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 Texas 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
BIGGEST MOVERS
5 MARYLAND 7 MISSOURI
RK
TEAMS
CHG
RCRD
1
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AUBURN Miles Kelly was 1-of-8 from the field in Tuesday’s 83-72 loss at Texas A&M. The Tigers’ next game is Saturday at Alabama. — 27-4
2
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DUKE Cooper Flagg finished with 28 points and seven assists in Monday’s 93-60 win over Wake Forest. The Blue Devils’ next game is Saturday at North Carolina. — 28-3
3
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HOUSTON L.J. Cryer finished with 22 points and three steals in Monday’s 65-59 win over Kansas. The Cougars’ next game is Saturday at Baylor. — 27-4
4
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FLORIDA Alex Condon finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday’s 99-94 win at Alabama. The Gators’ next game is Saturday against Ole Miss. 3 27-4
5
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MICHIGAN ST. Jaden Akins finished with 19 points and eight rebounds in Sunday’s 71-62 win over Wisconsin. The Spartans’ next game is Thursday at Iowa. 1 26-5
6
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TENNESSEE Zakai Zeigler was 2-of-9 from the field in Wednesday’s 78-76 loss at Ole Miss. The Vols’ next game is Saturday against South Carolina. 2 25-6
7
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ALABAMA Mouhamed Dioubate was 0-of-4 from the field in Wednesday’s 99-94 loss to Florida. The Crimson Tide’s next game is Saturday at Auburn. 2 24-7
8
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ST. JOHN’S RJ Luis Jr. finished with 21 points and two steals in Saturday’s 71-61 win over Seton Hall. The Red Storm’s next game is Saturday at Marquette. — 27-4
9
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WISCONSIN John Blackwell finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds in Wednesday’s 74-67 win at Minnesota. The Badgers’ next game is Saturday against Penn State. — 23-8
10
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TEXAS TECH JT Toppin finished with 30 points and 14 rebounds in Wednesday’s 91-75 win over Colorado. The Red Raiders’ next game is Saturday at Arizona State. — 24-7
11
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TEXAS A&M Wade Taylor IV finished with 16 points and three rebounds in Tuesday’s 83-72 win over Auburn. The Aggies’ next game is Saturday at LSU. 1 22-9
12
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PURDUE Braden Smith finished with 23 points and nine assists in Tuesday’s 100-71 win over Rutgers. The Boilermakers’ next game is Friday at Illinois. 1 21-10
13
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IOWA ST. Keshon Gilbert was 4-of-12 from the field in Tuesday’s 88-85 double-overtime loss to BYU. The Cyclones’ next game is Saturday at Kansas State. 1 23-8
14
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MARYLAND Rodney Rice finished with 19 points and two rebounds in Wednesday’s 71-65 win at Michigan. The Terrapins’ next game is Saturday against Northwestern. 5 24-7
15
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LOUISVILLE Terrence Edwards Jr. finished with 35 points and four rebounds in Wednesday’s 85-68 win over Cal. The Cardinals’ next game is Saturday against Stanford. — 25-6
16
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MICHIGAN Will Tschetter was 1-of-5 from the field in Wednesday’s 71-65 loss to Maryland. The Wolverines’ next game is Sunday at Michigan State. 5 22-9
17
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CLEMSON Jaeden Zackery finished with 21 points and three rebounds in Wednesday’s 78-69 win at Boston College. The Tigers’ next game is Saturday against Virginia Tech. 1 26-5
18
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ARIZONA Henri Veesaar finished with 22 points and eight rebounds in Tuesday’s 113-100 win over Arizona State. The Wildcats’ next game is Saturday at Kansas. 2 20-11
19
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MARQUETTE Chase Ross was 3-of-9 from the field in Wednesday’s 72-66 loss at UConn. The Golden Eagles’ next game is Saturday against St. John’s. 3 22-9
20
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KENTUCKY Otega Oweh finished with 24 points and eight rebounds in Tuesday’s 95-64 win over LSU. The Wildcats’ next game is Saturday at Missouri. 1 21-10
21
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SAINT MARY’S Augustus Marciulionis finished with 25 points and seven assists in Saturday’s 74-64 win over Oregon State. The Gaels’ next game is March 10 against a team to be determined in the semifinals of the WCC Tournament. 1 28-5
22
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MEMPHIS Dain Dainja finished with 19 points and eight rebounds in Tuesday’s 75-70 win at UTSA. The Tigers’ next game is Friday against South Florida. 1 26-5
23
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OREGON Jackson Shelstad finished with 17 points and two rebounds in Tuesay’s 73-64 win over Indiana. The Ducks’ next game is Sunday at Washington. 1 23-8
24
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MISSOURI Missouri allowed the Sooners to shoot 57.1% from the field in Wednesday’s 96-64 loss at Oklahoma. The Tigers’ next game is Saturday against Kentucky. 7 21-10
25
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BYU Richie Saunders finished with 23 points and six rebounds in Tuesday’s 88-85 double-overtime win at Iowa State. The Cougars’ next game is Saturday against Utah. — 23-8
26
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OLE MISS Jaemyn Brakefield finished with 19 points and two assists in Wednesday’s 78-76 win over Tennessee. The Rebels’ next game is Saturday at Florida. NR 21-10