When Texas Tech forward JT Toppin’s ACL tore during the Red Raiders’ 72–67 loss to Arizona State on Feb. 17, his team’s hopes of March glory fell apart with it.
Texas Tech, 19-7 after the Sun Devils loss, split its final eight games—beating then-No. 4 Iowa State but also losing to two unranked opponents (one was BYU). Alabama ended the Red Raiders’ season in the second round of the NCAA tournament, leaving coach Grant McCasland and his team wondering what might have been.