Arizona Wildcats Clinch First Outright Big 12 Title with Victory Over Iowa State

TUCSON, Ariz. — No. 2 Arizona secured its first outright Big 12 regular-season title with a dominant 73-57 win over No. 6 Iowa State on Monday night at McKale Center. Senior guard Jaden Bradley led the Wildcats with 17 points, while Motiejus Krivas added 13.

Wildcats Dominate on Both Ends

Arizona (28-2, 15-2 Big 12) used a strong defensive performance to stifle the Cyclones, holding them to 29% shooting from the field and just 7 of 30 from three-point range. The victory comes after Arizona clinched at least a share of the conference crown with an 84-61 win over Kansas on Saturday.

Key Performances

Jaden Bradley’s 17 points led the Wildcats, and he shot 9-for-10 from the free-throw line. Tobe Awaka contributed with 10 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. For Iowa State (24-6, 11-6 Big 12), Tamin Lipsey scored 17 points, but leading scorer Milan Momcilovic was limited to just five points on 2-of-8 shooting. Arizona Sports reported that this win marked Tommy Lloyd’s 140th victory, the most by any coach in their first five seasons in NCAA history.

First Half Surge

Neither team found much offensive rhythm early in the game. Arizona closed the first half on a 15-3 run to take a 37-25 lead into halftime. Iowa State struggled from the field, shooting just 9 of 33 overall and 4 of 20 from three-point range in the first half.

Second Half Control

Arizona extended its lead early in the second half, holding Iowa State to a difficult shooting night. While the Cyclones briefly pulled within seven points with a 10-1 run, Arizona quickly regained control and maintained a comfortable lead for the remainder of the game.

Up Next

Iowa State will travel to Arizona State for their next game on Saturday. Arizona will face Colorado on Saturday. ESPN reports that Arizona has clinched the No. 1 seed in the Big 12 conference tournament, set for March 10–14 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.