Texas Tech University Athletics
Toppin earns Big 12 Starting Five honor
November 17, 2025 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK – JT Toppin has earned his first weekly honor of the season after being selected to the Big 12 Starting Five for his performances against Illinois and Milwaukee last week. Along with Toppin, the Big 12 Starting Five this week includes AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Kingston Flemings (Houston), Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State) and Flory Bidunga (Kansas). Flemings was named the Big 12 Player and Newcomer of the Week.
Toppin started last week with 35 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and three steals at No. 14 Illinois before contributing 10 rebounds and seven points in a home win over Milwaukee. Toppin's 35-point, 11-rebound double-double at Illinois was his fifth career double-double with 30-plus points and was the 33rd of his career. He scored 24 of his 35 points in the second half to help the team fight back into the game after being down 13 at halftime. Toppin finished the night against the Fighting Illini shooting 17-for-25 from the field to match his career-high for shots made. Through three games played this season, Toppin is averaging 24.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.
The 35/11 double-double at Illinois was his fifth double-double of his career with 30-or-more points and double-digit rebounds. Toppin missed the season opener with a lower body injury but showed no signs of alarm in his debut, going off for 31 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and three steals in his junior season debut against Sam Houston. The 35 points at Illinois was his 21st game scoring over 20 points. Toppin returned for his junior season from a Consensus Second Team All-America season as a sophomore and has a slew of preseason honors leading into this season. Coming into this season, he was named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, Associated Press Preseason All-American and is on the Karl Malone Award Preseason Watch List.
No. 15 Texas Tech is set for two games this week at the Baha Mar Championship where it opens against Wake Forest at 7:30 p.m. (CST) on Thursday before playing either No. 1 Purdue or Memphis on Friday. Toppin comes into the matchup against Wake Forest having already produced 1,120 points, 671 rebounds and 120 blocked shots through 72 career games.
Big 12 Player of the Week
Nov. 10 - Koa Peat, Arizona & Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
Nov. 17 - Kingston Flemings, Houston
Big 12 Newcomer of the Week
Nov. 10 - Koa Peat, Arizona
Nov. 17 - Kingston Flemings, Houston
Big 12 Starting Five (Nov. 17)
AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Kingston Flemings, Houston (player and newcomer)
Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
Flory Bidunga, Kansas
JT Toppin, Texas Tech
VIDEO RESOURCES: Define Yourself | TTW EP1 | TTW EP2 | TTW EP3 | TTW EP4
FEATURES: Watts | Toppin (The Athletic) | Anderson – FIBA U19
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