a single-season by a Hawkeye in three decades and the most since 2002 (Reggie Evans, 18). Garza is one of two players in the country, and only player from a major conference, to average better than 23 points and nine rebounds per game.

Garza, who has led the Big Ten in scoring since November, surpassed 700 points on March 3 to break the Iowa’s 50-year old single-season scoring record. He has scored 20 points or more in a school-record 15 straight Big Ten games, the longest streak by any player in the Big Ten since Purdue’s Glenn Robinson (15 in 1994).

Garza has scored 25 points or more 12 times this season, including the last two contests (Penn State and Purdue). He has controlled 12 or more rebounds 10 times this season, a total that ties for 14th best in the NCAA. The native of Washington, D.C., is the only Big Ten player to register seven 25-point/10-rebound performances in the same season in more than 17 years.

Garza, who is seeking to become Iowa’s first Big Ten MVP since Sam Williams in 1968, has been a force with his back to the basket in the post and facing defenders on the perimeter. He has produced the two highest point totals in a game by a Big Ten player this season (44 at Michigan; 38 at Indiana). Garza is one of two centers in the nation shooting 35 percent or better from 3-point range (min. 100 attempts).

Finalists for the trophy will be revealed on March 17, while the winner will be announced April 5, at the Naismith Awards Brunch in Atlanta.

No. 18 Iowa (20-10, 11-8) will play its regular season finale at No. 23 Illinois (20-9, 12-6) on Sunday in Champaign, Illinois. The game will be televised nationally on BTN.

Naismith Trophy Semifinalists

Udoka Azubuike               Sr.           C             Kansas
Vernon Carey                    Fr.           C             Duke
Devon Dotson                  So.          G             Kansas
Malachi Flynn                    Jr.           G             San Diego State
Luka Garza                        Jr.           C             Iowa
Markus Howard                Sr.           G             Marquette
Myles Powell                     Sr.           G             Seton Hall
Payton Pritchard               Sr.           G             Oregon
Jalen Smith                       So.          F              Maryland
Obi Toppin                        So.          F              Dayton

The Class 3A Boys State Basketball Tournament bracket and pairings have been set by the IHSAA. The full tournament schedule is now in place for next week. Check out the 3A pairings below and follow the links for the bracket in each class.

Class 3A Quarterfinals (Tuesday, March 10th)

#1 Norwalk (21-3) vs. #8 Harlan (18-6) 11:15 a.m.
#4 Center Point-Urbana (18-6) vs. #5 Ballard (18-6) 1:00 p.m.
#2 Mount Vernon (22-2) vs. #7 Clear Creek-Amana (19-5) 2:45 p.m.
#3 Pella (19-5) vs. #6 Sergeant Bluff-Luton (14-10) 4:30 p.m.

2019 – 2020 Girls Basketball All Pride of Iowa Teams

1st Team
*Jensen Archibald MSTM Sr.
*Sam Stewart Mt. Ayr Sr.
Channler Henle Mt. Ayr Jr.
*Riley Bell CD Sr.
Alyssa Davis NV Sr.
*Maddax DeVault NV So.

2nd Team
Maddy Stott MSTM Sr.
Skylyr Stewart MSTM Sr.
Josie Hartman SE Warren So.
Lexi Shike NV Jr.
Alaina Applegate CD Sr.
Rachel Sobotka Mt. Ayr Jr.

*Unanimous Selection

Honorable Mention

Bedford – Kennedy Weed
Central Decatur – Hallee Hamilton
East Union – Kaylin Lack
Lenox – Cassidy Nelson
MSTM – Anna Parrott
Mt. Ayr – Jaycee Knight
NV – Reagan Weinheimer
SWV – Jentry Schafer
SEW – Alivia Ruble
Wayne – Rayleigh Snyder

Class 5A Semifinals

#2 Iowa City High (23-1) vs. #3 Johnston (22-2) 10:00 a.m.
#1 Waukee (22-2) vs. #5 Waterloo West (20-4) 11:45 a.m.

Class 4A Semifinals

#1 North Scott (24-0) vs. #4 Center Point-Urbana 5:00 p.m.
#2 Glenwood (25-0) vs. #6 Lewis Central 6:45 p.m.

Class 3A Semifinals

#1 Dike-New Hartford (23-1) vs. #5 North Polk 1:30 p.m.
#2 Clear Lake (23-2) vs. #3 Bishop Heelan (20-4) 3:15 p.m.

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

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Class 3A Substate 2

Ballard 65, Clear Lake 56

Class 3A Substate 5

Clear Creek-Amana 79, Assumption, Davenport 66

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The top-ranked Iowa wrestling team heads into the Big Ten Tournament looking for its first conference championship since 2015. The tournament is Saturday and Sunday at Rutgers. The Hawkeyes made it through the regular season undefeated, with 10 of their 13 dual-meet wins against nationally ranked teams. All 10 of their wrestlers enter the conference tournament seeded in the top three in their classes: 125-pounder Spencer Lee and 174-pounder Michael Kemerer are seeded No. 1. Iowa finished third behind Penn State and Ohio State in last season’s conference meet.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Udoka Azubuike scored a career-high 31 points, leading top-ranked Kansas to a 75-66 victory over TCU to clinch at least a share of the Big 12 regular-season title. Azubuike was 13 of 14 from the field and also had 14 rebounds and five blocks Wednesday just days after hurting his ankle in a win over Kansas State. Devon Dotson added 18 points and he gave coach Bill Self and about 16,000 fans a scare when he left briefly midway through the second with an injury. Desmond Bane had 24 points and Edric Dennis Jr. had 18 for the Horned Frogs.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Mitch Ballock made a season-high six 3-pointers and finished with 20 points, and No. 11 Creighton rode one of its best shooting games of the season to a 91-76 win over Georgetown. The Bluejays hit a season-high 17 3s on 36 attempts. They made only 4 of 27 in a 20-point loss at St. John’s on Sunday. Marcus Zegarowski had 20 points and eight assists. Jahvon Blair led the Hoyas with 22 points. Creighton plays No. 8 Seton Hall on Saturday with the No. 1 seed in the Big East Tournament going to the winner.

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Cameron McGriff scored 14 points and had five rebounds to help lead Oklahoma State to a 69-63 victory over Kansas State. Thomas Dziagwa scored 11 points and Isaac Likekele had nine points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Oklahoma State (16-14, 6-11 Big 12). Cartier Diarra scored 16 points to lead Kansas State (9-21, 2-15), while Mike McGuirl scored 11 and Xavier Sneed had 10 points and seven rebounds. K-State has lost 10 in a row.

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Breein Tyree scored 19 points and led a decisive surge in the final 13 minutes and Mississippi defeated Missouri 75-67. Tyree sparked a 10-2 run midway through the second half to give the Rebels a 63-55 lead with 8:18 left. Missouri never got closer than four points again, failing to score in the final two minutes. Tyree, in his final home appearance as a senior, added five assists and four rebounds. Xavier Pinson scored 16 points with five assists and four rebounds for Missouri

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The top-ranked Iowa wrestling team heads into the Big Ten Tournament looking for its first conference championship since 2015. The tournament is Saturday and Sunday at Rutgers. The Hawkeyes made it through the regular season undefeated, with 10 of their 13 dual-meet wins against nationally ranked teams.

FILE – In this Jan. 31, 2020, file photo, Iowa’s Michael Kemerer celebrates after defeating Penn State’s Mark Hall at 174 pounds during a Big Ten college wrestling meet in Iowa City, Iowa. Ten of the Hawkeyes’ 13 dual-meet wins came against nationally ranked teams, including a 13-day stretch in January in which they defeated Nebraska, Ohio State and Penn State, teams that finished in the top five in the final national rankings. They go into this weekend’s Big Ten championships in Piscataway, N.J., with every wrestler seeded in the top three in their individual classes. (Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen via AP, File)

All 10 of their wrestlers enter the conference tournament seeded in the top three in their classes: 125-pounder Spencer Lee and 174-pounder Michael Kemerer are seeded No. 1. Iowa finished third behind Penn State and Ohio State in last season’s conference meet.

Class 2A Quarterfinals
#2 West Hancock 57, #7 Logan-Magnolia 31
#3 North Linn 49, #6 Western Christian 44

Class 1A Quarterfinals

#1 Newell-Fonda 77, #8 St. Albert 47
#5 Saint Ansgar 51, #4 Montezuma 46
#2 Marquette Catholic 60, #7 Gehlen Catholic 53
#3 Bishop Garrigan 55, #6 Martensdale-St. Marys 40

The 2020 Class 4A State Basketball Tournament bracket has been set. The IHSAA announced the pairings late Tuesday night following Substate Final to determine qualifiers.

Class 4A Quarterfinals

Tuesday, March 10

#4 Waukee (21-2) vs. #5 North Scott, Eldridge (22-1) 6:30 p.m.
#1 Ankeny Centennial (23-1) vs. #8 Davenport, North (16-8) 8:15 p.m.

Wednesday, March 11

#3 Iowa City, West (21-2) vs. #6 Ankeny (18-5) 10:30 a.m.
#2 Cedar Falls (21-2) vs. #7 Dowling Catholic, W.D.M. (16-7) 12:15 p.m.

Class 4A Bracket