Houston defeated Texas Tech, and we got to witness a battle between two big men: Jojo Tugler and JT Toppin. Let’s break it down.

Tugler came out aggressive, attacking Toppin and scoring in the paint with a nice touch. He favors quick floaters around the rim. On defense, Tugler was physical with Toppin, Tugler also caused a deflection that led to a steal. However, Tugler did look a little shaky when handling the ball, especially when trying to create plays.

Toppin struggled early, particularly from beyond the arc. Both of his three-point attempts were catch-and-shoot opportunities, but he couldn’t convert. Toppin is more comfortable attacking the paint off the dribble. He used a rip-through move out of a triple-threat stance and got to the basket for a floater. Toppin also made some solid passes with his back to the basket, though his passing isn’t his strongest suit. What really stood out was his ability to defend in pick-and-roll situations—he did a great job getting out on guards and recovering to his man.

In the second half, Tugler continued to showcase his hook shot to score. He also finished with a huge two-footed poster dunk. What impressed me most about Tugler was his defensive activity. During a Houston defensive collapse, Tugler blocked Toppin’s shot. Later, he dove on the floor for a loose ball—two plays that really caught my attention.

Toppin faced more doubles in the second half, which forced him to give up the ball. Despite being limited offensively, he showed strong defensive hands, including a help-side block. However, he made a poor pass out of a double team that resulted in a turnover, contributing to a rough night for Texas Tech.

Overall, I believe Tugler can be an impact player who does the “little things” for a contender team. These might seem small, but they are incredibly valuable when it comes to winning. Tugler did struggle with fouls in this game, and there was one moment I didn’t like: after fouling out, his coach was visibly frustrated with him, and Tugler seemed to take issue with it. No one wants to be yelled at, but the coach’s frustration came from wanting the best for Tugler—his presence on the floor is important.

As for Toppin, he’s not a strong rim protector, and although he plays center for Texas Tech, he’s really more of a wing. For Toppin to be impactful at the next level, he will need to improve his offensive game, particularly his ball handling and shooting. He went 0-3 from beyond the arc and didn’t show much of a mid-range game. Toppin’s strongest assets are his rebounding and finishing around the rim.