Texas Tech forward JT Toppin was having an impressive 2025-26 season, averaging a double-double with 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds on 54.8% shooting as a 6’8″, 230-pound junior. A torn ACL in Toppin’s right knee, sustained against Arizona State on February 17, ended his season and impacted Texas Tech’s tournament seeding.
ACL Tear Ruins JT Toppin’s Supposed NCAA Tournament Return
A key contributor to Texas Tech’s Elite Eight run last season, Toppin aimed to help the Red Raiders build on that success. He was on track for another strong finish alongside guard Christian Anderson before injuring his knee while driving to the basket with 6:03 left in a 72-67 loss to Arizona State.
He collapsed while holding his right leg and needed assistance leaving the court. An MRI confirmed a torn ACL, ending a stellar game against the Sun Devils in which Toppin scored 20 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, dished out 4 assists, and blocked 4 shots.
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To lessen the impact of Toppin’s injury, Grant McCasland promoted 6’11” sophomore Luke Bamgboye to the starting lineup, expanded the roles of Anderson, Donovan Atwell, and Jaylen Petty, and rotated Bamgboye, LaJuan Watts, and Josiah Moseley at forward.
McCasland’s adjustments resulted in wins over Kansas State (100-72) and Cincinnati (80-68), as well as an upset of Iowa State (82-73), with six players scoring in double figures.
JT Toppin’s Absence Stifles Texas Tech’s March to the 2026 NCAA Tournament
Signs of Toppin’s influence appeared in the second-to-last Big 12 game against TCU. The team scored 65 points on 45% shooting; Anderson and Atwell combined for 30 points, while Watts and Bamgboye only managed 8.
In its regular-season finale against AJ Dybantsa and BYU, the guard trio of Petty, Atwell, and Anderson played most of the game and scored 60 of the team’s 76 points.
However, Toppin’s absence was noticeable on the boards and at the rim, as the Red Raiders were outrebounded 41-34 and recorded only one block in a six-point loss to the Cougars, who were led by Dybantsa (21 points) and Robert Wright III (27).
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In the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals, a 75-53 loss to Iowa State revealed Texas Tech’s lack of inside presence without Toppin, as Watts and Bamgboye struggled to match his impact.
Texas Tech scored only 53 points on 34% shooting, as Anderson, Atwell, and Petty combined for 27 points (10-of-30 shooting). Their loss in the quarterfinals against Iowa State lowered their seed, awarding them a No. 5 seed to face the No. 12 Akron Zips (29-5) in the Midwest Regional first round.
Texas Tech faced a risky 5 vs. 12 matchup, as two No. 12 seeds won last year. With Toppin out and the Red Raiders struggling, another upset seems likely for Grant McCasland’s team.
Texas Tech aims for a second-round NCAA appearance without Toppin, facing Akron on Friday, March 20, at 12:40 p.m. ET in Tampa. The winner of the matchup will face the winner of No. 4 seed Alabama and No. 13 seed Hofstra.
