No. 4 Arizona Wildcats Claim First Place in Big 12 with Victory Over No. 2 Houston
HOUSTON – The No. 4 Arizona Wildcats secured sole possession of first place in the Big 12 Conference with a 73-66 road victory over the No. 2 Houston Cougars on Saturday, February 21, 2026. Arizona (25-2, 12-2 Big 12) overcame a second-half deficit with a dominant 12-0 run, holding Houston scoreless from the field for over 10 minutes in the process.
Wildcats Overcome Second-Half Challenge
After leading 36-31 at halftime, Arizona faced a challenge as Houston took a 50-48 lead with approximately 12 minutes remaining in the game. Still, the Wildcats responded with a decisive 12-0 run spanning over six minutes, establishing an eight-point advantage they would maintain for the remainder of the contest.
Defense and Dell’Orso Lead the Way
Arizona’s defense proved pivotal, forcing Houston into a scoring drought of over 10 minutes in the second half. The Wildcats recorded nine steals and capitalized on 12 Houston turnovers, converting them into 16 points. Senior guard Anthony Dell’Orso led all scorers with 22 points, matching his season high, and added four steals and three rebounds. Jaden Bradley contributed 17 points, while Ivan Kharchenkov added 16.
Lloyd Praises Big 12 Competition
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd emphasized the competitive nature of the Big 12 Conference, stating, “What’s really cool about being in the Big 12 is you could take second or third in the conference and still win the national championship.” He added, “We put ourselves in position to be in position, and now you got to travel take advantage of it.”
Looking Ahead
Despite the victory, Arizona faced challenges with player availability. Freshmen Koa Peat (lower leg muscle strain) and Dwayne Aristode (illness) were sidelined, and Moetijus Krivas and Tobe Awaka fouled out during the game. The Wildcats will continue their conference schedule on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, with a road game against the Baylor Bears at Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN2.