Tag: Big 12

Arizona Heads to the Final Four in 25 Years, Beating Purdue, 79-64

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Arizona forward Koa Peat (10) dunks during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Purdue, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (Photo Credits to AP Photo/Kelley L Cox)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN JOSE – The Madness of March is over, as SAP Center welcomed 4 programs to the South Bay, but only saw only one of them would come out victorious. Between the No.1 Arizona Wildcats and the No.2 Purdue Boilermakers, which both are champions to their conference. It would be the Arizona Wildcats moving on to Indianapolis with a 15 point win, and these dangerous Wildcats have now won 13 games in a row.

Arizona Wildcats went with guards Jaden Bradley, Brayden Burries, forwards Koa Peat, Ivan Kharchenkov, and center Motiejus Krivas for their Elite Eight game. The Wildcats will be hoping to make it to the Final Four for the first time since 2001 and the fifth time in program history. This is their 12th Elite Eight appearance overall and their first since 2015.

Purdue Boilermakers sent out guards Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, forwards Trey Kaufman-Renn, Oscar Cluff, and center C.J. Cox on the teams Elite Eight run. Purdue has a 0-9 record against No. 1 seeds overall and is seeking its first victory over one. Purdue will be trying for its fourth Final Four overall and its second in the last three seasons.

After the first 7 minutes of play, Arizona was in the lead with 5 points, 17-12. Arizona went on a 8-2 scoring run for 3 minutes. The Wildcats saw a lot of their points in the paint which was giving them early control of the game. Arizona scored 12 points in the paint to their now, 19-12 lead. It should come as no surprise that Purdue is already having issues with Arizona’s size and agility. Oscar Cluff is holding his own so far, but if the Boilermakers don’t find extra help from the players down in the block, the Wildcats will dominate inside.

4 lead changes and 6 ties already happened 15 minutes into this game. Both teams are trying to send their school to the Final Four with the finishing line being just a couple of games away. With 3 minutes left of the 1st half the score was, 30-27, Purdue leads now. After a bad shooting performance in their Sweet 16 game, Purdue has shotten the ball better. Last game int he 1st half, Boilermakers only had 3 three-pointers in the 1st half, but tonight they had 6 three-pointers already. While Arizona is seeing some struggles as they only made 1 three-pointer so far out of 6 attempts.

Halftime, Purdue is leading Arizona by 7 points, 38-31. The Big-10 champions, Purdue, hit 7 three-pointers in the 1st half that got them feeling great heading into the lockers. While the Big-12 champions, Arizona, was struggling on the field. Only making 1 three-pointer would go a long way and a reason on why they’re down at halftime. While the Wildcats are struggling from deep as they only got 1 deep ball to go in.

The Boilermakers have gone on to lose after leading at the half just twice this season: Jan. 24 against Illinois and Feb. 26 against Michigan State. So with the start of the second half, the pressure for Purdue to win the game is on. Vice versa with Arizona as they started the final half playing catch up. Which Arizona really turned up the heat on Purdue and took it to them.

Wildcats were able to knock down 3 three-pointers in the second half, which was a lot better than the just the 1 three-pointer they made in the first half. The more this game goes on, the more the talent gap between Arizona and Purdue becomes clear. Arizona is more prepared to play in transition when the game breaks down, which has happened more often in the second half. The Wildcats are on the verge of making it to their first Final Four in 25 years.

In the second half, Arizona played with an entirely different feeling of urgency. At both ends of the floor, there are differences in physicality and intensity. However, the two crucial figures: Arizona had six turnovers in the first half but zero in the second. After a 7-14 first half, Purdue is now 0-4 3PT. By the 3 minute mark, Arizona had a 15 point lead on Purdue.

Ultimately, Arizona wrote their story to the Final Four in San Jose as they would win the game against the No.2 Purdue Boilermakers, 79-64. Arizona Wildcats will head to Indianapolis, and wait on the winner of the No.1 Michigan vs No.6 Tennessee. That game will be played on Saturday, April 4th, 2026.

