The Texas Tech Red Raiders' Christian Anderson and JT Toppin dominate, making Wooden Award history with elite national performances and a unique dual threat.
Texas Tech basketball has carved out rare national real estate this season, and it’s showing up on one of college basketball’s biggest stages.
The Red Raiders are the only program in the country with two players named to the John R. Wooden Award Late Midseason Top 20 Watch List, a distinction that puts Christian Anderson and JT Toppin firmly in the national spotlight.
The honor reflects just how dominant the duo has been.
Toppin has been nothing short of relentless in the paint, leading the nation with 207 made field goals while ranking sixth nationally at 21.8 points per game. He’s also ninth in the country in rebounding at 10.5 per contest and has already piled up 14 double-doubles this season.
If those numbers hold, the junior from Dallas could become just the second player in Big 12 history to average a 20-point, 10-rebound season, joining Oklahoma legend Blake Griffin.
Anderson’s impact has been just as critical, though it comes with a different rhythm. The sophomore guard from Atlanta is third nationally in assists at 7.7 per game while averaging 19.3 points. He’s been deadly from deep, knocking down 43.6 percent of his 3-point attempts and ranking among the national leaders in both accuracy and volume.
Anderson has recorded six double-doubles and has handed out double-figure assists in seven games, making him one of the most complete guards in the country.
Awards voters have noticed. Toppin has already earned three Big 12 Player of the Week honors this season, while Anderson has claimed the award twice. Both are also featured on Naismith Starting Five midseason watch lists, further reinforcing their position among the nation’s elite.
With Texas Tech surging and March approaching, Anderson and Toppin aren’t just chasing wins; they’re building legitimate Player of the Year bids together.