Arizona Earns No. 1 Seed in West, to Face Long Island in NCAA Tournament Opener

Wildcats look to make deep March Madness run after dominant Big 12 season

Mar. 16, 2026 at 5:18am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Arizona Wildcats have earned the No. 1 seed in the West Region of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. They will face No. 16 seed Long Island University in the opening round on Friday in San Diego. Arizona, led by head coach Tommy Lloyd, is coming off a historic season that saw them sweep the Big 12 regular season and tournament titles, compiling a 32-2 record overall.

Why it matters

Arizona's No. 1 seed and dominant regular season performance have made them a popular pick to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament this year. After early-round stumbles in previous tournaments, the Wildcats are looking to prove they can win on the biggest stage and silence critics who have questioned the program's toughness.

The details

Arizona's path to the No. 1 seed was paved by a masterful roster construction by coach Tommy Lloyd. The Wildcats blended veteran leadership from senior point guard Jaden Bradley with a highly touted freshman class, including phenom Brayden Burries and versatile big man Koa Peat. The team's interior dominance, led by Tobe Awaka and Motiejus Krivas, allowed them to conquer the gauntlet of the Big 12 Conference.

  • Arizona completed a school-record 23-0 run to start the season, capping it with a Big 12 regular season championship.
  • The Wildcats then won the Big 12 Conference Tournament, beating three NCAA Tournament teams in three days.
  • Arizona will open the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 21, 2026 in San Diego against Long Island University.

The players

Tommy Lloyd

In his fifth season as head coach of the Arizona Wildcats, Lloyd has become the winningest coach in NCAA history through a five-year span with 144 wins.

Jaden Bradley

The senior point guard for Arizona, Bradley's evolution into a premier floor general (13.3 points, 4.6 assists per game) provided the necessary belief for his younger teammates heading into March Madness.

Brayden Burries

The freshman phenom emerged as a scoring machine for the Wildcats, averaging nearly 16 points per game.

Koa Peat

The 6'8" five-star freshman provided a versatile defensive presence, able to guard all five positions, while also contributing 13.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

Tobe Awaka

The Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year, Awaka's interior presence alongside 7'2" Motiejus Krivas ensured Arizona dominated the glass.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The Wildcats will face the winner of the Long Island-Mercyhurst matchup in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, March 23, 2026.

The takeaway

Arizona's dominant regular season and conference tournament run have made them a popular pick to make a deep March Madness run and silence critics who have questioned the program's toughness in the past. With a blend of veteran leadership and a highly touted freshman class, the Wildcats appear primed to make a championship push.