A shocking upset took place on the basketball court last night, leaving Texas Tech fans in disbelief. The Red Raiders, despite their best efforts, fell to Arizona State in a nail-biting 72-67 loss. But here's where it gets controversial: the game took a turn when JT Toppin, a key player for Texas Tech, had to leave the court early due to a leg injury.
The Red Raiders (19-7, 9-4) had a tough night, committing an unusually high number of turnovers, with Christian Anderson alone responsible for seven. The loss of Toppin, who had an impressive 20 points and 8 rebounds before his departure, proved to be a significant setback.
Maurice Odom of Arizona State led the scoring with a game-high 23 points. The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal provided live coverage of this intense match, and here's a breakdown of how it unfolded.
Texas Tech vs. Arizona State: A Play-by-Play Breakdown
- 12:22 a.m.: Arizona State pulls off the upset, defeating No. 13 Texas Tech 72-67.
- 12:18 a.m.: Arizona State extends their lead with a free throw, making it 70-67. Texas Tech has the ball with only 8.5 seconds left, a true test of their comeback abilities.
- 12:11 a.m.: Christian Anderson is putting on a show, trying to will Texas Tech to victory. It's a close game at 69-67 with 27 seconds left, and Arizona State has possession.
- 12:03 a.m.: Tragedy strikes as JT Toppin heads to the locker room with a right leg injury. Arizona State takes advantage, leading 67-56 with 3:26 left.
- 11:45 p.m.: Texas Tech shows resilience but trails Arizona State 59-54 with 7:23 left. The game is far from over.
- 11:33 p.m.: Texas Tech is down 49-47 with 11:42 left. Donovan Atwell is on the cusp of setting a new program record for 3-pointers in a season.
- 11:28 p.m.: Texas Tech seems to be struggling, with Arizona State taking advantage and leading 47-44.
- 11:20 p.m.: A close game so far, with Texas Tech and Arizona State tied at 42-all with 15:40 left. JT Toppin steps up for the Red Raiders.
- 10:56 p.m.: Arizona State closes the half strongly, taking a 37-36 lead into halftime. Texas Tech's turnovers have been costly, resulting in 14 points for their opponents.
- 10:47 p.m.: JT Toppin is on fire with 9 points and 5 rebounds, working well with Josiah Moseley. Texas Tech leads 33-27.
- 10:37 p.m.: Texas Tech wakes up, tying the game at 20-20. JT Toppin aims to complete a three-point play after the break.
- 10:33 p.m.: Arizona State goes on an 8-0 run, taking a 16-12 lead, thanks to early turnovers by Texas Tech.
- 10:25 p.m.: Texas Tech leads early, up 12-8 with 11:57 left in the half. Leon Horner gets some early playing time and makes an impact.
- 10:16 p.m.: Texas Tech starts strong, leading 7-4. JT Toppin already has three rebounds.
- 10:11 p.m.: LeJuan Watts scores the first bucket for Texas Tech, and the game is underway.
- 9:57 p.m.: The game's start time is pushed back to 10:10 p.m., making it even later than initially scheduled.
- 9:54 p.m.: Texas Tech's usual starters take the floor, while Arizona State counters with a strong starting lineup.
- 8:33 p.m.: No major changes to injury reports. The game starts in 90 minutes, following Kansas State-Baylor.
Injury Report
As of 8:30 p.m. Tuesday:
- Texas Tech: LaTrell Hoover (redshirting)
- Arizona State: Adante' Hollman, Vijay Wallace, Marcus Adams, Kash Polk, Quentin McCoy, Dame Salane, Bryce Ford
- Arizona State: Andrija Grbovic (game-time decision)
How to Watch
- TV Channel: ESPN2
- Livestream: Fubo (subscription required)
Catch the rest of the Texas Tech basketball schedule:
- Feb. 17: at Arizona State, 10 p.m.
- Feb. 21: Kansas State, 1:30 p.m.
- Feb. 24: Cincinnati, 6 p.m.
- Feb. 28: at Iowa State, 3 p.m.
Will Texas Tech recover from this upset? Can they bounce back and make a strong finish to their season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
