Payton Sandfort Named B1G Player of the Week, Earns National Honors
Iowa junior forward Payton Sandfort has been named the Big Ten Player of the Week and Dick Vitale's National Player of the Week. Both honors are the first of his career as a Hawkeye.
In Iowa's two wins over Penn State and Northwestern last week, Sandfort averaged 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.5 blocks. He also accomplished the Hawkeyes' first-ever triple-double in program history against the Nittany Lions.
After the win over PSU, Sandfort was just as surprised as everyone else that he was the first Iowa men's player to accomplish the feat.
"It's crazy no other Hawkeye has done it. Well, I mean I see Caitlin (Clark) do it every day, so that take away some of the legitimacy of it," he laughed. "But, I'm pretty proud. Being from this state, it's a pretty special thing to be the first one."
In total, he put up 26 points, ten rebounds and ten assists.
"I thought I was close to a double-double, because I told one of our coaches I was going to get ten rebounds before the game," he said. "And then he was like 'Hey, one more rebound,' and so I was like 'Alright, I got you.' But then he said 'No, like get one more rebound.'"
Fran McCaffery -- who has coached the likes of Luka Garza, Joe Wieskamp, Aaron White, Devyn Marble, Matt Gatens and the Murray twins -- was floored, too.
"I was shocked," he said. "You think about the great ones that played here -- the fact that that was the first one, I think that surprised everybody. For it to be Payton, who's such a terrific human being, and a great leader -- I'm thrilled for him."
Sandfort kept up the intensity in a much-needed win over the Wildcats on Saturday, posting 23 points, six assists, and five rebounds, while shooting 7-of-14 from the field and 4-of-8 from 3-point range.
"We talk about his scoring, and we needed it," McCaffery said after the win. "Payton came out and set the tone early that he was going to make shots and make plays. I like the way he mixes it up. He went coast-to-coast and finished with his left hand. That's a big-time play right there."
Sandfort is leading the team in scoring (16.7 points) and tied for the team-lead in rebounding (6.5 rebounds). The Waukee native is leading the league in 3-point field goals (78), free throw percentage (.918) and is second in 3-point field goal percentage (.370).
Up next, the Hawkeyes will take on No. 12 Illinois (22-7, 13-5 Big Ten) for the second time this season at 6 PM CT on Sunday, March 10 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game will be televised on FS1.