Texas Tech University Athletics
Toppin earns USBWA Robertson National Players of Week honor
January 27, 2026 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK – For the second time this season, JT Toppin has been honored by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association as one of five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week. Toppin is joined on this week's award list by Dominique Daniels (Cal Baptist), Keyshawn Hall (Auburn), Jalen Quinn (Drake) and Keaton Wagler (Illinois).Â
For the 2025-26 season, the USBWA continues its national player of the week program that has been affiliated with the Oscar Robertson Trophy since the 2009-10 season. Prior to the 2024-25 season, the USBWA had recognized just one player each week. Each Tuesday during the regular season, designated USBWA board members will select five standouts from the 31 Division I conference players of the week to be recognized. This week's selections were chosen from a list of the conferences that named a player of the week on Monday.Â
Toppin, who was also named the Big 12 Player of the Week on Monday for the third time this season, averaged 26.5 points and 8.0 rebounds as he led the Red Raiders to a pair of wins, including a 90-86 thriller over No. 6 Houston where he scored 31 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against the Cougars - marking his nation-leading fifth game of 30-10 this season. The junior from Dallas scored 22 points in a 92-73 win at Baylor, including 13 points in the second half. Â
His 31-point, 12-rebound performance against UH was his conference-leading 13th double-double of the season and the 44th of his career. Toppin also leads the Big 12 with 10.9 rebounds per game, 4.53 offensive rebounds per game and leads the nation with 182 made field goals after going 12-for-24 from the field against Houston. His scoring average of 22.1 points per game ranks fourth in the Big 12 and eighth nationally. Â
Toppin and the No. 11 Red Raiders do not have a weekday game this week and will return to action at UCF on Saturday before returning to Lubbock to host No. 14 Kansas on Monday, February 2 at United Supermarkets Arena. Â
Since the 1958-59 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. In 1998, the award was named in honor of the University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer and two-time USBWA Player of the Year Oscar Robertson. It is the nation's oldest award and the only one named after a former player.Â
At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, which is voted on by the entire membership. The winner of the award will be announced at the 2026Â Men's Final Four in Indianapolis, with the formal presentation to follow at the annual USBWA Awards Luncheon hosted by the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.Â
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 800 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season.Â
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