Duke's Zion Williamson, Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu top Wooden Award top-20

Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Duke's Zion Williamson and Oregon's Sabrina Ionescu top the men's and women's top-20 Wooden Ward list, respectively.

The candidates for the honor of top college basketball player were released Monday night.

Duke's R.J. Barrett joins Williamson on the men's list. Tennessee's Admiral Schofield and Grant Williams, Virginia's Kyle Guy and De'Andre Hunter and Nevada's Caleb Martin and Jordan Caroline were also selected.

Other men's candidates include: Virginia Tech's Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Michigan's Ignas Brazdeikis, Texas Tech's Jarrett Culver, South Dakota State's Mike Daum, Purdue's Carsen Edwards, Gonzaga's Rui Hachimura, Wisconsin's Ethan Happ, Marquette's Markus Howard, Kansas' Dedric Lawson, Murray State's Ja Morant, St. John's guard Shamorie Ponds and Michigan State's Cassius Winston.

UConn's Napheesa Collier, Crystal Dangerfield and Katie Samuelson join Ionescu are on the women's list. Other women's nominees include: California's Kristine Anigwe, Baylor's Kalani Brown, Iowa State's Bridget Carleton, Texas A&M's Chennedy Carter, Baylor's Lauren Cox, Missouri's Sophie Cunningham, Louisville's Asia Durr, Iowa's Megan Gustafson, Oregon's Ruthy Hebard, Syracuse's Tiana Mangakahia, Mississippi State's Teaira McCowan, Notre Dame's Arike Ogunbowale and Jessica Shepard, Oregon State's Destiny Slocum and Stanford's Alanna Smith.

Villanova's Jalen Brunson and South Carolina's A'ja Wilson won the awards last season. The Wooden Award list is chosen by a poll of national college basketball experts.

Williamson, 18, is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. He is averaging 22.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.1 steals and 2.0 blocks per game this season for the Blue Devils.

Ionescu, 21, is averaging 18.6 points, 8.3 assists and 7.4 rebounds per game this season for the Ducks. She is expected to be the top pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft.

The 2019 John R. Wooden Award will be presented during the ESPN College Basketball Awards on April 12. The Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced during the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament.