Reigning Big 12 Conference player of the year JT Toppin was tabbed the preseason honoree to lead the Texas Tech basketball team in the all-conference selections.
Toppin, who was also named newcomer of the year in his first year with the Red Raiders, was named the preseason player of the year, the league announced Thursday. He and Christian Anderson were both named to the preseason all-Big 12 team, while Washington State transfer LeJuan Watts was tabbed as the preseason newcomer of the year.
Texas Tech was picked third in the preseason poll behind two-time reigning champion Houston and BYU. Houston received 14 first-place votes, with BYU and Arizona (which was picked fourth in the poll) receiving the other votes.
Earlier this week, the Red Raiders were revealed as the No. 10 team in the preseason Associated Press Top 25.
Preseason Big 12 Conference basketball coaches poll & awards
PRESEASON POLL
PRESEASON AWARDS
Player of the Year: JT Toppin, Texas Tech
Newcomer of the Year: LeJuan Watts, Texas Tech
Freshman of the Year: Darryn Peterson, Kansas
PRESEASON ALL-BIG 12 TEAM
AJ Dybantsa, BYU (unanimous)
Richie Saunders, BYU
Emanuel Sharp, Houston
Joseph Tugler, Houston
Milos Uzan, Houston (unanimous)
Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
Darryn Peterson, Kansas (unanimous)
P.J. Haggerty, Kansas State
Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
JT Toppin, Texas Tech (unanimous
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech basketball picked 3rd, JT Toppin POY in Big 12 Conference’s preseason awards
Reporting by Nathan Giese, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