Wildcats dominated Razorbacks, 109-88, will face No.2 Purdue Boilermakers in Elite Elite

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No.1 Arizona Wildcat guard (#5) Brayden Burries makes an 11-foot pull-up jump shot at the 14-minute mark of the 2nd Half on Thursday, March 26th, 2026, in San Jose, CA, at SAP Center. (Photo Credits to editor Michael Villanueva)

By Michael Villanueva

SAN JOSE – Just right after a crazy ending to the game between Purdue and Texas, SAP Center welcomed the 2nd game of the Sweet 16 West Region Tournament Games. The No.1 Arizona Wildcats vs. the No.4 Arkansas Razorbacks. This is their 2nd ever meeting in the NCAA Tournament, with Arkansas winning the last matchup in 1994 in the Final Four. With the Sweet 16, the road leads to the Elite Eight, and once again, the Razorbacks and Wildcats cross paths in this March of Madness. Arizona gave a show to the South Bay as they beaten Arkansas, 109-88.

Arizona is making its 40th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament. With this win, Arizona not only reaches its 35th win of the season but secured their spot to come back on Saturday evening for the Elite Eight and will face off against the No.2 Purdue Boilermakers. This will be the Wildcats 23rd trip to the Elite Eight in school history.

No.1 Arizona Wildcats started with guards Jaden Bradley, Brayden Burries, forwards Ivan Kharchenkov, Koa Peat, and center Motiejus Krivas. Arizona’s all-time record in the NCAA Tournament went to 64-38 after getting a couple of wins down in SoCal area, San Diego. This was the Wildcats 16th appearance in the Sweet 16, but their fourth in five seasons with head coach Tommy Lloyd. Arizona isn’t a stranger down here in San Jose, as this was their third NCAA Tournament appearance in San Jose (2002,2017).

No.4 Arkansas Razorbacks started with guards Meleek Thomas, Darius Acuff Jr., forwards Trevon Brazile, Malique Ewin, and Billy Richmond III. Arkansas is enjoying its trip to the sweet 16, as this is the school’s 16th NCAA Sweet 16 and its 5th in a six-year span. The Razorbacks are being lead by head coach John Calipari who’s made quite a resume in the tournament. Coach Calipari is playing in his 17th NCAA Sweet 16 & his second straight. Calipari’s Sweet 16 record was impressive, but Arizona’s performance was too much for him and his team. His record is now 12-5 in the Sweet 16.

After the first 12 seconds, the Wildcats strike first on the Razorbacks with a layup from guard Brayden Burries. From there, it seemed like the whole 1st half was all Arizona. As they held the lead pretty much the entire 1st half. The two stud freshmen, Arkansas Darius Acuff Jr. and Arizona Brayden Burries, face off to close out this thrilling Thursday of games.

10 minutes into the first half of the game, Arkansas was starting to see some early struggles shooting from deep. Arizona has been seeing great success in its offensive possession. Wildcats are comfortably getting in the paint and protecting the paint with 2 blocks already in this game. So with that, Arizona would get on an early roll here in San Jose.

With 2 minutes left, Arkansas was down 13 points to Arizona, 50-37. The Razorbacks shooting has held them back and been their reason why they’re trailing. They were shooting 45% from the floor, but with a bad 17% from deep. While a hot team from the desert like Arizona, those missed three-pointers are big in playing the Wildcats. So, on that, Arizona went on a roll and saw a 15-point lead at one point on Arkansas.

At halftime, the Arizona Wildcats would lead the Arkansas Razorbacks by 11 points, 54-43. Arizona’s shooting is showing why they’re one of the best schools to take the West Region. They’re shooting a high 65% from the floor, going 18-of-28, just missing 10 shots on the floor the whole 1st half. The Wildcats are the first team to have 50+ points before halftime in multiple games within a men’s NCAA tournament since 2017. While Arkansas is hanging on, its problem is not hitting its shots and not being aggressive. The Razorbacks end the 1st half on 2-of-12 from deep at a low 17%.

