Hansbrough wins Wooden Award

Apr 12, 2008 - 4:49 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Although North Carolina's season ended in disappointment, Tyler Hansbrough received a nice consolation prize.

Hansbrough on Friday was named the winner of the Wooden Award, given to the nation's top college basketball player.

The 6-9 junior center led the Tar Heels to the Final Four last weekend, when they lost to eventual national champion Kansas.

Hansbrough was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, averaging 22.6 points and 10.6 rebounds this past season for North Carolina (36-3), which entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed.

The Most Outstanding Player of the East Regional, Hansbrough received 4,653 points in voting from media and college basketball experts nationwide.

Sensational freshman Michael Beasley of Kansas State was second with 4,402 points, followed by UCLA freshman Kevin Love (3,021), Texas point guard D.J. Augustin (2,266) and Davidson's Stephen Curry (1,936), who nearly led his team to a shocking upset of Kansas.

The Wooden Award, named after legendary UCLA coach John Wooden, is considered the most prestigious individual honor in college basketball. Among the past winners are such luminaries as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Tim Duncan.

Last year, Kevin Durant of Texas won the award as a freshman and went on to be selected No. 2 overall in the NBA draft.