Arizona earns Big 12 tournament championship, dethroning Houston

Wildcats freshman duo Koa Peat and Brayden Burries lead the way in 79-74 victory over defending champs

Mar. 15, 2026 at 7:51am

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In only its second season in the Big 12, the Arizona Wildcats are the regular-season and conference tournament champions after defeating the defending champion Houston Cougars 79-74 in the title game. Freshman standouts Koa Peat and Brayden Burries combined for 42 points to lead the Wildcats, who earned the Big 12's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as a No. 1 seed. Houston, a likely No. 2 seed, put up a fight but couldn't overcome Arizona's strong free-throw shooting and balanced scoring attack.

Why it matters

This championship caps off a remarkable turnaround season for Arizona, which joined the Big 12 just last year. Dethroning the defending champion Cougars on a neutral court shows the Wildcats' ability to compete with the best teams in the country. The win also solidifies Arizona's status as a top contender for the NCAA title, while Houston will look to regroup and make a deep tournament run of its own.

The details

Arizona freshman Koa Peat and Brayden Burries led the way, each scoring 21 points. They are the first freshman teammates to score at least 20 points in a Big 12 tournament game. Arizona shot 23-of-27 from the free-throw line, while Houston was just 10-of-14. The Wildcats led by as many as 15 points in the second half, but Houston rallied to cut the deficit to 3 late before Arizona sealed the win at the line.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 15, 2026 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

The players

Koa Peat

Arizona freshman forward who scored 21 points and had 6 rebounds in the championship game.

Brayden Burries

Arizona freshman guard who also scored 21 points to lead the Wildcats to victory.

Jaden Bradley

Arizona senior captain who scored 13 points before leaving the game with a left wrist injury.

Joseph Tugler

Houston junior forward who had a career-high 20 points and 10 rebounds in the losing effort.

Mercy Miller

Houston reserve guard who scored 13 points and grabbed 7 rebounds off the bench.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

Arizona will await its NCAA tournament seeding and matchup, while Houston will look to secure a high seed and make a deep run in the Big Dance.

The takeaway

Arizona's championship victory over the defending Big 12 champs Houston shows the Wildcats' ability to compete with the nation's elite teams in just their second season in the conference. The freshman duo of Peat and Burries have emerged as stars, giving Arizona a bright future as they aim for a deep NCAA tournament run.