Iowa’s Gustafson named Big Ten player of the year

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa senior Megan Gustafson was named the Big Ten player of the year Monday, becoming the first Hawkeye to win the award twice.

Gustafson was tabbed for the honor in a vote by the league’s coaches and media members.

Gustafson averaged 28.4 points, 13.8 rebounds, and shot 68.7 percent from the field in Big Ten games this season. She scored at least 20 points in 17 of Iowa’s 18 games and had at least 10 rebounds 17 times as well.

Gustafson, one of 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Trophy awarded to the nation’s top player, leads the country in field goal percentage (70.8) and points per game (27.7). Gustafson’s 27 double-doubles are the second-most in America.

Iowa, the second seed in the Big Ten tournament, plays on Friday against either seventh-seeded Minnesota or 10th-seeded Indiana.