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Inside The Wildcats

Good, Bad and Ugly From Wildcats Win Over Utah State

Arizona continued to dominate the paint in the NCAA Tournament.
Caleb Meadows|
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Arizona Wildcats

Arizona will be advancing to the Sweet 16 for the third straight season after surviving Utah State in the Round of 32 over the past weekend. It was one of the worst games the Wildcats have played all postseason, but they still won by 12 points.

Head coach Tommy Lloyd is one win away from making it the farthest in the NCAA Tournament he has ever made it since becoming a head coach. This would also be the first program appearance in the Elite Eight since 2015.

The Aggies challenged the Wildcats and almost overcame an 18-point deficit in the second half. This may not be the worst thing in the world, as the Wildcats will need to be tested in high-pressure situations in the Sweet 16 against Arkansas.

Let’s take a look at the good, bad and ugly that led to the Wildcats' win over the Aggies.

Good: Paint Presence

Once again, in this tournament, the Wildcats dominated the Aggies down low. Lloyd has put together one of the best frontcourts in the nation, as they were on full display. The Wildcats showed historic dominance, outrebounding the Aggies 54-26. That is completely unheard of, and what makes it crazier is that the Wildcats had 22 offensive rebounds.

They almost outrebounded the Aggies off of offensive rebounds alone. The Wildcats had a slow start offensively, but one thing remained consistent. Koa Peat carried the Wildcats through the first half, when the team was struggling to score.

The aggressive rebounding led to plenty of free throws for the Wildcats. This was massive for them, as they were cold in the half-court. The team shot 39 free throws, 28 more attempts than the Aggies.

Peat put up a 14-point and 10-rebound double-double. Motiejus Krivas also chipped in a double-double, as he scored 11 points and gathered 14 rebounds. It was a showcase for the Wildcats' frontcourt. Brayden Burries also pitched in nine rebounds.

Bad: First Half

The Wildcats played one of their worst first halves all season. They were ice cold from the field, shooting just 29% in the half. Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley shot 1 for 9, which is very unlikely for him.

Burries got into foul trouble quickly, leading to him playing only seven minutes in the half. This was a major reason the Wildcats scored only 33 points.

The offense was off, but defense wins championships. Even in a poor half from the field, the Wildcats were still up by nine going into the locker room. The Aggies shot 1 for 12 from deep in the half.

Ugly: Turnovers

The Wildcats came out hot in the second half, pushing their lead up to 18 points. It looked like the Wildcats found their footing and were going to rout the Aggies. A switch flipped, though, around the 10-minute mark in the second half.

The Aggies switched to a match zone, which gave the Wildcats huge problems. This defensive adjustment by the Aggies forced the Wildcats to turn the ball over eight times in the half. This fueled their offense, as they cut the lead to four points with six minutes remaining in the game.

Burries stepped up and drilled a huge deep three-pointer with two minutes left. This put the Wildcats up by nine and ultimately sealed the game. The Aggies fell just short of the comeback.

The Wildcats got the win, but they will have to take better care of the ball in the next round. The Razorbacks are a well-coached and talented team. They cannot force self-inflicted mistakes if they want to escape the Sweet 16.

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Caleb Meadows
CALEB MEADOWS

Caleb Meadows is a contributor to the UNC Tar Heels. He previously covered Louisville sports and WWE for FanSided. Meadows also covered local sports in Oklahoma while attending Oklahoma State, where he earned a degree in sports communications. Follow him on X, at @CalebMeadows25."