Without star forward JT Toppin, the No. 5-seeded Texas Tech Red Raiders were blown out by the No. 5-seeded Iowa State Cyclones in the Big 12 Tournament last week.
Despite their lopsided loss, the Red Raiders were still designated No. 5 seeds and will open the NCAA Tournament with a first-round clash against the No. 12-seeded Akron Zips on Friday.
After transferring from the New Mexico Lobos, Toppin has been the Red Raiders’ best player for the past two seasons, but will he be available for their Big Dance journey?
Will JT Toppin Be Available for the NCAA Tournament?
Toppin suffered an ACL tear in his right knee during a Feb. 17 game against the Arizona State Sun Devils that ended his college basketball season, definitively ruling him out of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Before his injury, Toppin was averaging 21.8 points on 54.8% shooting from the floor and 28.1% from beyond the arc, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists for the Red Raiders. He recently earned first-team All-American honors alongside some of the best talents in college basketball, including Darius Acuff, AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, and Yaxel Lendeborg.
After a stellar start to the season that led to a 19-6 record, the Red Raiders have struggled since Toppin’s injury, losing four of their last seven games, including their last three, further illustrating the influential forward’s importance to the Big 12 team.
Christian Anderson Leading Texas Tech in Toppin’s Absence
During his weekly news conference before Texas Tech’s clash against Akron, Red Raiders coach Grant McCasland lauded the leadership of sophomore guard Christian Anderson in the absence of Toppin.
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“Experience in the NCAA Tournament always is an advantage, and the fact that Christian’s seen it and had the opportunity to be on a team that made a run, and his leadership with this group, his ownership to how we’re going to compete and play, really is huge to our success,” McCasland said.
“So thankfully, he’s feeling great. We’re excited about him leading us in the opportunity to compete.”
The Red Raiders had a scare during their loss to Iowa State at the Big 12 Tournament when Anderson slipped on the controversial glass court and left with groin discomfort, not returning to the game. Despite the injury scare, he was cleared to play in the NCAA Tournament.
Anderson, who was named the Big 12’s Most Improved Player, is averaging 18.9 points on 47.9% shooting from the floor and 42.5% shooting from beyond the arc, 3.6 rebounds, and 7.6 assists for the Red Raiders this season.
