LUBBOCK, Texas — In a commanding display, JT Toppin tallied an impressive 30 points and 14 rebounds, leading the ninth-ranked Texas Tech to a decisive 91-75 victory over Colorado on Wednesday night. This solid win secures a pivotal double-bye for the Red Raiders, propelling them straight to the quarterfinals in the upcoming Big 12 Tournament. The performance marked Toppin’s 13th double-double of the season. Toppin, a sophomore and a transfer from New Mexico, wasn’t alone in the spotlight as he spearheaded a group of five players hitting double figures in scoring for Texas Tech (23-7, 14-5 Big 12) during their final home game.
Alongside Toppin, Chance McMillian contributed significantly with 15 points, while teammates Christian Anderson and Kerwin Walton each added 12 points. Darrion Williams also made his mark with 11 points. For Colorado (11-19, 2-17), Bangot Dak and Sebastian Rancik both managed to net 12 points in their effort against the formidable Red Raiders.
The game began with McMillian securing a lead through a 3-pointer that opened the scoring within the first minute, setting the tone for Texas Tech’s dominant performance. They swiftly established control with a 12-2 opening run and further extended their advantage by finishing the first half strongly with an 18-7 burst, punctuated by Anderson’s back-to-back successful 3-pointers.
A notable absence for Colorado was senior guard Julian Hammond III, who is the team’s leading scorer averaging 12.4 points per game. Hammond was sidelined due to a back injury he sustained in Sunday’s loss at Kansas State.
This match also marked the final home game for Texas Tech in their 100th season of men’s basketball, capping an impressive home record of 15-3, with an 8-2 record in conference games.
A pivotal moment in the match occurred when Colorado narrowed the gap to 25-22 after Trevor Baskin’s fast-break layup with 6:43 remaining in the first half. Texas Tech responded immediately, accumulating eight points in less than a minute with Toppin starting with a jumper, followed by 3-pointers from both Williams and McMillian.
Texas Tech demonstrated accuracy in their shooting, notably from beyond the arc where they achieved a 50% success rate, converting 16 of their 32 attempts, with 10 successful shots in the first half alone.
Looking ahead, Colorado will conclude their regular season at home against TCU (16-14, 9-10) on Saturday. Meanwhile, Texas Tech will wrap up their season facing Arizona State (13-17, 4-15), a team they managed to outlast in a thrilling double overtime encounter, 111-106, back on January 26.
