Arizona Clinches Big 12 Title
No. 2 Arizona topped Iowa State 77-67 to clinch the Big 12 regular-season title outright. Head coach Tommy Lloyd called out critics postgame, dismissing the "soft" narrative around his team. The Wildcats' dominant conference run sets up major momentum heading into March Madness.
This marks Arizona's first-ever Big 12 regular-season title, secured in just their second season in the conference. The championship is the 32nd regular-season conference title in the program's history and the third in five years under head coach Tommy Lloyd. The Wildcats' defense was stifling in the title-clinching 73-57 victory over Iowa State. They held the Cyclones to just 29% shooting from the field and won the rebounding battle 40-33. Iowa State's 16 points in the paint were well below their season average of 38. Senior guard Jaden Bradley led the Wildcats with 17 points, making 9 of 10 free throws. Senior Tobe Awaka was a force on the glass, recording a double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds, while junior center Motiejus Krivas added 13 points. Coach Tommy Lloyd specifically challenged the "lazy" narrative that his team is "soft," a criticism he attributed to their West Coast origins. He pointed to the team's strong rebounding and paint-scoring statistics as direct evidence of their toughness. With a 28-2 record (15-2 in conference), Arizona has locked up the No. 1 seed for the upcoming Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament in Kansas City. Their dominant season included key non-conference victories over top-ranked teams like Florida and UConn. Following their strong regular season, multiple bracketology experts project Arizona as a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. It would be their first time as a top seed since 2022.
