The Arizona Wildcats are going back to the Final Four. For the first time since 2001, the program has punched its ticket to the national semifinals, and they did it in convincing fashion defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 79-64 in the West Region final on Saturday in a game that was not nearly as close as the score suggests.
The win extended Arizona’s winning streak to 13 games and gave coach Tommy Lloyd’s program its most significant moment in a quarter century. For a fan base that has endured years of early tournament exits and near-misses, the final buzzer in this one carried a weight that went far beyond the box score.
A slow start and a decisive turnaround
The first half did not go according to plan. Arizona trailed by seven points at the break, with Purdue’s offense one of the most efficient in the country finding early rhythm and making the Wildcats work. But whatever was said in that locker room at halftime, it worked.
Arizona came out of the break with a 16-3 run that completely flipped the game on its head. Guard Anthony Dell’Orso hit a key three-pointer that gave the Wildcats a six-point lead they would never relinquish.
Guard Brayden Burries followed with a three of his own after a Purdue turnover, and forward Ivan Kharchenkov added a layup to push the lead to 11.
From that point on, Purdue which was held to just 26 second-half points never seriously threatened. Arizona outscored the Boilermakers 48-26 in the second half, one of the most dominant half-court performances of the tournament.
Peat announces himself on the biggest stage
If there was a moment that crystallized what this Arizona team is capable of, it came late in the second half. Freshman forward Koa Peat, who finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and three assists, threw down a thunderous dunk that pushed the score to 68-55 and sent the building into a frenzy. It was the kind of play that ends up in highlight reels for years.
Peat shot 9-of-18 from the field, scoring 18 of his 20 points in the paint. He also pulled down four offensive rebounds and was a plus-21 on the night the best mark of any player on either team. For a freshman playing in an Elite Eight game, the composure and physicality he showed were extraordinary.
The numbers that tell the story
Arizona’s statistical dominance in this one was hard to ignore. The Wildcats shot 46.6% from the field, made 20-of-22 free throws and racked up 40 points in the paint compared to Purdue’s 24. They also won the turnover battle decisively, with Purdue committing 11 turnovers that Arizona converted into 15 points.
Kharchenkov quietly had one of the best games of anyone on the floor, finishing with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, going a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line. Center Motiejus Krivas was everywhere without the ball, pulling down 12 rebounds and adding three assists.
For Purdue, NCAA assists record-holder Braden Smith had a rough night, shooting 4-of-15 from the field with three turnovers. The Boilermakers’ leading scorer on the evening was center Oscar Cluff with 14 points and 10 rebounds one of the few bright spots in a disappointing performance.
What’s next for the Wildcats
Arizona now heads to Indianapolis with a 36-2 record, a 13-game winning streak and the kind of momentum that makes them genuinely dangerous in the Final Four. Lloyd has built this roster on a blend of elite freshmen and battle-tested veterans, and through 38 games, that combination has proven to be a winning formula.
Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley has anchored the backcourt all season, and with Peat continuing to grow into one of the most physically dominant freshmen in the country, Arizona arrives in Indianapolis as more than just a feel-good story. They believe they can win the whole thing and after what they showed against Purdue, it would be unwise to doubt them.
