Inside The Wildcats

Arizona Snaps Two-Game Skid With Win Over No. 23 BYU

The Wildcats snapped their losing streak against a tough Cougars team despite missing two key players.
Nathaniel Martinez|
Feb 18, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) holds up a three after he shoots a three pointer during the first half of the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images
Feb 18, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) holds up a three after he shoots a three pointer during the first half of the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

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Arizona Wildcats

After two close losses to top 25 teams, the No. 4-ranked Arizona Wildcats got back into rhythm by taking down the No. 23 BYU Cougars in a gritty 75-68 win in a game where perimeter shooting was very much needed to succeed. In that game, Arizona made 9-of-21 3-point shots and went 45% from the field.

The last time these two teams met was on January 26 in Provo, UT, where Arizona (24-2) won a nail-biting 86-83 game, which went down to the final buzzer. This recent matchup was almost the same, as BYU (19-7) nearly made a comeback late in the second half.

Dwayne Aristode was sidelined this game and the last with the flu, while Koa Peat left in the second half of the competition against the Red Raiders with what is now known to be a muscle strain. If all things go right, the dynamic freshman forward will be reevaluated in a week and return for the rest of the season.

Anthony Dell'Orso, who had struggled late this season, found his shot this time around and scored a team-leading 22 points and went 8-for-15 from the perimeter. Ivan Kharchenkov followed closely behind with 18 points and seven rebounds. Jaden Bradley got back on track, scoring 12 points and notching 10 assists for his second double-double of the season.

First half

From tipoff to the first media timeout, Arizona and BYU were neck and neck. With just under 14 minutes to play in the first half, the Wildcats were down 10-8 To accommodate for the loss of Aristode and Peat, Tobe Awaka made the start while Gueye and Anthony Dell'Orso entered the game early.

With 11 minutes remaining in the first half, Arizona took its first lead since the beginning of the game after Dell'Orso's mid-range jumper fell through the basket. Krivas followed that up with an emphatic slam that put the Wildcats up 18-14, igniting the crowd and forcing the Cougars to take a timeout.

The Cougars battled back to make it a tie game, but it was the Wildcats who would take advantage of turnovers and free-throw shots. Arizona took a 31-26 lead with four minutes left in the half after Ivan Kharchenkov's 3-point shot was buried.

The Arizona lead then grew to six points with less than a minute to play. A 3-point shot by Dell'Orso, followed by a layup on a fastbreak by Bradley, made it a 39-33 game, causing the McKale faithful to explode.

Dell'Orso, who had a stellar half, ended with another huge 3-point shot just as the final buzzer went off, putting the Wildcats lead at 42-35. The sharp-shooting senior out of Australia ended the half with 15 points, nine of which were from beyond the 3-point line.

Second half

The Wildcats picked up where they left off at the beginning of the second half, but BYU remained close behind them. That is, until the next four points, scored by Gueye, gave Arizona a 53-43 lead with 13 minutes left to play. Dell'Orso's slam dunk on the following fast break then made it a 55-43 game.

Kharchenkov, who had erupted in the second half and scored a team-high nine points midway through, got the Wildcats to a 61-48 lead with nine minutes to go. Bradley followed that up with a mid-range jump shot off a turnover to make it a 63-48 game.

The lead just kept building for Arizona. Dell'Orso's 3-point shot at the top of the key made it a 66-50 game with six minutes remaining. The rematch was far from over. The Cougars battled back to a 69-61 deficit with three minutes left to play.

The Wildcats were able to bring their lead back to double digits due to a pair of free throws made by Bradley and a huge slam dunk by Kharchenkov off a turnover to make it a 73-61 game with two and a half minutes left to play.

BYU scored another seven unanswered points to make it a 73-68 game with less than a minute to play, but Dell'Orso's court-shaking dunk stopped the bleeding to make it 75-68 with 22 seconds left. Arizona's defense kept BYU from scoring after that and it snapped its losing streak to win the rematch at home.

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Nathaniel Martinez
NATHANIEL MARTINEZ

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.