For the sixth time in eight Tournaments, the Big 12 will have a team in the Final Four.
The No. 1 seeded Arizona Wildcats defeated the No. 2 seeded Purdue Boilermakers, 79-64, in the West Region final. The win puts the Wildcats (36-2) in the Final Four for the first time in 25 years. Purdue (30-9) fell short of putting three Big Ten teams in the Final Four.
Since 2018, when the Kansas Jayhawks made it to the Final Four, the Big 12 has only failed to send a team in 2023 and 2024. In that span, Texas Tech (2019) and Houston (2025) reached the championship game while Baylor (2021) and Kansas (2022) won the title.
Here are three takeaways from the night.
The Second Half ’Cats
Arizona trailed 38-31 at halftime. How rare was that? Arizona hadn’t been behind for a single minute in its first three NCAA Tournament games. In fact, the last time the Wildcats trailed in a game was to Houston in the Big 12 title game. Many things stood out, not the least of which was 3-point shooting. Purdue was 7-for-14. Arizona was 1-for-6.
There’s been a narrative all season that Arizona doesn’t shoot enough and make enough 3-pointers. I’ve written all season that their identity isn’t wrapped up in the 3-pointer. It’s wrapped up in being a complete team — scoring, rebounding and defense. When you’re a complete team, you’re hard to beat.
There was also this — Arizona was 5-0 this season when behind at the half. Make it 6-0.
Arizona won by being Arizona. Yes, the Wildcats hit four more 3-pointers in the second half and they were all timely. The Arizona defense extended itself and didn’t allow a made Purdue 3-pointer in the final 20 minutes. Arizona didn’t commit a turnover in the second half. After getting soundly outrebounded in the first half, the Wildcats ended the second half with 37-36 edge.
But, most notably, Arizona was 20-for-22 from the free throw line. Did you know that Arizona has attempted more than 1,000 free throws this season? I didn’t realize that until the broadcast. So I checked. Entering the game the Wildcats had attempted 998 free throws. They were also shooting 73.1%. Arizona plays a volume game and shoots well from the line and it’s set up by how they attack the basket, clean the offensive glass and their skill in drawing fouls.
That’s why Arizona outscored Purdue, 48-26, in the second half. The Wildcats are a complete team. That’s why they’re going to the Final Four.
Let’s Talk Freshmen One More Time
We shouldn’t be calling Koa Peat, Brayden Burries and Ivan Kharchenkov freshmen anymore. The Wildcats are 38 games into a season in which it just set a program record for wins in a season, eclipsing the 1987-88 team that went 35-3. That was a team. Kenny Lofton. Steve Kerr. Sean Elliott. Jud Buechler. Sean Rooks. Tom Tolbert.
But this trio of freshmen were terrific. Peat scored 20 points and set a record for most points by an Arizona freshman in an Elite Eight game. Kharchenkov had 18 points and I swear every lay-up was as soft as a pillow off the backboard. Burries scored 14 and made four 3-pointers. He also made one of the defining hustle plays of the game late.
Go back to October and there were questions about whether the Wildcats could be this kind of team if they started Peat and Burries. Turns out, Arizona can be this kind of team with THREE freshmen in the starting lineup all season. It’s been tremendous to watch all three develop this season. If the Wildcats win the title, these guys will be legends forever in Tucson.
Lute Looking Down
After the game, head coach Tommy Lloyd paid tribute to Lute Olson, the program’s architect and the last Arizona head coach to take the program to the Final Four in 2021, which was 25 years ago.
Quick history lesson. Olson is synonymous with the Wildcats but before that he was a head coach at Long Beach State and at Iowa. When he took over Arizona in 1983, the program was coming off a four-win season under Ben Lindsey, who replaced Fred Snowden.
Olson built something incredible in Tucson. He won 589 games, won 11 Pac-10 regular season titles and four Pac-10 conference tournaments. He reached four Final Fours and won the 1997 national championship. Arizona missed the NCAA Tournament just once — Olson’s first year in 1983-84.
In Tucson, he’s the GOAT. Lloyd knows it. The fans know it. Everyone knows it’s been far too long since the Wildcats got this far.
So, yes, Lute is looking down and smiling from ear to ear.
