The ejection of Texas Tech forward JT Toppin and coach Grant McCasland has sparked controversy after their team’s overtime win over No. 6 Houston on Saturday. Athletic director Kirby Hocutt called the decision “egregious” and met with Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark to address it.
The controversy started when Toppin was flagged for a flagrant foul 2, which led to his automatic ejection from the game. The officials’ review of the play showed that Toppin’s leg made contact with Houston player Joseph Tugler while in the air, making the flagrant foul claimable due to excessive and severe contact. However, Hocutt disputes this, saying the move was accidental.
After the ejection, McCasland protested, stating that Toppin was simply trying to throw a crosscourt pass to his teammate. He also mentioned that he needs guidance on proper throwing motions for left-handed players.
Despite losing their coach and star player, Texas Tech rallied and won the game in overtime. The Red Raiders secured their 33-game homecourt winning streak, while Houston’s 17-game homecourt victory streak ended.
Source: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/43658365/texas-tech-ad-calls-jt-toppin-ejection-egregious-win