Toppin announces return to Texas Tech
April 09, 2025 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK – JT Toppin has announced his return to Texas Tech following a sophomore season where he earned multiple all-America honors and was named the Big 12 Player of the Year and Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
Toppin averaged 18.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and produced 19 double-doubles during his sophomore season where he led the Red Raiders to a 28-9 overall record and to the program's third Elite 8 appearance. A Dallas native, he earned all-America honors from the Associated Press, NABC, USBWA and The Sporting News along with adding All-Big 12 First Team and All-Big 12 Newcomer Team awards to his player and newcomer of the year collection. Toppin recorded a double-double in all four NCAA Tournament games for Tech, including going for 20 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots in the Sweet 16 win over Arkansas before having 20 points and 11 rebounds against No. 1 Florida in the Elite 8.
A dominant, productive and consistent player throughout, Toppin finished his first season at Texas Tech scoring in double-figures in 15 straight games and in a team-high 28 through his 33 played. He scored a career-high 41 points and added 15 rebounds in a double-overtime win over Arizona State and also produced 32 points and 12 rebounds at Oklahoma State before a 30-point, 14-rebound performance in the home finale against Colorado. Toppin had seven games with 25-plus points and 10-plus rebounds, including a three-game stretch with him following the Colorado performance with 25 points and 11 rebounds at Arizona State in the regular season finale and then 26 points and 10 rebounds against Baylor in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals. He finished the season shooting 246-for-444 (55.4 percent) from the field, 18-of-55 on 3-pointer attempts and recorded 10 games with 10 or more field goals – including his career-best of 17-for-22 in his 41-point outburst against Arizona State.
During Tech's NCAA Tournament run, Toppin averaged 19.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. Against Drake in the NCAA Tournament Second Round, Toppin posted 25 points and 12 rebounds – shooting 11-of-13 from the field. He finished the season third in the Big 12 in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage and was second with 3.24 offensive rebounds per game. He had a career-high 12 offensive rebounds in non-conference play against Saint Joseph's and had six or more offensive rebounds in six games after grabbing six against the Gators in the Elite 8.
His 18.2 points per game were the most in a season since Jarrett Culver averaged 18.5 points per game during the 2018-19 season and his 19 double-doubles were one off Tony Battie's single-season program record of 20 during the 1996-97 season. He is the second Texas Tech player to earn Big 12 Player of the Year (Culver- 2019) and the first ever in the conference's history to be named Big 12 Player of the Year and Big 12 Newcomer of the Year in the same season. Toppin transferred to Tech after playing his freshman season at New Mexico and now has 1,047 points, 636 rebounds, 116 blocks and 31 double-doubles through 69 career games.
SEASON AWARDS
- Big 12 Player of the Year
- AP All-America Second Team
- NABC All-America Second Team
- USBWA All-America Second Team
- Sporting News All-America Second Team
- CBS Sports All-America First Team
- Field of 68 All-America Second Team
- Jersey Mike's Naismith Player of the Year Semifinalist
- NCAA Tournament All-West Region Team
- Big 12 Newcomer of the Year
- All-Big 12 First Team
- All-Big 12 Newcomer Team
- NABC Gulf All-District First TeamÂ
- Big 12 Championship All-Tournament
- 2-Time Big 12 Player of the Week
- 4-Time Big 12 Newcomer of the Week
- AP National Player of the Week (2/18/25)
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