UNC's Hansbrough, Tennessee's Parker win Wooden Award

LOS ANGELES -- He already earned an armful, but Tyler Hansbrough took one last bit of brass Friday night.

The North Carolina junior won the John R. Wooden Award as college basketball's top player, giving him essentially a sweep of the season's individual honors, including The Associated Press college basketball player of the year award.

Candace Parker and Tyler Hansbrough take top honors. (AP)

"It means a lot," said Hansbrough, who finished fifth in the voting for the award last year. "I was in just in such a great situation with coaches and teammates. I feel like I've improved so much."

He earned 4,653 points in the voting to beat out second-place Michael Beasley of Kansas State, who was followed by Kevin Love of UCLA, D.J. Augustin of Texas and Stephen Curry of Davidson in the voting.

All the finalists were at the ceremony at the Los Angeles Sheraton except Love, who has returned to Oregon to be with his family and decide about his pro prospects.

Tennessee's Candace Parker, who led the Volunteers to their second straight national championship on Tuesday, won the women's award for the second straight year.

More than 1,000 national media and college basketball experts cast votes based on players' regular and postseason performances, character and academic performance. Unlike most player of the year awards, votes could be cast as late as the NCAA tournament's regional round.

Hansbrough led the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring (22.8) and rebounding (10.3) as the Tar Heels (36-2) were ranked No. 1 for all but six weeks this season and went to the Final Four.

The NCAA title was the one trophy he was denied, which might influence his decision whether to forgo his senior season and enter the NBA Draft. He has revealed very little about his plans for next season.

"I haven't decided," Hansbrough said. "I just haven't really had time. It's been so quick after the season. I haven't had time to get everything under control."

Hansbrough said he wasn't setting any hard deadlines, but said he plans to return to school and talk to Tar Heels coach Roy Williams.

"After a week or so we'll see what happens," he said.

Hansbrough joined Phil Ford (1978), Michael Jordan (1984) and Antawn Jamison (1998) as national players of the year from North Carolina.