The star striker of Texas Tech, JT Toppin, the player of the year Big 12, announced Wednesday that he will return to the Red Raiders for his junior season.
Toppin's return probably jumps to Texas Tech back to the Top 10 nationwide and consolidates its position in the All-American preseason team.
He was one of the best players in the country during the last weeks of the season, winning all-American honors of the second team in addition to his Big 12 awards. Toppin was excellent in four NCAA tournament games, publishing double doubles in all four and averaging 19.3 points and 11.0 rebounds.
He had some of the best individual performances of a single game of any person in sport in February, going for 41 points and 15 rebounds against Arizona State and then ending with 32 points and 12 rebounds three days later against the state of Oklahoma. It was also for 30 points and 14 Colorado boards towards the end of the regular season.
In general, Toppin averaged 18.2 points and 9.4 rebounds in the season, helping the Grant McCasland team to a 28-9 record and an elite appearance eight.
It was the first Toppin season in Lubbock after spending his first -year campaign in New Mexico, where he averaged 12.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.9 blockages.
It was the number 45 in the last Draft ranking of the NBA of ESPN, projecting it in the second round.
