How Wildcats Brushed Off Brutal First Half Against Baylor

Arizona made numerous halftime adjustments in win over Bears

Feb 14, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd yells out to players during the first half of the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

For the first 20 minutes of action against Baylor, the Arizona Wildcats didn’t look like their usual dominant selves. 

Coming off of an impressive week in which the Wildcats picked up victories over BYU, and then #2 Houston on the road, the Wildcats looked to be experiencing a hangover of sorts in the first half against Baylor. At halftime, Arizona trailed 41-34, their largest deficit in conference play up to this point, and an uncharacteristic outing for a team that largely dominated nearly everyone it has played so far.

Fortunately for Arizona, they were able to turn things up in the second half, outscoring Baylor 53-39 after halftime to notch themselves a comfortable 7-point victory on the road. Their backcourt of Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries were the driving forces behind the turnaround, scoring 25, and 24 points in the win respectively. 

Feb 24, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) grabs a rebound against the Baylor Bears during the second half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Lloyd’s thoughts 

After the game, head coach Tommy Lloyd explained what went into that second half turnaround.

“These seasons are long, and these games are tough and they can be emotional,” Lloyd said. “Sometimes, when you get punched like that, and you’re on the road, it’s easy to say ‘Hey, today’s not our day.’ Our guys just don’t have that kind of character. The toughness you get from a senior leader like Bradley, the toughness you get from a freshman guard like Burries, was incredibly special.”

“I thought those two guys were awesome today,” Lloyd continued. “I thought Ivan — the game might not have come really easy to him today — but he made some really key plays down the stretch with offensive rebounds, and hustle, and that was inspiring to see.” 

Arizona’s resume

Feb 24, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) dunks the ball against Baylor Bears guard Michael Rataj (12) during the second half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The win — which was the third-straight for Arizona — was much needed. Their remaining schedule presents quite a hefty challenge, as they’ll #14 Kansas at home, #4 Iowa State at home, and Colorado on the road to end the regular season before the NCAA Tournament. They’ve done well against high-quality opponents this season, knocking off 8 ranked opponents, and picking up 12 quad 1 victories along with 5 quad 2 wins. 

Arizona has put itself in position to earn a 1 seed on Selection Sunday up to this point, and they’ll need strong performances in those final three games to secure it. In the midst of one of the best seasons in program history, the Wildcats have a real chance to earn their second national title in program history, and their first since 1997.

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