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Gruen's Big Ten Glance: Fran McCaffery Doing Superb Work At Iowa

By Seth Gruen--

(CBS) Have you heard of Fran McCaffery? There are plenty of college basketball fans — some Big Ten fans, even — who haven't.

Maybe you know who he is but can't picture him. You see Fran Fraschilla, maybe? How about Frank Tarkenton?

Hopefully by now, with Iowa ranked No. 9 in the latest Associated Press poll, more people are starting to put a face to McCaffery's name and associating the head coach with a Hawkeyes program that has snuck into the national championship conversation.

Maybe it's because McCaffery is stuck in small-market purgatory or simply because Iowa is known as more of a football school, but McCaffery is easily one of the best coaches in the country who no one talks about. He's also the first face of the Hawkeyes basketball program since the Jess Settles era.

After a runner-up finish in the NIT in 2013, McCaffery has guided Iowa to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. It's almost certain to be a third straight this season, but the reasons most in Big Ten land should be jealous of the Hawkeyes and McCaffery extend beyond a couple of tournament appearances.

McCaffery has Iowa executing the exact style that many teams around the Big Ten aspire to play — a fast-paced, up-and-down brand of basketball. This season that style has equated to two wins against Michigan State and a win at then-No. 14 Purdue.

As of this writing the Hawkeyes are averaging 81.6 points and rank 14th in the country with 17.8 assists per game, with a 15-3 mark overall and 6-0 record in conference play that has them tied for the league lead.

What's more impressive is that McCaffery is winning with a roster bereft of much NBA talent. Power forward Jarrod Uthoff, the team's leading scorer, should be drafted but not until the second round.

While not a criticism of other Big Ten coaches like Michigan State's Tom Izzo, Michigan's John Beilein or Maryland's Mark Turgeon, they've been the beneficiaries of having NBA talent on their rosters.

Sure, recruiting that talent is part of the game, but recruitment is also a popularity contest. And as has already been established, few people — and likely recruits — know about McCaffery or what he has done.

Of course, with a season that continues on this trajectory, Iowa will assuredly will get the publicity it deserves. And who knows? Maybe McCaffery will become a household name.

Power rankings

1. Maryland (17-2, 6-1) -- The Terrapins are still the team to beat.

2. Iowa (15-3, 6-0) -- See above.

3. Michigan State (16-4, 3-4) -- Riding a three-game losing streak, the Spartans face Maryland on Saturday.

4. Purdue (17-3, 5-2) -- It's a huge game at Iowa on Sunday.

5. Indiana (16-3, 6-0) -- Tom Crean may save his job this season.

6. Michigan (14-5, 5-2) -- The Wolverines have an easy three-game stretch upcoming.

7. Ohio State (12-8, 4-3) -- Four players are scoring in double-figures.

8. Nebraska (12-8, 4-3) -- The Huskers are quietly climbing back into this thing.

9. Northwestern (15-5, 3-4) -- The loss against Penn State was bad.

10. Wisconsin (11-9, 3-4) -- Interim coach Greg Gard needs to make the tournament to earn the job beyond this season.

11. Penn State (11-9, 2-5) -- Brandon Taylor is a bright spot.

12. Illinois (9-10, 1-5) -- Coach John Groce should be gone after this season.

13. Minnesota (6-13, 0-7) -- It's a pick 'em for last place with Rutgers.

14. Rutgers (6-14, 0-7) -- The Scarlet Knights could go winless in the Big Ten.

Seth Gruen is columnist for CBSChicago.com, focusing on college sports. You can follow him on Twitter @SethGruen.

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