3 BOLD Observations After Arizona's Convincing Win Over Arkansas
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The Sweet 16 curse has ended for the No. 1 seeded Arizona Wildcats, as they handled business with ease and routed the No. 4 Arkansas Razorbacks by a score of 109-86, advancing them to the Elite 8 for the first time since 2015.
What jnow waits for head coach and the electric Wildcats is a date with the Purdue Boilermakers this Saturday. Purdue advanced by defeating the No. 11 Texas longhorns in a close 79-77 game.
Arizona is through to the Elite 8 for the first time under Tommy Lloyd 🤩#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/kNhfhQ4lll
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 27, 2026
It was a competitive game in the early minutes that saw the Wildcats clinging on to a 14-11 lead with 14 minutes left in the first half. Arizona then went on a run to take a 28-17 lead with 10 minutes remaining and eventually went not halftime with a 54-43 lead.
What happened in the second half was pure domination, as the Wildcats took a 78-57 lead with 13 minutes to go in the game. Arizona never let its foot off the pedal and ended the game with a 109-88 victory.
There are a handful of reasons why the Wildcats were able to handle the Razorbacks with such ease, so let's take a look at three that stood out the most to us.
Wildcats Offense Proved To Be Too Much For Arkansas
For the first time since 1997, six players in the Wildcats' starting lineup scored in double digits. All five starters scored at least 14 points while Tobe Awaka, the big 12 Sixth Man of the Year, scored 14 to go along with a team high seven rebounds.
Koa Peat was TOUGH in Arizona's win over Arkansas 💪
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) March 27, 2026
Peat finished with 21 points on 8-11 shooting pic.twitter.com/QrGouv8zjy
Brayden Burries was impressive in Arizona's Sweet 16 win over Arkansas.
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) March 27, 2026
Burries finished with 23 points on 7-11 shooting in the blowout win. pic.twitter.com/HySOwxcP8g
It was the freshmen Koa Peat and Brayden Burries who led the team. Burries came in first with 23 while Peat was close behind with 21. By the end of the game, Arizona's percentage from the field was an impressive 64 (37-for-48) and its 3-point percentage was 63 (5-for-8).
Arizona's Work on the Glass Weighs Heavy on Arkansas
Arizona's defensive attack was a suffocating one that had the Razorbacks struggle to make their buckets, specifically at the 3-point line. It is what Arizona had been doing all season long as it is ranked third in defensive efficiency.
The Wildcats punished the Razorbacks for every missed shot, snagging 19 defensive rebounds and making a quick transition to score points on the other end. Arizona's dominance on the glass is the reason why it is the second best team at the Division I level in defensive rebounds.
Getting to the Free Throw Line no Problem for the Wildcats
The Wildcats had no issue drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line for easily scored points. This latest game against Arkansas was no exception, as Arizona ended the night going 30-for-39 (77%) from the charity stripe.
This proved to be a major part of Arkansas' downfall this game, as the Razorbacks shot 13 less free throws (26) and made 19 less (21), despite endign with a better percentage (81%).
Nathaniel Martinez and a set of shoulder pads at 7 years old. He later graduated from Pima Community College in 2023, where he began writing for the Pima Post. He is working to achieve a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication and Media Studies.