Iowa’s Jan. 21 showing against Indiana was far from a No. 1 seed performance, but there are reasons to believe the Hawkeyes will be one of the four best teams in the nation come Selection Sunday.

Through Sunday, KenPom had Iowa as the No. 4 team in the nation based on its +27.12 adjusted efficiency margin rating. The team right behind Iowa, Villanova, had a +26.28 rating, which gives Iowa a small, but noticeable, edge against Villanova.

Iowa’s biggest strength is undoubtably its offense, which is averaging 90.67 points per game. KenPom recognizes the Hawkeyes’ offense as the best in the nation with their adjusted offensive efficiency of 124.6, which is just ahead of Gonzaga’s 124.4, but way in front Baylor’s third-best 120.7 offensive rating.

Iowa’s offensive ratings even account for an 11-minute scoring drought that led to an upset loss to Indiana at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Iowa has won every game it’s played following a loss this season, meaning it should earn a quality win at Illinois on Friday and an improvement in its adjusted offensive efficiency.

What Iowa must also do to keep its hopes for a No. 1 seed alive is play better defense. Though Iowa is averaging almost 17 more points per game than its opponents, it did give up 99 points to No. 1 Gonzaga on Dec. 19.

KenPom hasn’t been friendly to the Hawkeyes’ defense, ranking them 98th in adjusted defensive efficiency. But the Hawkeyes know they have to work on their defense every day, as they have expressed disappointment in their defensive performance throughout the season.

The Hawkeyes have proven they can win the majority of their games as long as they continue to play great on the offensive end of the floor. Should Iowa also manage to improve its defense, it may land a one seed on Selection Sunday.