Donovan Atwell hits six threes, Christian Anderson dishes nine assists as No. 13 Texas Tech crushes Kansas State 100-72 without JT Toppin.
If there were questions about how Texas Tech would respond without JT Toppin, they were answered quickly.
No. 13 Texas Tech torched Kansas State 100-72 in Lubbock, delivering a statement performance in its first game since Toppin’s season-ending ACL injury. Instead of shrinking, the Red Raiders exploded.
Donovan Atwell led the charge, pouring in 26 points and drilling six 3-pointers. During a blistering first-half stretch, Atwell caught fire from deep, burying three straight triples as part of a 26-10 avalanche that blew the game wide open.
In less than seven minutes, Tech turned a tight contest into a runaway, building a 40-20 cushion before halftime. And Christian Anderson orchestrated everything.
The junior guard dropped 21 points and handed out nine assists, controlling tempo and attacking when needed. Sixteen of his points came after the break, when Kansas State briefly showed signs of life. Every time the Wildcats threatened to cut into the lead, Anderson answered.
LeJuan Watts added 19 points, including 13 in the second half, while 6-11 forward Luke Bamgboye made his presence felt inside.
The VCU transfer, making his first start since early December, scored 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting, grabbed six boards and swatted three shots in 21 productive minutes.
Kansas State never recovered after Tech’s first-half surge.
PJ Haggerty scored 17 and Nate Johnson chipped in 15, but the Wildcats - playing their second game since the firing of Jerome Tang - couldn’t keep pace. Their only leads came in the opening minutes.
Meanwhile, Toppin - who had been averaging 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds with 16 double-doubles before his injury - watched from the bench. The Red Raiders didn’t just honor their star; they elevated.
With the win, Texas Tech improved to 20-7 overall and 10-4 in Big 12 play, marking the program’s third straight 20-win season. The record for consecutive 20-win campaigns stands at four.
Next up: Cincinnati visits Lubbock. If Saturday was any indication, Tech isn’t folding ... it’s recalibrating.