Losing a star in March is brutal. But losing one who had become the heartbeat of your locker room makes it even harder. And that’s what the No. 13-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach is dealing with as their junior star forward, JT Toppin, leaves this season for good.

For the Red Raiders, the injury that Toppin suffered reshaped the trajectory of a team that had leaned on his consistency on both ends of the floor. As a Big 12 Player of the Year candidate, Toppin isn’t just another good player; he is one of the best in the nation.

So naturally, coach Grant McCasland is taking his exit hard, as he got emotional discussing his injury during his recent media availability.

“That’s the part you love about (JT Toppin) because he just said I just want to play with our team,” the coach said. “And I said, ‘What do you think about our group?’ He is like, ‘I don’t know how we’re gonna rebound.’ I love that about him because he’s genuine. He doesn’t hold anything back.”

“He’s authentic to who he is, and he will tell you the truth. He’s like, ‘I just don’t know how we’re going to get rebounds.’ I’m like, ‘I’m with you, man.’ That’s the one thing that I know our group can do. We can grow in those areas; we’ve always improved, and I’m excited to see what comes of this because the joy comes in the morning… There’s also a lot of hope in this, and even for JT, there’s a lot of hope that he’ll get better because of this, and so that’s what we’re choosing to do, and we’re excited about every opportunity we get to play. And I know our guys are going to honor JT and how they compete because of who they are,” he further added.

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JT Toppin suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Tuesday night’s loss to the Arizona State Sun Devils. The injury occurred late in the game, just days after Texas Tech pulled off a dramatic overtime victory over the then No.1-ranked Arizona. However, the timing couldn’t have been more brutal.

Toppin was the engine, driving the Red Raiders through one of their best seasons so far. He was averaging 21.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game, while also leading the nation with 234 made field goals in his second season in Lubbock.

So in short, there is no replacing that production.

But McCasland made it clear the focus now shifts to response. For a team chasing postseason positioning, the path forward just became steeper. But if the emotion in McCasland’s voice was any indication, the Red Raiders aren’t mourning the season; they’re choosing to honor their star by competing harder in his absence.

How Will Texas Tech Navigate Life Without JT Toppin?

Losing JT Toppin isn’t just a subtraction from the stat sheet; it forces a complete recalibration of Texas Tech’s identity. For coach McCasland, the challenge isn’t about finding a new 22-point scorer overnight. It’s figuring out how to survive the physical and emotional void left by a 6-foot-9 star.

The Red Raiders will likely adopt a committee approach in the frontcourt. LeJuan Watts becomes the immediate focal point as the team’s second-leading rebounder, while 6-foot-11 Luke Bamgboye’s rim protection should see an uptick in minutes. Josiah Moseley also adds versatility and the option to play smaller, faster lineups when needed.

Offensively, Texas Tech may lean even heavier into its perimeter strength. The Red Raiders lead the Big 12 in three-pointers made per game, and without Toppin commanding double teams inside, the pressure shifts squarely onto Christian Anderson and the guard rotation.

However, that rebounding gap remains the biggest concern. So how Texas Tech responds in that area will define whether they prosper in their upcoming games or watch their momentum slip away.

They currently sit at 19-7 overall and 9-4 in the Big 12.

But with just five games left before the regular season closes, McCasland doesn’t have the luxury of experimentation. The Red Raiders will either reinvent themselves on the fly or learn the hard way how much one star can change everything.