Texas Tech star JT Toppin will be sidelined for the rest of the season due to a torn ACL sustained during the team’s 72-67 defeat to Arizona State. After returning to Lubbock, an MRI confirmed the torn ligament, as confirmed by Texas Tech.

In a tightly contested match, the No. 13 Red Raiders were behind, 61-56, with 6:03 left when Toppin’s injury occurred. On a drive to the basket, he collided with a defender, falling awkwardly and immediately clutching his right leg as he writhed in pain before needing assistance off the court.

“JT Toppin heads to the locker room following an apparent right leg injury. pic.twitter.com/1JDSGcYK5J”
Translation: JT Toppin goes to the locker room after apparently injuring his right leg.

Toppin is the second significant player in the Big 12 to face a season-ending knee injury recently. Richie Saunders from BYU also suffered an ACL tear last Saturday.

Without Toppin, Texas Tech faces a severe challenge. The junior forward, leading the team with averages of 21.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game, was on track to be the first Big 12 player since Blake Griffin, who played for Oklahoma in the 2008-09 season, to achieve at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.

While Texas Tech’s guards remain competitive, Toppin’s injury is a significant loss for a frontcourt that depended heavily on his contributions. Forward LeJuan Watts emerges as the only other forward averaging over 15 minutes per game.

Despite Toppin’s presence, the Red Raiders were struggling against Arizona State, and his absence compounded their difficulties, particularly against a Sun Devils team that had a 4-8 record in Big 12 play before this matchup.

MCasland noted, “It definitely knocked us on our heels a little bit, but we have a competitive group and found a way to get close at the end. I told the team I loved the effort from those who finished the game. If we showed that intensity earlier on, we could have fared better.”

The loss marked Texas Tech’s seventh for the season and only their second defeat against an unranked opponent. This outcome sees the Red Raiders dropping to fifth place in the Big 12, trailing two games behind the first-place team, Houston.