Livescore
A few weeks ago, while preparing to be the sideline reporter on an Arizona State-Texas Tech game, I was asked by a producer whom I believed should be the Big 12 Player of the Year.
I had to think for a second.
This was 22 days ago, back when Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson was statistically the most dominant player in the Big 12 — but should you really give a POY award to somebody headlining a disappointing team? That felt wrong. West Virginia’s Javon Small had emerged as an obvious candidate — but should you really give a POY award to somebody on a middle-of-the-pack team? I wasn’t sure.
Anyway …
My point is that what was a tough question three weeks ago seems like an easier one now. At this point, the obvious (and correct) answer for Big 12 Player of the Year is Texas Tech’s JT Toppin.
“He’s playing at a high, high level,” Colorado coach Tad Boyle said Wednesday after Toppin gave him 30 points and 14 rebounds in CU’s 91-75 loss at Texas Tech “He’s a problem.”
Indeed, he is — as is Tech Tech.
The Red Raiders are 23-7 overall, 14-5 in the Big 12 and 10th in Thursday morning’s updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings. They’re 12-3 in their past 15 games and 5-2 since losing at Arizona in early February. In those past seven contests, Toppin is averaging 24.9 points and 10.7 boards while shooting 59.6% from the field.
That’s POY stuff.
Toppin got 41 points and 15 rebounds in the win over Arizona State that I attended. He got 32 points and 12 rebounds three days later in the win at Oklahoma State. He added 30 and 14 against Colorado on Wednesday and is now clearly headed toward All-America honors after being ranked 133rd in the Class of 2023 and starting his college career in the Mountain West Conference at New Mexico.
It’s a wonderful story still being written.
Texas Tech will close the regular season Saturday at Arizona State.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
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