Texas Tech Upsets No. 1 Arizona
No. 16 Texas Tech rallied to defeat No. 1 Arizona 78-75 in overtime, with JT Toppin delivering a career-high 31 points including eight in the extra period. The upset hands Arizona its second consecutive loss and shakes up the national championship landscape as the NCAA regular season intensifies.
- This was a historic victory for the Red Raiders, marking only the third time in program history they have defeated a No. 1 ranked team. Their last win against a top-ranked opponent was in 2022 against Baylor. - JT Toppin's performance was one for the record books; he is the first player in over 20 seasons to record at least 31 points, 13 rebounds, and zero turnovers against the nation's No. 1 team. He is also just the second player in Big 12 history to have a 30-point double-double against a top-ranked AP opponent. - Arizona was significantly shorthanded in the second half and overtime after star freshman forward Koa Peat exited with a lower-body injury. The Wildcats were also missing freshman forward Dwayne Aristode due to illness, reducing their rotation to six players. - The loss was Arizona's first at home all season and capped a winless week for the team, which was 23-0 before losing to No. 9 Kansas earlier in the week. - Texas Tech erased a late deficit, overcoming a seven-point Arizona lead with just over three minutes remaining in regulation by mounting a 9-0 run. - Beyond Toppin's heroics, sophomore guard Christian Anderson played a crucial role for Texas Tech, scoring 19 points with eight assists while playing the entire 45 minutes. - The win was Texas Tech's third over a team ranked in the top 10 this season, adding to earlier victories against No. 3 Duke and No. 6 Houston.
