No. 13 Texas Tech suffered a surprising loss to Arizona State 72-67 in Tempe on Tuesday evening, and their prominent forward, JT Toppin, sustained an injury in the second half.
Toppin evidently injured his right leg while penetrating toward the hoop with 6:03 remaining. The prospective All-American — who had been tallying an average of 21.9 points per game — required assistance to hobble off the court and did not re-enter the game. He concluded with 20 points and eight rebounds.
The Red Raiders — fresh from a 78-75 victory in extra time against then-No. 1 Arizona — saw their three-game victorious run conclude.
This marked Arizona State’s initial triumph against a nationally recognized opponent since defeating No. 23 West Virginia 65-57 on Jan. 21, 2025. It also represented a significant achievement for under-pressure coach Bobby Hurley, who has faced difficulties in fostering a consistently successful team throughout his decade-plus tenure in the arid region.
Hurley commenced his press briefing following the game by extending his regards to Toppin.
“I trust he’s alright. It’s distressing to witness a player exit a contest in such a manner,” Hurley stated. “He ranks among the top athletes nationwide. … My sympathies are with him, and I anticipate his speedy return to the team.”
Arizona State (14-12, 5-8 Big 12) established a 57-47 advantage in the middle of the latter half, vexing Texas Tech with aggressive defensive pressure across the entire court that compelled numerous turnovers. The Red Raiders reduced the deficit to 59-56, but the Sun Devils then tallied the subsequent eight points.
Texas Tech (19-7, 9-4) mounted one final surge, narrowing the gap to 70-67 during the closing moments, but Christian Anderson then mishandled possession, resulting in a turnover. Anderson contributed 18 points yet was responsible for seven miscues.
The towering 7-foot-1 Massamba Diop sank a three-point shot just before the conclusion of the initial half, providing Arizona State a 37-36 lead at intermission. Maurice Odum spearheaded the Sun Devils with 10 points prior to the interval, ultimately accumulating 23 total points.
The Associated Press furnished information for this article.