Stop me if you’ve heard this before: JT Toppin is the man, and he just broke another record.
Last night, Toppin and the Red Raiders took down No. 1 Arizona 78-75 in an overtime bout that gave Texas Tech another massive resume boost as they continue to climb up bracketology rankings.
Toppin played 44 of 45 minutes, resting for just 60 seconds in the contest. His numbers? Historic. The Texas native recorded 31 points, 13 rebounds, and three assists against the Wildcats, which made him the second player in Big 12 history to record a 30-point double-double against a No. 1 team.
For reference, the first player to achieve the feat was West Virginia’s Devin Williams against No. 1 Kansas in the 2016 Big 12 Championship Game. He recorded 17 points, 12 rebounds, and one assist. Toppin basically doubled the scoring output and was the best player on the court in a massive win, whereas the Mountaineers fell to Kansas 74-63.
The numbers, while staggering, aren’t an outlier for Toppin this year. He’s far and away one of the best players in the sport, capable of snagging 30 and 10 on any given night. In his junior season, Toppin is averaging 21.8 points (8th in the country), 11 rebounds (sixth in the country), and two assists per game.
The Red Raiders currently sit at 9-3 in league play, just two games out of first place. They’re 19-6 overall and are continuing to climb toward a top seed in the Big Dance. There are still many challenges on their schedule, namely No. 5 Iowa State and No. 16 BYU, but they are right in the thick of it, and Toppin is a huge reason why.
