Continuing his All-American like play, senior Jarrod Uthoff scored 22 points to spark a second half comeback as Iowa beat Purdue on Sunday, keeping them tied for first in the Big 10 standings.
The Hawkeyes (16-3, 7-0) have now won nine games in a row since losing to Iowa State, including a conference play sweep of both Michigan State and Purdue, two of the preseason favorites in the Big 10. As Iowa remains tied with Indiana at 7-0–the Hoosiers have yet to play anyone of substance in conference play–attention now turns to the questions surrounding this group’s upside. Can they win the conference? Can they win a title?
To do that, you have to have quality guard play, a star on the wing, and the ability to lock down on defense when needed. The Hawkeyes have all of that, especially a star in Uthoff.
The senior is averaging 18.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and three blocks per game, all while shooting 48.7-percent from the field and 48.4-percent from three-point land. He’s efficient from every spot on the floor, only recording 21 turnovers on the entire season. At this point, he’s the favorite for Big 10 Player of the Year over the likes of Denzel Valentine and Melo Trimble, a likely choice for postseason All-American honors, and firmly in the discussion for both the Naismith Player of the Year Award and the Wooden Award.
The way this season has gone, it wouldn’t be a total shock to see Iowa fall apart and drop conference games that, at this moment, we can’t imagine them losing. That’s life in 2015-2016 for rising teams. But this team has the pieces you need to make serious noise nationally, and they’re already doing it in the Big 10 standings.
