All articles tagged with #arizona wildcats
BYU opened its Big 12 schedule with a 28-17 win over Arizona, extending its series lead over the Wildcats to six. A critical overturned fourth‑down spot shifted momentum, freshman Legend Glasker hauled in a 61‑yard catch, Kyler Kasper scored twice, and Bear Bachmeier connected on big plays as BYU moved to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in conference play amid a penalties-filled second half.
BYU pulled away in the second half to beat Arizona 28-17 in the Big 12 opener, after the Wildcats led 17-14 at halftime but were shut out after the break. Arizona QB Noah Fifita threw for 230 yards with a TD and an INT, while BYU’s Bear Bachmeier accounted for all four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) and LJ Martin added 98 rushing yards. Arizona WR Gio Richardson left the game with an injury as the offense stalled in the second half; Arizona also faced turnover challenges and red-zone stalls. The loss drops Arizona to 1-1 (0-1 Big 12) and extends BYU’s edge in the series, now 6 straight defeats for UA to BYU. Next up, Arizona hosts Northern Illinois on Sept. 19.
Arizona travels to No. 15 BYU for its Big 12 opener hoping to snap a five-game skid in Provo. Key storylines include Arizona's improving run defense against BYU's rushing attack, the turnover margin after a sloppy debut, and Noah Fifita's performance on the road, with BYU favored by 7.5 points and potential Arizona reinforcements Mahdi and Harris cleared to travel.
Arizona still feels the sting of last season’s double‑digit fourth‑quarter comeback loss to BYU and is chasing revenge as it travels to BYU’s LaVell Edwards Stadium. Kedrick Reescano says the sour feeling lingers, while BYU’s LJ Martin looms as a key threat from a previous win. The series has favored BYU lately (two straight wins, five in a row overall), and Arizona coach Brent Brennan notes the tough environment and the real‑life connection with BYU coach Kalani Sitake as added drama for the third straight meeting between the programs.
Arizona beat NAU 35-7 behind Noah Fifita’s efficient 22-of-29 for 262 yards and two TDs, including 13 straight completions in the first half, while Giovanni Richardson emerged as the WR1 with 96 receiving yards. Kedrick Reescano added two red-zone TDs as the O-line paved the way; defensively the front seven produced five sacks and Quinn Olson added an INT, but the new secondary, replacing five departed DBs, struggled with tackling and blown coverages, yielding 200 passing yards and -7 rushing yards overall. Arizona travels to BYU in Week 2.
ASU vs Morgan State and Arizona vs NAU aren’t on TV and will stream exclusively on ESPN+ (ESPN Select $13.99/mo or ESPN Unlimited $31.99/mo); if you don’t have a traditional TV provider, national-TV games are only accessible on ESPN Unlimited. The Wildcats’ game kicks off at 6:30 p.m. and the Sun Devils at 7:00 p.m.; radio/audio options include ESPN 620 AM and the Arizona Sports app.
The Bucks selected Arizona guard Brayden Burries with the No. 10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, aiming to boost their outside shooting as they adjust to a post-Giannis era. Burries posted 16.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game as a freshman at Arizona, shot 39% from beyond the arc, and ranked among the Wildcats’ top freshmen in points, threes and steals. While many mocks had him to Dallas, Milwaukee scooped up the consensus best available prospect.
Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic committed to Kentucky over Arizona and Louisville, reportedly aided by lucrative NIL offers; Arizona, with two roster spots open for 2026-27, may pivot to overseas options to fill the power-forward void as the Wildcats retool their roster.
Arizona will wait for Koa Peat, who remains in the 2026 NBA Draft and is projected as a late first‑round pick, while ex-Iowa State star Milan Momcilovic has withdrawn from the draft and could land with the Wildcats through the transfer portal; Arizona has added four portal players this offseason, sits with two open roster spots, and faces continued recruiting interest from other programs.
The Las Vegas Raiders drafted Arizona safety Treydan Stukes with the No. 38 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. A former walk-on from Litchfield Park, AZ, Stukes developed into a ballhawking defender, posting seven interceptions and 22 pass deflections over his final four college seasons and a standout 2025 campaign with four interceptions and 24 solo tackles. He earned multiple All-American honors, posted a 4.33 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and brings versatility to the Raiders’ secondary, having played safety, nickelback, and outside corner.
A circulating rumor on Doug Gottlieb's podcast claims Michael Jordan called Tommy Lloyd to recruit him to UNC, suggesting the Tar Heels are pursuing Lloyd as their next head coach, but the claim is unverified.
Bleacher Report’s post-Elite Eight power rankings cap the 2026 NCAA men’s tournament with a Final Four featuring Michigan, Arizona, Connecticut and Illinois. The semifinals tilt Arizona vs. Michigan and UConn vs. Illinois, with UConn’s stingy defense and a rising scoring threat from Tarris Reed Jr., Illinois’s nation-leading offense led by Keaton Wagler and David Mirkovic, Arizona’s guard-driven attack and paint control anchored by Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries, and Michigan’s size-based three-big lineup shaping the path to the title. The piece also notes a buzzer-beater by Braylon Mullins and emphasizes that guard play and game pace will largely determine the champion.
Arizona rode coach Tommy Lloyd’s “figure it out” approach to erase a halftime deficit and beat Purdue 79-64 in the West Region final, earning its first Final Four in a quarter century. A deep, versatile lineup—Brayden Burries, Koa Peat, Ivan Kharchenkov, Jaden Bradley, Motiejus Krivas, Anthony Dell’Orso and Tobe Awaka—took over in the second half, combining interior dominance, improved guard play and rebounding to seal the win and keep Arizona’s title potential alive.
Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd has the Wildcats back in the Final Four, and rising coaching chatter could trigger a domino effect across college basketball: Lloyd’s future at Arizona, Dusty May’s skyrocketing stock (with possible interest from Kansas or UNC), and rumors of Billy Donovan to North Carolina or Bill Self retirement potentially opening Kansas. The piece frames the Final Four as a flashpoint for big-job moves that could reshape the coaching landscape beyond this season.
Arizona roared back from a halftime deficit to beat Purdue 79-64 in the West Regional Final, reaching the Final Four for the first time since 2001, as fans and notable figures flooded X (formerly Twitter) with celebratory reactions and praise for coach Tommy Lloyd and the program.