In a tough blow for Texas Tech, star forward JT Toppin will miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL in Tuesday's 72-67 loss to Arizona State. The injury was confirmed by an MRI once the team returned to Lubbock.
The Red Raiders, ranked No. 13, were trailing 61-56 with just over six minutes left when Toppin went down. As he drove to the basket, he collided with a Sun Devils defender, causing his legs to buckle. The reigning Big 12 Player of the Year clutched his right leg in pain and had to be helped off the court.
This marks the second significant knee injury in the Big 12 this week, with BYU's Richie Saunders also sidelined for the season due to an ACL tear.
Toppin's absence is a major setback for Texas Tech's Final Four hopes. He was a powerhouse, leading the team with averages of 21.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. He was on track to be the first Big 12 player since Blake Griffin in 2008-09 to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.
While the Red Raiders' backcourt remains solid, losing Toppin significantly weakens their frontcourt. LeJuan Watts is now the only other forward logging significant minutes, averaging over 15 per game.
Even with Toppin on the court, Texas Tech struggled against Arizona State, who came into the game with a 4-8 record in Big 12 play. His injury only compounded their difficulties in overcoming the deficit.
Head coach McCasland reflected on the impact of Toppin's injury, noting, "It definitely knocked us on our heels a little bit. But, man, we've got a competitive group and found a way to get to a one-possession game and gave ourselves a chance to win late, which is what you want.
I told our team I love that group that was on the floor at the end and just the fight that it took. If we would have done that for the previous 38 minutes, we would have put ourselves in a better position.
We just weren't ready to play."
This defeat marks Texas Tech's seventh of the season and only their second to an unranked team, dropping them to fifth place in the Big 12, two games behind the top-ranked No. 2 Houston.