Texas Tech University Athletics
Anderson, Toppin earn The Sporting News All-America honors
March 11, 2026 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK – Texas Tech's Christian Anderson and JT Toppin have earned The Sporting News All-America honors with Toppin being named a second team selection for the second straight season and Anderson earning third team honors. The Red Raiders are the only program in the nation with two players earning All-America honors from The Sporting News - one of the four All-America selectors comprising the official NCAA consensus team.
The Sporting News All-America First Team is comprised of Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan), AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Darius Acuff (Arkansas), Cameron Boozer (Duke) and Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State). Toppin is joined on the second team by Kingston Flemings (Houston), Braden Smith (Purdue), Thomas Haugh (Florida) and Keaton Wagler (Illinois) while the third team consists of Anderson, Jaden Bradley (Arizona), Caleb Wilson (North Carolina), Jeremy Fears (Michigan State) and Labaron Philon (Alabama).
Anderson and Toppin were both named All-Big 12 First Team selections on Monday to begin accumulating postseason honors after tremendous seasons. A sophomore guard, Anderson has already established a new Texas Tech single-season record with 233 assists and comes into the postseason averaging 19.2 points, 7.8 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game. His 7.8 assists leads the Big 12 and is third nationally while his scoring ranks fifth in the conference. Anderson has made 103 3-pointers this season, shooting 42.7% from beyond the arc. His 103 3-pointers broke the previous school record and is second behind teammate Donovan Atwell this season and in the record book. His second season with the Red Raiders includes eight double-doubles and 12 games scoring 20-plus, including two going for 30-plus. He has eight double-digit assist performances this season with a career-high 13 against Oklahoma State and also has four games this season with nine assists. An Atlanta, Georgia native, Anderson was a three-time Big 12 Player of the Week this season.
Toppin recorded 16 double-doubles in 25 games played this season before suffering a season-ending injury on February 17 that forced him to miss the final five games of the regular season. A junior forward, he averaged 21.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks this season – scoring in double figures in 24 of 25 games and producing six double-doubles with 30-plus points. Toppin earned Consensus All-America honors last season as a sophomore and now has 47 double-doubles, 1,593 points and 907 rebounds through 94 collegiate games. His junior season including going for 31 points and 13 rebounds in a win at then-No. 1 Arizona and scoring a season-high 35 points at Illinois. In his final home game, Toppin matched a career-high with 18 rebounds and also scored 16 points. Toppin was a four-time Big 12 Player of the Week selection this season.
Along with The Sporting News, Consensus All-America comes from selections by the Associated Press, National Association of Basketball Coaches and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.
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