Arizona advances to Big 12 semifinals behind Burries' 21 points

Freshman Brayden Burries leads Wildcats to 81-59 victory over UCF

Mar. 13, 2026 at 4:47am

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The top-seeded Arizona Wildcats defeated the No. 8 UCF Knights 81-59 in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals. Freshman Brayden Burries led the Wildcats with 21 points, continuing his strong play in recent games. Arizona never trailed after scoring the first seven points and taking a 12-2 lead early on. The Wildcats led by as many as 27 points in the first half before UCF cut the deficit to 16 at halftime. Arizona held on in the second half to earn their eighth 30-win season, second under head coach Tommy Lloyd.

Why it matters

Arizona's victory keeps them on track for a deep run in the Big 12 tournament, as they look to secure a high seed in the NCAA Tournament. Burries' emergence as a scoring threat alongside Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley has made the Wildcats a more dangerous team heading into the postseason.

The details

Burries scored seven consecutive points to spark a 10-0 run that put Arizona ahead 76-54 late in the game. He finished 7-of-13 from the field, including 2-of-5 from 3-point range. Koa Peat and Tobe Awaka each added 12 points for the Wildcats, who shot 48.3% from the field as a team. UCF was led by Themus Fulks' 14 points but struggled from the field, shooting just 36.5% overall and 3-of-21 from 3-point range.

  • The game was played on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
  • Arizona will play No. 5 Iowa State on Friday, March 13, 2026 at 4 p.m. Tucson time.

The players

Brayden Burries

A freshman guard for the Arizona Wildcats who led the team with 21 points in the victory over UCF.

Jaden Bradley

The senior captain and Big 12 Player of the Year for the Arizona Wildcats, who had 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in the game.

Tommy Lloyd

The head coach of the Arizona Wildcats, who is in his second season leading the program.

Themus Fulks

A player for the UCF Knights who led his team with 14 points in the loss.

Riley Kugel

The leading scorer for UCF, who finished with 6 points after picking up 4 fouls.

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What they’re saying

“We relaxed and that cost us down the stretch. These games are never over until the buzzer, so we've got to get back to it.”

— Tommy Lloyd, Head Coach, Arizona Wildcats (ESPN)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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