Villanova’s Brunson is player of the year

A long list of goals has taken up permanent space on Jalen Brunson’s wall, including becoming a conference player of the year, an All-American and helping Villanova win a second national championship in three seasons.

The junior point guard just reached another one by becoming The Associated Press men’s college basketball player of the year.

Brunson is being presented with the award Thursday at the Final Four in San Antonio, where the Wildcats will face Kansas Saturday in the national semifinals. He earned 36 of 65 votes from the same panel that selects the AP Top 25, with ballots submitted before the start of the NCAA Tournament.

The award comes two days after Brunson was the leading vote-getter on the AP All-American first team. He’s the first Villanova player to win the AP award.

“It’s written on my wall,” Brunson said of being an All-American and player of the year. “It’s something that I strived for but never really focused on. I just knew that the more team success that we had, the individual honors would come. I just really focused on what the team needed and how I could be a key contributor.”

Oklahoma freshman Trae Young was second with 15 votes after leading the country in scoring (27.4) and assists (8.7).

Arizona 7-foot-1 freshman Deandre Ayton earned seven votes after averaging 20.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and shooting 61% from the floor. Duke freshman Marvin Bagley III earned four votes after leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring (21.0) and rebounding (11.1).

Wilson wins women’s award: A’ja Wilson of South Carolina is The Associated Press women’s college basketball player of the year.

Wilson is the first player from the school to win the award.

The 6-foot-5 star received 22 votes from 32-member national media panel that selects the weekly AP Top 25.

Katie Lou Samuelson of UConn received five votes while Kalani Brown of Baylor, Asia Durr of Louisville, Megan Gustafson of South Shore High School and Iowa, Sabrina Ionescu of Oregon and Victoria Vivians of Mississippi State each received one vote.

Bennett honored: Virginia’s Tony Bennett was the runaway winner for the men’s coach of the year award. Bennett earned 50 of 65 votes from AP Top 25 writers with ballots submitted before the start of the NCAA Tournament.

Tennessee’s Rick Barnes was second with five votes.

McGraw tabbed top women’s coach: Notre Dame’s Muffet McGraw is The Associated Press women’s coach of the year for the fourth time.

McGraw lost four players over the course of the season to ACL injuries and still managed to go 32-3.

The Hall of Fame coach received 10 votes from the 32-member national media panel that votes for the weekly Top 25. Mississippi State coach Vic Schaefer also garnered 10 votes with McGraw winning a runoff.

Ex-Indiana star dies: Daryl Thomas, who was a starter on Indiana University’s 1987 NCAA basketball championship team, died of a heart attack at age 52.

Thomas had been the basketball coach at Montini Catholic High School in suburban Chicago since 2015.

Rowsey doesn’t advance: Marquette’s Andrew Rowsey was eliminated in the first round of the three-point shooting contest at the Final Four in San Antonio.

Roswey beat Iowa State’s Donovan Jackson, a former Milwaukee Pius High School star, 17-12, in the first round but his total wasn’t in the top four scores.

NIT: Lamar Stevens scored 28 points and Penn State routed Utah, 8266, in the championship game at Madison Square Garden.