Atwell, Anderson lead No. 13 Texas Tech in 1st game without Toppin to a 100-72 win over K-State
Texas Tech forward Lejuan Watts, left, high-fives Texas Tech forward Donovan Atwell after Atwell scored a 3-pointer during the first half in an NCAA college basketball game against Kansas State, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas. Credit: AP/Annie Rice
LUBBOCK, Texas — Donovan Atwell had 26 points with six 3-pointers, Christian Anderson scored 21 and No. 13 Texas Tech beat Kansas State 100-72 on Saturday in the first game for the Red Raiders since standout post JT Toppin's season-ending knee injury.
Texas Tech (20-7, 10-4 Big 12) maintained a double-digit lead after making nine consecutive shots, including three 3s in a row by Atwell, during a 26-10 run in just under seven minutes for a 40-20 lead with 6:20 left in the first half.
Anderson, who also had nine assists, scored 16 of his points after halftime, when LeJuan Watts had 13 of his 19.
The Red Raiders reached 20 wins for the third season in a row. The school record is four, with coach Bob Knight from 2001-02 to 2004-05.
PJ Haggerty had 17 points and Nate Johnson 15 points for Kansas State (11-16, 2-12), which was playing its second game since a coaching change. The Wildcats beat Baylor 90-74 at home Tuesday, two days after coach Jerome Tang was fired.
The Wildcats led only twice at Tech, when Johnson made their first two shots of the game, a 3 and then a jumper that made it 5-3.
Toppin, the preseason AP All-America selection, averaged 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds a game while having 16 double-doubles before tearing the ACL in his right knee in a 72-67 loss at Arizona State on Tuesday night. He sat at the end of the Tech bench Saturday.
Texas Tech forward JT Toppin, far left, sits on the bench during the first half in an NCAA college basketball game against Kansas State, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas. Toppin is out for the season because of a torn ACL. Credit: AP/Annie Rice
Sophomore forward Luke Bamgboye, a 6-foot-11 transfer from VCU, made his fifth start for the Red Raiders, his first since Dec. 7. He scored 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting while also having six rebounds and three blocked shots in 21 minutes.
Up next
Kansas State visits Colorado on Wednesday night.
Texas Tech hosts Cincinnati on Tuesday night.