The 2nd half was pure domination for Arizona. The Wildcats just proved to be too much for the Razorbacks. After the first 8 minutes, the Wildcats didn’t miss a shot in their possessions. A huge way to come back from where you left off in the 1st half. However, with his 13th point of the game, Darius Acuff Jr. has totaled 73 points across his first three NCAA tournament games, passing De’Aaron Fox for the most points scored by an SEC freshman in their first three career NCAA tournament appearances.

With the big and tough performance from Razorback freshman star Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas found itself down by 21 points just 7 minutes in the 2nd half. Arizona is pulling away from Arkansas in San Jose, holding that commanding 78-57 lead. The lead feels unreal to be in the Sweet 16, and the home travel team-Arizona crowd, is here and energized, chanting “U-of-A” as the Wildcats were getting closer to securing their spot in the Elite 8.

Now, with 7 minutes left of the game, nothing much has changed. Except the Razorbacks were starting to play frustrated from the performance and how the game is going. Arkansas would start to commit fouls, with some turning into a flagrant foul. The lead was still 20 points to Arizona, 92-72.

As the game reached the final 2 minutes, it was pretty clear who had won this game. Arizona is holding a 23 point lead. The Wildcats controlled the rest of the game and slowly played the clock out to officially get the win. With that, the final score was 109-88. Arizona will head to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2015 with its head coach, Tommy Lloyd.

Arizona Wildcat freshman Brayden Burries led the team with his 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. Burries and the Wildcats will host the No.2 Purdue Boilermakers right back in the SAP Center on March 28th, 2026, at 5:49 p.m. in San Jose, CA. The final game that San Jose will host, as the winner of the Saturday game, will take the road to the Final Four.

San Jose State Spartans Lose To Texas Tech Red Raiders 56-42 After Second Half Turnovers

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Myron Amey Jr (0) walks off the floor for the San Jose State Spartans after a defeat to the Texas Tech Red Raiders at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock TX on Sun Nov 12, 2023 (San Jose State Spartans photo)

Sunday, November 12th, 2023

By Troy Ewers

It’s the first road game for San Jose State and they face Texas Tech in the home of the Red Raiders. 

The 2-0 Spartans were prepared for the Red Raiders and focused on defense. Keeping Texas Tech and utilizing mismatches early. SJSU cut off the Red Raiders’ access to the paint and forced them to have to try to score from the outside.

On offense both teams weren’t hitting from the three point line, but the Spartans found a stride in the first half scoring in the paint. The game was close all first half, but Spartans Coach Tim Miles was adamant that his boys will win the battle in the key.

A battle Coach Miles wanted his team to win the most was on the boards, Adrame Diongue led the team with rebounds in the first, but the Red Raiders had 19 rebounds over the Spartans 17 rebounds and that battle shows why Coach Miles was so focused on it, because at halftime Texas Tech was up by one point, 22-21. 

The second half started with both teams trading leads. San Jose State’s ability to score on second chance points is phenomenal even though they only had six second chance points at the 11 minute mark in the second half. In the last five minutes Texas Tech had a six point lead and Spartans had to get back to what got them a lead in the first half, but turnovers were costing them and Texas Tech capitalized on the Spartans’ mistakes.

The Red Raiders went on a 13-2 run at one point and in the final minute Texas Tech was up 11 and let the clock run out, but not before hitting one last three to make it 56-42 and that was game. The Spartans main problem in this game was when they couldn’t get a run going, they tried to shoot threes and turned the ball over. The Red Raiders scored 19 points off of the Spartans 16 turnovers. 

It wasn’t easy, but Texas Tech pulled out and won making their record 2-0 and the Spartans go 2-1. San Jose State wanted this win, but they’ll get to forget about this loss in the U.S. Virgin Islands where they’ll be in the Paradise Jam tournament starting on November 17th.