Texas Tech star forward JT Toppin has a torn ACL in his right knee and will miss the remainder of the season, the school said Wednesday.
Toppin, a 6-foot-9 junior, suffered the injury while driving to the basket with 6:03 remaining in Tuesday’s 72-67 loss to Arizona State. He went down in a heap, holding his right leg. An MRI confirmed the injury.
Editor’s Picks
The preseason All-America selection, who is averaging 21.8 points, needed assistance to limp off the court and didn’t return. He finished with 20 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks.
He leads the No. 13 Red Raiders in scoring, rebounding (10.8 per game) and blocked shots (1.7 per game).
Only once before has a Big 12 player finished a season averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds a game. That was Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin in 2008-09.
Toppin’s 47 career double-doubles are the second-most among active players, trailing the 51 by Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg. Toppin has 16 double-doubles this season and 35 in his 58 games for the Red Raiders over two seasons.
After transferring from New Mexico, where Toppin played as a freshman in 2023-24, the Texas native averaged 18.2 points and 9.4 rebounds last season to help Texas Tech get to the NCAA tournament Elite Eight. He was selected as the AP Big 12 newcomer of the year and was a second-team All-America pick.
Toppin is averaging 17.1 points and 9.7 rebounds in his 94 games overall.
Texas Tech (19-7) next plays Kansas State on Saturday and Cincinnati on Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
