Arizona advances to Big 12 championship game behind Bradley's buzzer-beater

Jaden Bradley's contested jumper at the buzzer lifts top-seeded Arizona over Iowa State in Big 12 tournament semifinal

Mar. 14, 2026 at 9:08am

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Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley drilled a contested 15-foot jumper at the buzzer to give top-seeded Arizona an 82-80 victory over Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament semifinal. The win puts Arizona into the championship game on Saturday against either Kansas or Houston. Anthony Dell'Orso scored a career-high 26 points, including six 3-pointers, to lead the Wildcats, who rallied from a 12-point first-half deficit.

Why it matters

Arizona's thrilling victory over a tough Iowa State squad sets up a highly anticipated Big 12 championship game matchup, with the Wildcats looking to claim the conference title in their inaugural season in the league. The dramatic finish also showcases the talent and clutch ability of Jaden Bradley, the Big 12 Player of the Year, who delivered when his team needed him most.

The details

After Iowa State took a late 80-78 lead, Arizona's Jaden Bradley hit the game-winning jumper at the buzzer to lift the Wildcats to victory. The shot came after a back-and-forth final few minutes that saw the teams trade big shots, including 3-pointers from Anthony Dell'Orso and Iowa State's Milan Momcilovic. Dell'Orso finished with a career-high 26 points, while Momcilovic led Iowa State with 28 points.

  • The game was played on Friday, March 14, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri.
  • The game-winning shot by Jaden Bradley came as time expired.

The players

Jaden Bradley

The Big 12 Player of the Year who hit the game-winning shot for Arizona.

Anthony Dell'Orso

The Arizona guard who scored a career-high 26 points, including six 3-pointers, to lead the Wildcats.

Milan Momcilovic

The Iowa State forward who scored a game-high 28 points, including eight 3-pointers.

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What they’re saying

“Man, that's a big moment. That's stuff you do in the backyard. You're counting down and you make that. I just want to thank God.”

— Jaden Bradley

“It was a war. We played these guys (two weeks ago at McKale Center), and it was the exact same thing. Credit to them. They're a great team. They're super physical and super tough. Our guys just stepped up today and we were able to make some shots.”

— Anthony Dell'Orso

“He's a great player; crazy shooter. He's like 6-7 or 6-8 and can shoot right over the top of you. He's always moving. They do a good job of screening and getting him open. You just contest it and pray it doesn't go in.”

— Jaden Bradley

What’s next

Arizona will play either No. 3 Kansas or No. 2 Houston in the Big 12 championship game on Saturday, March 15, 2026 at 3 p.m. CT.

The takeaway

Jaden Bradley's heroic buzzer-beater capped off a thrilling Big 12 tournament semifinal between two talented teams, showcasing the high-level basketball and dramatic finishes that have become a hallmark of the conference in its inaugural season. Arizona's ability to rally from a double-digit deficit and make clutch plays down the stretch underscores the Wildcats' championship mettle as they seek to cap off their first Big 12 campaign with a conference title.