Arizona Wildcats Fall to Houston in Big 12 Final

Kansas City, Missouri — The Arizona Wildcats concluded their first Big 12 Tournament as runners-up, succumbing to the top-seeded Houston Cougars in the championship game on Saturday. Arizona secured a double-bye into the quarterfinals and reached the final by defeating No. 6 Kansas and No. 2 Texas Tech.

Arizona dominated in the quarterfinal match against Kansas, winning 88-77, showcasing strong performances that prompted confidence going into their semifinal against Texas Tech. In that game, the Wildcats held off a resilient Red Raiders squad, edging out an 86-80 victory to advance to the title match against Houston.

In the final showdown, with just 1:37 left on the clock and trailing by two points, Caleb Love sank two free throws to bring Arizona within striking distance of Houston. However, turnovers and a missed 3-pointer thwarted their efforts, resulting in a 72-64 loss and leaving the Wildcats as the tournament’s runners-up.

“We fought hard and showed what we are capable of,” said Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd. “It’s a tough loss, but we can build on this performance as we move forward to the NCAA Tournament.”

In other tournament results, Arizona State University faced disappointing outcomes as the No. 15 seed, ultimately losing to No. 10 Kansas State in the first round of the NCAA. Arizona State’s struggles continued as they finished the season with a 13-19 record.

The NCAA Tournament looms ahead, and Arizona Wildcats fans are hopeful for a deep run. Despite their ranking as the last No. 4 seed, analysts remain optimistic about their potential. As excitement builds in preparation for the tournament, attention shifts to how far Arizona can advance.

The Big 12 Tournament took place at the T-Mobile Center, showcasing a competitive field of teams. The concluding results demonstrated both the strength of top-seeded teams and the challenges faced by lower seeds, marking a dramatic tournament season.