The last five days have been a rollercoaster for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. On Saturday, they stunned the top-ranked Arizona Wildcats on the road as 9.5-point underdogs, powered by a dominant 31-point, 13-rebound performance from JT Toppin. Just three days later, Texas Tech entered a matchup against the Arizona State Sun Devils as 7.5-point road favorites, but what followed proved far more significant than the loss itself.

With 6:03 remaining in the second half and the Red Raiders trailing by five, Toppin, an All-American First Team candidate, collapsed with a non-contact knee injury and did not return. Reporter Rob Dauster noted that trainers immediately performed an ACL stability test before helping Toppin to the locker room without placing weight on the leg, sparking instant concern across the program.

By midday yesterday, every Texas Tech fan’s worst fears were confirmed: Toppin had suffered a torn ACL in his right knee, ending his season. One of the nation’s most productive players, he was averaging 21.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, and more than a block and a steal per game.

The injury had major implications on the betting markets as well. After the signature win at Arizona, Texas Tech had opened the week at +2200 on FanDuel to win the national championship. Less than a week later, following the loss and the devastating injury news, the Red Raiders plummeted to +10000, a dramatic reflection of Toppin’s value to their title hopes.

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