Good, Bad, and Ugly From Arizona-Iowa State Classic in Big 12 Semifinals

New court, same Arizona, the Wildcats defeated Iowa State 82-80 in what could be the game of the year. The Big 12 semifinals treated fans around the country to an epic showdown between the Wildcats and the Cyclones.

This semifinal game is the definition of great basketball. Two high-powered teams went at it, and the game came down to the last second. The Big 12 Player of the Year, Jaden Bradley, rose for a contested fade-away as the horn was sounding and drilled the game-winner.

What. A. Game. pic.twitter.com/yciVHbSRh1
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) March 14, 2026

The Wildcats will now compete in the Big 12 Championship game for the second season in a row, tonight versus Houston.

Here is the good, bad and ugly from Arizona’s semifinal win over Iowa State.

Good: Anthony Dell'Orso

Anthony Dell’Orso was a lifesaver for the Wildcats. After the Wildcats' slow start, Dell’Orso came off the bench and got buckets. The senior guard posted a season-high of 26 points, including six 3-pointers.

DELLY 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/s06RecuyvY
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) March 14, 2026

It was the most threes he has hit in a single game all season. He shot a terrific 10-14 from the field, and also grabbed five rebounds. Dell’Orso’s number was called, and he answered. He found himself in a 3-point contest with Cyclones sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic. It was definitely a sight to see, but Dell’Orso walked out with the win.

This just shows how deep this Wildcats team is. Dell’Orso has the talent to start on the majority of teams in the nation, but is coming off the bench for the Wildcats. He is a true luxury for this program.

Bad: Slow out of the gates

As previously stated, Dell’Orso was in a position to save the Wildcats because of how poorly they started the game. Nothing was going right to start the game for the Wildcats. They were turning the ball over, missing everything they put up, and the Cyclones were capitalizing.

The Wildcats went another game within three minutes with zero made field goals. This is a concern heading into the NCAA Tournament. It is not talked about a lot right now because the Wildcats keep winning, but it would be the top talking point in a loss.

The Cyclones jumped out to a 14-2 lead, which forced the Wildcats to fight back all half. Give credit to them, though; they did claw back and cut the lead to six going into halftime.

Ugly: Milan Momcilovic

This is pretty for Cyclone fans, but Momcilovic’s display of shooting from deep was ugly for the Wildcats. The defense did slip up on the sharp shooter occasionally, but some of these shots he was hitting were unreal.

Like Dell’Orso, Momcilovic also reached his season-high in made threes in a single game with eight. Yes, he went 8-14 from beyond the arc. It was surreal to watch and had Wildcat fans scratching their heads. Even in a special performance, the Wildcats came out on top.