Arizona Wildcats Punch Ticket to Final Four with Second-Half Comeback

Tommy Lloyd's squad overcame a halftime deficit to defeat Purdue and reach the national semifinals for the first time in 25 years.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 5:50am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the intense action of a college basketball game, with fragmented, overlapping shapes and planes of players, the court, and the arena in vibrant colors, capturing the energy and drama of Arizona's comeback victory over Purdue.Arizona's relentless second-half surge overwhelms Purdue's veteran squad, propelling the Wildcats to their first Final Four in 25 years.San Jose Today

The top-seeded Arizona Wildcats rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat No. 2 Purdue 79-64 in the West Regional final, punching their ticket to the Final Four for the first time since 1997. Head coach Tommy Lloyd empowered his players to 'figure it out' during halftime, and they responded with a dominant second-half performance led by standout freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Peat.

Why it matters

Arizona's return to the Final Four is a landmark moment for the storied program, which has not reached college basketball's biggest stage in a quarter-century. The Wildcats' blend of veteran leadership and elite young talent has them positioned as a national title contender, rekindling the glory days of the Lute Olson era.

The details

After falling behind 37-30 at the half, Arizona flipped the script in the second period. Peat dominated inside, Bradley and Kharchenkov attacked the rim, and Burries hit timely perimeter shots to fuel a 22-point turnaround. The Wildcats' size, athleticism, and depth ultimately wore down a battle-tested Purdue squad that had reached the national championship game two years ago.

  • Arizona trailed Purdue by seven points at halftime.
  • The Wildcats outscored the Boilermakers by 22 points in the second half to win 79-64.

The players

Tommy Lloyd

The head coach of the Arizona Wildcats, who empowered his players to 'figure it out' during halftime and led them to their first Final Four appearance since 1997.

Brayden Burries

A standout freshman guard for Arizona who hit several big shots in the second half to help the Wildcats rally past Purdue.

Koa Peat

A freshman forward for Arizona who was named the West Regional Most Outstanding Player after dominating inside against Purdue.

Braden Smith

The talented point guard for Purdue who carved up Arizona's defense in the first half before the Wildcats made adjustments.

Matt Painter

The head coach of the Purdue Boilermakers, whose team led for much of the game before Arizona's second-half surge.

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What they’re saying

“This is when we're at our best. I said, 'Guys, the coaching staff and I are going to leave right now. You guys got a few minutes to talk amongst yourselves and kind of figure this deal out, and let's go kick their ass in the second half.'”

— Tommy Lloyd, Head Coach, Arizona Wildcats

“They'll wear you down. Their ability to get the ball in the paint. Whether that's getting an offensive rebound, whether that's driving the basketball. So if you look how they play, they don't shoot and really make a lot of threes, but their ability to get by you—they have such good positional size and quickness.”

— Matt Painter, Head Coach, Purdue Boilermakers

What’s next

Arizona will face the winner of the South Regional final between No. 1 seed Houston and No. 3 seed Miami in the Final Four in Indianapolis on April 5.

The takeaway

Arizona's resilience and ability to make in-game adjustments proved crucial in their comeback victory over Purdue. Lloyd's trust in his players to 'figure it out' during a tense halftime paid dividends, as the Wildcats' depth, size, and talent overwhelmed the Boilermakers in the second half. This Final Four berth marks a significant milestone for the program as they look to capture their first national championship since 1997.