Texas Tech star JT Toppin, a 6-foot-9 junior forward, is out for the remainder of the 2025-26 season after suffering a torn ACL, the team announced on Wednesday.
Toppin sustained the injury in Tuesday’s 72-67 loss at Arizona State. He was driving to the basket late in the second half when he lost his balance and collapsed to the floor, immediately grabbing his right leg. After being down for a while, Toppin was helped to the locker room. He did not return.
The reigning Big 12 Player of the Year was averaging 21.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks for the No. 13 Red Raiders, who sit at fifth in the conference with a 9-4 record.
A highly skilled, versatile big man, Toppin has been one of the most dominant forces in college basketball since transferring to Texas Tech in 2024. This season, he ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring, rebounding and double-doubles (16). On Saturday, he put up 31 points and 13 rebounds in the Red Raiders’ 78-75 victory over No. 1 Arizona. That performance came just three days after he matched his career-high with 18 rebounds against Colorado.
In his latest installment of bracketology, Hoops HQ’s Brad Wachtel projected Texas Tech to be a No. 4 seed. The Red Raiders will face Kansas State on Saturday and Cincinnati on Tuesday before a highly anticipated matchup with No. 6 Iowa State on Feb. 28.
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