When Grant McCasland lost star forward JT Toppin for the remainder year, many assumed his team would quickly unravel. Instead, Texas Tech has not lost a game since, proving it remains one of the best teams in college basketball with a massive victory over Iowa State on Saturday.

After the game, McCasland could not stop gushing about his team's cohesiveness, praising his players' “love for each other” for the monumental win. The third-year head coach said his team's “real” care for one another has been the difference in the last week.

“It's a team game, that's why these dudes love each other,” McCasland said on the CBS Sports broadcast. “If you see the way they are around each other, it's real. These dudes really do love each other; that's the difference.”

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Texas Tech had six different players reach double figures in the win, which pleased McCasland to no end. Donovan Atwell led the way with 18 points on 6-for-10 from three-point range, while star point guard Christian Anderson paced the Red Raiders with 14 points and seven assists.

Backup forward Joiah Moseley was arguably the biggest X-factor in the upset, posting 10 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in 22 minutes off the bench. Luke Bamgboye, Tyeree Bryan and Jaylen Petty also reached double figures.

Since Toppin suffered a season-ending torn ACL in a loss to Arizona State on Feb. 17, Texas Tech dominated Kansas State and Cincinnati before out-pacing No. 4 Iowa State 82-73. The 22-7 Red Raiders have now usurped the Cyclones in the Big 12 standings and sit in third in the conference behind Arizona and Houston.

Although Toppin's injury will eventually come back to haunt Texas Tech, it has yet to show any sign of slowing down without its leading captain. McCasland knew it would take a cohesive effort to cope with the loss, and his team has executed to perfection thus far.