Turnovers and an untimely JT Toppin injury derailed No. 13 Texas Tech's Big 12 bid in a shocking upset loss to Arizona State.
No. 13 Texas Tech saw a prime Big 12 opportunity slip away Tuesday night, falling 72-67 to Arizona State at Desert Financial Arena in a game defined by turnovers and late-game execution.
The Red Raiders (19-7, 9-4 Big 12) entered the matchup looking to strengthen their conference standing, but were undone by 17 turnovers that turned into a staggering 21-6 scoring edge for the Sun Devils.
Head coach Grant McCasland didn’t mince words afterward, pointing directly to ball security and road toughness as the difference. Texas Tech has built a reputation as a gritty road team in recent seasons, but this performance didn’t match that standard.
"To their credit, I thought the way they hung in there with each other over the course of the game really said a lot about their team," McCasland said. "The biggest stat for me was just our inability to take care of the ball, which led to some transition baskets. We had some moments where we got divided, and we just didn't have the competitiveness that it took to win on the road, so it's disappointing. I've got to do better to help our team in these road environments. We've always been a good road team and we fought and obviously had some success, but this wasn't good enough."
JT Toppin once again led the way statistically, pouring in 20 points while grabbing eight rebounds. He added four blocks and two steals, flashing his all-around impact before exiting with an injury with six minutes remaining. His absence down the stretch was more than noticeable.
Christian Anderson delivered one of his strongest performances of the season, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds and six assists. He knocked down 4-of-7 from 3-point range and converted both of his free throws. Donovan Atwell added 12 points and hit four 3-pointers, tying Cory Carr’s long-standing single-season Texas Tech record with 94 made threes.
Despite shooting an efficient 40.9 percent (9-for-22) from beyond the arc and 10-of-13 at the free-throw line, Texas Tech couldn’t overcome its giveaways. Arizona State (14-12, 5-8 Big 12) capitalized repeatedly, especially in transition.
The Sun Devils were led by Maurice Odum, who scored 23 points and was flawless at the stripe, going 8-for-8. Massamba Diop chipped in 14 points, while Santiago Trouet added 13 points and six rebounds.
The game tightened in the final minute when Anderson came up with a steal and a fastbreak layup to cut the deficit to two with 27 seconds remaining. However, a turnover on the next possession ended Tech’s hopes of forcing overtime. Odum sealed the upset with two clutch free throws.
Texas Tech now returns to Lubbock for a critical two-game homestand at United Supermarkets Arena. The Red Raiders are 12-1 at home this season and 42-6 on their home floor under McCasland, making Saturday’s matchup with Kansas State pivotal as they look to regain momentum in the Big 12 title race.