Arizona Faces Houston in Thrilling Big 12 Championship Rematch

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In a highly anticipated rematch, the Arizona Wildcats (22-11) face the Houston Cougars (29-4) in the Big 12 Tournament championship game on Saturday. This showdown comes exactly one month after Arizona lost to Houston by four points.

Arizona has fought hard to secure its place in the championship, defeating Kansas and Texas Tech in previous rounds. This marks a significant achievement for the Wildcats in their inaugural season in the Big 12, especially after falling short against Oregon in last year’s Pac-12 Tournament semifinals.

The Wildcats, currently projected as a No. 4 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, have a chance to enhance their standing with a victory over the No. 1-seed Cougars. Houston is favored by 5.5 points heading into the game.

The championship game tipped off at 5:17 p.m. CT on ESPN. The early moments of the game showcased the intensity expected in this matchup. With 4:14 left in the first half, the score stood at Arizona 24, Houston 21, reflecting a hard-fought battle between both teams. Arizona’s Caleb Love contributed 9 points while Emanuel Sharp led Houston with 8 points.

As the first half commenced, Arizona struggled early on, hitting only 1 of their first 8 attempts, while Houston found success with an early 3-pointer from Emmanuel Sharp.

Fans eager to catch the game can stream it live via the ESPN app or traditional cable on ESPN. Radio coverage is available on channel 80, and an online audio stream can be accessed through Arizona Sports Enterprises.