SI:AM | Arizona Bounces Back to Win Big 12 Regular-Season Title

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. Hilary Knight’s game-tying goal against Canada was already one of the greatest moments in U.S. Olympic hockey history, but it’s extra impressive now that she revealed she was playing through a torn MCL during the entire tournament.

In today’s SI:AM:
📝 Top 50 NFL free agents
🦌 Giannis returns for Bucks
⚽ Rose Lavelle interview

If you’re reading this on SI.com, click here to subscribe and receive SI:AM directly in your inbox each morning.

Wildcats add to trophy case

Arizona showed on Monday why it may very well be the best team in men’s college basketball.

The Wildcats have been ranked among the top teams in the nation all season long, but they looked vulnerable three weeks ago. After winning their first 23 games, they suffered back-to-back losses to Kansas and Texas Tech. Since then, though, Arizona has proven those losses were just a blip on the radar, winning four games over ranked opponents in the past two weeks.

Monday night’s 73–57 win over No. 6 Iowa State was just the latest display of Arizona’s dominance. The Wildcats held the Cyclones to their second-lowest scoring output of the season, while Arizona became just the ninth team this season to score more than 70 points against Iowa State’s own stout defense.

The win also clinched the Big 12 regular-season title for Arizona. The Wildcats are 15–2 in conference play with one game left (at Colorado on Saturday night). It’s the third time in the past five years that Arizona has won a regular-season conference title, dating back to its time in the Pac-12.

Arizona is one of several teams that have established themselves in the sport’s upper echelon this season, along with Duke, Michigan, UConn and Florida. But Arizona’s ability to navigate the loaded Big 12 is especially impressive. Five of the top 15 teams in the NCAA’s NET rankings are in the Big 12 (Arizona, Houston, Iowa State, Texas Tech and Kansas), and Arizona will finish with a better conference record than all of them.

Arizona also racked up some impressive non-conference victories, including wins over Florida, UConn, UCLA, Auburn and Alabama. The Wildcats have 13 Quad 1 victories this season, the most of any team in the nation.

Defense is the biggest reason for Arizona’s success this season. The Wildcats have big, strong, aggressive players at every position on the floor. Motiejus Krivas, a 7'2" center from Lithuania, is one of the best rim protectors in the nation and is averaging 1.8 blocks per game. Power forward Koa Peat is also an imposing presence at 6'8", 235 pounds. The 6'8", 250-pound Tobe Awaka is a dominant force on the boards despite coming off the bench. He’s averaging 9.6 rebounds in just 21.6 minutes per game. The offense is nothing to sneeze at either. Led by standout freshman guard Brayden Burries, Arizona ranks 15th in points per game and 19th in offensive efficiency.

Anything can happen in March Madness, and no team on the men’s side has elevated itself above the pack this season. But when you fill out your bracket two weeks from now, you should probably have Arizona in the Final Four.

The best of Sports Illustrated

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 19 points in the Bucks’ blowout loss to the Celtics as he returned from injury for the first time since trade rumors began swirling. | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the Bucks lineup for the first time in five weeks in Monday’s loss against the Celtics. Chris Mannix wonders if the last part of the season will be a farewell tour for the two-time league MVP.
Gilberto Manzano and Matt Verderame predict potential landing spots for the top 50 players in the NFL’s 2026 free agency class.
Bryan Fischer explores what the NFL Combine revealed about college football’s power dynamic.
Pat Forde returns from the Olympics just in time for March. He asks what happened to the Big East takeover and gives his small conference tourney preview in his latest Forde Minutes.
In his latest bracket watch, Kevin Sweeney says Ohio State is close to locking a spot in the men’s tournament and BYU may give the committee some seeding headaches.
After winning the NWSL title last season, Gotham FC’s Rose Lavelle says she is ready to take the younger generation under her wing.
Tom Gott explains why talk of Jürgen Klopp taking over at Real Madrid or Liverpool is gathering pace.
The latest MLS Power Rankings are out. See where the top teams landed this week.

The top five…

… things I saw yesterday:
5. Trae Young’s first impact on a game for the Wizards. He won’t make his debut with his new team until Thursday, but he got ejected last night for leaving the bench to argue with a ref.
4. Keyonte George’s nasty stepback for a clutch three late in the Jazz’s win over the Nuggets.
3. The bizarre bounce this puck took for the Stars’ first goal in their win over the Canucks. Adam Erne’s shot was blocked by a Vancouver defender, deflected off the end boards, ricocheted forward and bounced in off the back of the goalie’s skate. Dallas went on to win 6–1. It’s been that kind of season for the Canucks who have by far the worst record in the NHL.
2. Sam Steel’s sweet spinning assist to Matt Duchene for a goal Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo had no chance of saving.
1. Martín Satriano’s stunning volley for the lone goal in Getafe’s massive upset over Real Madrid. It was Getafe’s first road win against Real Madrid since 2008. The scene in the Getafe locker room after the match was pretty great, too.