Top Three Big 12 Games for Arizona Basketball

Since taking over Arizona, head coach Tommy Lloyd has been one of the most successful up-and-coming coaches in college basketball going 112-33 over the course of the last four seasons making the NCAA Tournament each season and leading the program to three Sweet Sixteen appearances.

This past season, Lloyd and his program entered a new era of Arizona basketball with the Wildcats leaving the Pac-12 and joining the Big 12 Conference. In UA’s first season in a new conference, the team went 24-13 while finishing third in the conference standings.

Mar 23, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard KJ Lewis (5) defends against Oregon Ducks guard Keeshawn Barthelemy (9) in the second half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

In the Big 12 Tournament, the Wildcats made it to the conference title game and fell 72-64 to Houston, which would go on to play for the National Title.

Following the end to the season, Arizona lost star guard Caleb Love to graduation and forward Carter Bryant to the NBA Draft where he went No. 14 overall to the San Antonio Spurs.

Mar 27, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Henri Veesaar (13) grabs a rebound against Duke Blue Devils forward Maliq Brown (6) during the first half during an East Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Plus, Arizona saw two key players in KJ Lewis and Henri Veesaar leave the program and transfer to Power 4 programs.

Despite that, Arizona will be fully loaded again with four key returners in Jaden Badley, Tobe Awaka, Anthony Dell’Orso and Motiejus Krivas. Plus, Lloyd and his staff signed the No. 2 recruiting class according to 24/7 Sports.

Nov 22, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Don Knueppel attempts to make a basket while Arizona Wildcats center Motiiejus Krivas (14) blocks him during the first half at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

We are inching closer to the start of the college basketball season with Arizona tipping off its schedule against defending national champions in the Florida Gators in Las Vegas 34 days from now.

The Big 12 is regarded as one of the top conferences in college hoops and the conference slate of games will be hard for any team to navigate this season.

Arizona and Lloyd have set up one of the toughest non-conference slate of games in the country with the Wildcats facing Florida, UConn, UCLA, Alabama, Auburn and San Diego State as the marquee games.

Mar 8, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka (30) rebounds during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The Wildcats have released their full non-conference schedule for the 2025-26 season and features eight home games with Auburn headlining the McKale Center slate of games.

Now, Arizona and the Big 12 have released the dates for the conference games with times and stations still to be announced.

Arizona Conference Schedule

Jan. 3 Utah (Away)

Jan. 7 Kansas State (Home)

Jan. 10 TCU (Away)

Feb 1, 2025; Tempe, Ariz., U.S.; Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) passes the ball while being guarded by Arizona State Sun Devils guard Joson Sanon (3) during a Big 12 menÕs basketball game at Desert Financial Arena. | Cheryl Evans/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jan. 14 ASU (Home)

Jan. 21 Cincinnati (Home)

Jan. 24 West Virginia (Home)

Jan. 26 BYU (Away)

Jan. 31 ASU (Away)

Feb. 7 OSU (Home)

Feb. 9 Kansas (Away)

Feb. 14 Texas Tech (Home)

Feb. 18 BYU (Home)

Feb 22, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard KJ Lewis (5) and forward Tobe Awaka (30) both fail to block BYU Cougars guard Richie Saunders (15) from a layup during the second half at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Feb. 21 Houston (Away)

Feb. 24 Baylor (Away)

Feb. 28 Kansas (Home)

March 2 Iowa State (Home)

March 7 Colorado (Away)

Arizona will have a fully loaded schedule with marquee games in the non-conference and during Big 12 conference games.

Here at Arizona Wildcats On SI we’ve broken down our top three conference games on the Wildcats’ schedule.

Top Three Conference Games

Mar 8, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Anthony Dell'Orso (3) drives to the basket around Kansas Jayhawks guard Rylan Griffen (6) during the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

3. Arizona vs. BYU (Home)

Last season, Arizona-BYU in Tucson was one of the most intense and best games of the Big 12 season with the game coming down to the final possession where the Wildcats fell 96-95 to the Cougars.

During that final possession, Arizona’s Trey Townsend was called for a foul that sent BYU to the line to win the game on what was a highly questionable call by the officiating crew. Still, it was one of the best games of the season.

Feb 22, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Anthony Dell’Orso (3) shoots a three-point shot during the second half against the BYU Cougars at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Now, Both team’s come in with Top 5 recruiting classes according to 24/7 Sports and three players in Brayden Burries, Koa Peat and AJ Dybantsa, who are listed as three Top 15 recruits from the 2025 class.

This is going to be a high-temp, high-scoring, masterclass of two great offense programs that will be competing for a Big 12 regular season title.

2. Arizona vs. Kansas (Both Games)

Okay, we are cheating here just a little and that is because when it comes to Arizona-Kansas every game between these two programs is must-watch television. The two are the biggest brands in the Big 12 and will be playing at each other's arenas unlike the previous season when the Wildcats only went to Lawrence.

Mar 13, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka (30) protects the ball during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The two teams will be competing for a Big 12 Title and the road game will be featured on ESPN’s Big Monday on the prime time slate of games during the conference season.

1. Arizona vs. Houston (Away)

Although the Wildcats finished third in their first year in the Big 12, arguably the two best teams were Arizona and Houston, which only played once during the regular season and then matched up in the conference championship game.

Last season, the Cougars got the better of the Wildcats going 2-0 in two very close games that came down to the wire.

Mar 15, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love (1) shoots the ball over Houston Cougars guard Milos Uzan (7) during the second half for the Big 12 Conference Tournament Championship game at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Both teams will be competing for a conference title again and will be playing just the one matchup in the second half of the Big 12 schedule.

Please be sure to share with us your thoughts on the Wildcats’ conference schedule and let us know who you are excited to see. To do so, follow us on our X account by clicking on the link.