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Dayton’s Toppin, Oregon’s Ionescu win Naismith

ATLANTA — Dayton forward Obi Toppin has been awarded the Naismith Trophy as college basketball’s most outstanding player.

Toppin was named the Naismith Trophy winner on Friday, adding to an award collection that includes national player of the year by The Associated Press.

Iowa’s Luka Garza, Seton Hall’s Myles Powell, Payton Pritchard of Oregon and Udoka Azubuike of Kansas were the other finalists.

Toppin had a breakout sophomore season for the third-ranked Flyers, averaging 20 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 63%.

The 6-foot-9 sophomore is Dayton’s first consensus All-American and he led the Flyers to a school-record 29 wins. The Flyers finished No. 3 in the final AP Top 25 after the NCAA Tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, matching the highest ranking in school history (1956).

Dayton’s Anthony Grant also swept Naismith and AP honors as the national coach of the year after the Flyers won their third Atlantic 10 championship in five years.

Already named The Associated Press women’s player of the year, Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu was awarded the Naismith Trophy for the most outstanding women’s basketball player.

Ionescu, who won AP All-American honors three times, shattered the NCAA career triple-double mark with 26 and became the first player in college history to have 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists.

Ionescu averaged 17.5 points, 9.1 assists and 8.6 rebounds with eight triple-doubles as a senior this season.

“I’m humbled and grateful to receive such a prestigious award, and I couldnít have done it without my teammates and coaches. Being able to play the game I love with people that I love has been nothing short of amazing,” Ionescu said in a statement.

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