McCasland Details What He Needs From Anderson as Focal Point of Red Raiders
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LUBBOCK, Texas — The Texas Tech Red Raiders are navigating a pivotal stretch of the season after losing star forward JT Toppin to a season-ending knee injury, and head coach Grant McCasland said Tuesday that leadership from Christian Anderson will be vital as the team adapts.
Toppin, a preseason All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee late in a 72-67 loss at Arizona State last week. The news forced the Red Raiders to shift the team's philosphy from more of an inside-out game with pace into more of an outward focus built on strong three-point shooting.
Texas Tech rebounded with a commanding 100-72 victory over Kansas State, with Donovan Atwell scoring 26 points and Christian Anderson posting 21 points and nine assists.
Leadership NeededFrom Anderson
McCasland knows the biggest challenge for Anderson extends beyond scoring or assists. With Toppin off the court, the Red Raiders must lean on Anderson’s voice, communication and ability to guide teammates in critical moments.
“The biggest thing for Christian is how well he can communicate to those guys that are going to get more minutes and don’t let any negative play impact them,” McCasland said during a press conference Monday. “That’s kind of the hard part of this, you get into games and some guys are going to be playing larger roles and they may make some mistakes.”
Anderson enters this phase as one of the team’s statistical leaders, particularly in assists, where he ranks among the conference’s top facilitators. Increased demands will include guiding his teammates players while keeping the offense humming throughout the homestretch of the regular season.
“My challenge to Chris isn’t just necessary to tell people what to do, but how do you pick people up when they aren’t making the right play," McCasland said. "And how do we communicate where we don’t worry about the mistake?
“We need to figure out how to get better and let’s be a team that learns and grows."
LethalShooterDon.mp4 pic.twitter.com/QLPphpACiP
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) February 23, 2026
Red Raiders Throttled K-State
In the wake of Toppin’s injury, Texas Tech shifted roles and responsibilities across its rotation, with other contributors stepping up offensively and defensively. Atwell’s performance against Kansas State provided a blueprint for how the team can win without its star forward, while Anderson’s all-around play illustrated his readiness to take on a bigger role.
Beyond scoring, the Red Raiders have emphasized balanced efforts on both ends of the floor, with contributors such as LeJuan Watts, Luke Bamgboye and others seeing expanded minutes as the team sorts out its rotations.
McCasland said his staff has stressed the process of working together in order to foster growth and resilience while managing the emotional impact of losing a key teammate. While it's easy to pack up and head home early, these are the times that truly test the mental state and chemistry of a team.
NCAA Tournament Outlook
Right now, there seems to be no sign of slowing down. With Cincinnati coming to town for a Tuesday showdown, the Bearcats will be looking for a signature victory while the Red Raiders look to avoid falling a seed-line for the NCAA Tournament.
The Red Raiders remain positioned as a contender in the Big 12 despite the setback. Texas Tech’s 20-7 record, paired with quality wins throughout conference play, still places the program in consideration for a favorable tournament seed if it can sustain consistency.
Christian Anderson’s ability to marshal the offense, communicate effectively on defense and maintain composure under pressure will be central to Texas Tech’s prospects as the schedule tightens. The team’s ability to integrate expanded roles for secondary contributors also figures prominently in its postseason outlook.
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Jacob is a contributor to Texas Tech and a seasoned journalist with over eight years of covering college football on digital platforms. He also contributes to Arkansas On SI and has previous writing experience at Saturday Down South and SB Nation. He is a graduate of Southern Arkansas University.
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