The Arizona Wildcats battled in an absolute thriller against the Iowa State Cyclones. In their first regular-season matchup, the Wildcats cruised to an efficient 16-point win, lighting a fire under the Cyclones as they waited for their rematch. On Thursday, Arizona continued their reign as the top threat in the conference after a dominant win over UCF. Meanwhile, the Cyclones posted the largest victory margin in Big 12 Tournament history against Arizona State and earned a significant win against Texas Tech in the quarterfinals.

Photo Cred: Yahoo Sports

1st Half:
Iowa State started the game hot, getting to the charity stripe with ease while playing with an aggressive tempo on both sides of the floor. Consecutive turnovers from the Wildcats led to an early 14–5 deficit to climb out of. Cyclones star Joshua Jefferson separated himself, becoming their leading shot creator and hitting momentum-building shots throughout the first 10 minutes. On the other side, Anthony Dell’Orso was the early spark Arizona needed to keep the game competitive, hitting multiple shots from beyond the arc.

Despite Dell’Orso’s efforts, Iowa State pulled away with a 10-point lead midway through the half, answering every Wildcat burst. Poor free-throw shooting and an untimely Braden Burries slump kept Arizona trailing, while the Cyclones crashed the glass and picked up multiple offensive rebounds for second-chance points. It wasn’t until an effective 16–5 run over five minutes that Arizona grabbed their first lead with just over two minutes remaining.

Photo Cred: Syracuse

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, their push was short-lived, as a versatile Cyclones sharpshooter hit three back-to-back 3-pointers, single-handedly creating a 9–0 run to end the half with a 43–37 Iowa State lead. Milan Momcilovic and Joshua Jefferson combined for 19 of Iowa State’s 37 shot attempts, controlling the offense and showing patience throughout the first half. Limiting turnovers was vital to their game plan, especially when facing one of the top defenses in the nation. In addition, crashing for offensive rebounds off missed free throws proved key to slowing the tempo and allowing the Cyclones to attempt eight more shots than the Wildcats.

In contrast, Arizona’s game plan throughout the season has been to spread the ball and use their overpowering big men to exploit the high-low game. Unfortunately, future lottery pick Braden Burries had his worst half since non-conference play earlier this season. He shot 0/3 after surging as the Wildcats’ leading scorer against UCF. Consistent turnovers kept the ball out of Arizona’s hands for much of the half, forcing a defense-heavy stretch and making it necessary to capitalize on limited offensive opportunities. Dell’Orso boosted morale, becoming their leading scorer and keeping the Wildcats afloat while head coach Tommy Lloyd prepared to make adjustments.

2nd Half:
Arizona returned to the floor carrying the pressure of a potential loss. The Cyclones controlled nearly every factor in the first half, forcing the Wildcats to adapt to their style of play and limiting Arizona’s long list of strengths. A high-octane tempo was set immediately as the Wildcats capitalized on both ends of the floor, hitting open threes on drive-and-kick opportunities and returning to their bread and butter in the high-low game. However, Iowa State’s effective offense in the paint allowed them to maintain their two-possession lead for over five minutes.

After Arizona cut the deficit to one possession, the Cyclones responded when Momcilovic knocked down his fifth 3-pointer of the night, scoring nine of the first 12 points of the half. Tobe Awaka kept the Wildcats steady, forcing constant double and triple teams to contain him in the paint, though the adjustment may have backfired. When Iowa State’s defense collapsed, it left perimeter shooter Anthony Dell’Orso wide open in the corners, and he delivered with back-to-back crucial shots to give Arizona just their second lead of the game.

Photo Cred: Eagle Tribune

For the first time in the matchup, the Cyclones hit a slump, missing five straight field goals, turning the ball over, and committing unnecessary fouls. At the four-minute mark, Arizona held a five-point advantage before Momcilovic and Dell’Orso exchanged 3-pointers back and forth. Jefferson joined the run as well, hitting a three of his own to cut the Wildcats’ lead to two with under two minutes remaining. Arizona needed composure on offense, looking to drain the clock and create the best possible shot.

The Wildcats turned to veterans Jaden Bradley and Tobe Awaka. Arizona hit two clutch shots in the paint and midrange, though they were countered by perfectly timed perimeter shooting from the Cyclones, tying the game at 80. The ball was now in the hands of Jaden Bradley with 15 seconds remaining. Instead of using their final timeout, Tommy Lloyd trusted his guard to make the right move. In the end, Bradley delivered. After 15 seconds of tough defense by Killyan Toure, Bradley knocked down a heavily contested midrange shot at the buzzer to seal the game. Arizona advances to the Big 12 Finals after an 82–80 thrilling victory.