Texas Tech, pull up a chair. Let's talk about the season that could have been together as allies, not enemies. After another past contender lost its cornerstone star to a season-ending ACL tear, it's hard to look at the JT Toppin tragedy and not be reminded that BYU hoops is facing an identical problem, as senior guard Richie Saunders went down last week to the failure of his own ACL.
Breaking: Texas Tech All-American forward JT Toppin suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his right knee in Tuesday night's loss to Arizona State, the school announced. pic.twitter.com/kYlbqw7fh5
— ESPN (@espn) February 18, 2026
Sure, I'll even look past the fact that the Red Raiders haven't allowed BYU football or basketball to take a single contest in the last few seasons. This is a place of healing, not of spite.
While the Cougars were able to escape the Colorado Buffaloes without Saunders, Tech was upset by a hungry Arizona State team. The Red Raiders had to stand and watch as a Sun Devil frenzy invaded the court at the sound of the final buzzer. Injury, meet insult.
JT Toppin's knee has failed him, and with its destruction, the Red Raiders' hopes of contending in the stacked Big 12 begin to look rather similar to BYU hoops: a talented team that is incomplete thanks to injury -- limited in potential, while not entirely absent of hope.
In the last meeting of these two teams, Tech ran away with a home victory as the unbalance BYU offense stalled and AJ Dybantsa struggled in his worst performance of the season. Less top-heavy, but still just as light beneath, BYU basketball is desperate for answers. Tech likely has nowhere to go without the reigning Big 12 Conference Player of the Year.
These two programs will face off in the regular season finale; two programs identical in appearance, but unrecognizable in composition.
It seems we're reaching that point in the season. Competition heats up with the postseason in sight, and the worn-down bodies of these athletes begin to erode. Koa Peat will be absent for the next week at least with a lower leg injury, missing key matchups against BYU and Houston this week. These aren't isolated incidents; we're in crunch time.
Injuries suck.