Lloyd Speaks on Brayden Burries’ Scoring Ability After Career-Best Performance

Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries has established himself as one of the top freshman scorers in the country, and recently, he etched his name in Arizona’s record books.

Burries finished off the regular season with a sensational 31-point performance against the Colorado Buffaloes. It was the first 30-point game of his career, and an emphatic way to finish off a stellar rookie season. He scored 22 of his 31 points in the second half and helped lead Arizona to a solid win to close out the regular season.

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

Burries averaged a team-high 16.0 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 37 percent from three-point range in his freshman season.

Mar 2, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) celebrates a three point basket he made during the first half of the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Burries also finished the year with a total of 497 points, which places him inside the top 10 for total points scored by an Arizona freshman in a single season. He scored in double-figures 24 times this season, and scored 20 more points 11 times.

Additionally, Burries has flashed his ability to defend at a high level and crash the glass hard for rebounds throughout the season, proving that he is more than just a spark plug scorer.

Mar 2, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd reacts during the second half of the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona Boasts Elite Rookies

His scoring prowess helped boost his NBA Draft stock heading into the summer. Many mock NBA Draft boards project the 6-foot-4 guard to be selected in the lottery of the 2026 NBA Draft. He, along with other standout rookies such as Koa Peat and Ivan Kharchenkov have spearheaded one of the best seasons in program history.

Feb 28, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) celebrates during the first half of the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

He helped lead Arizona to an impressive resume that includes 15 quad 1 wins, 10 victories over ranked opponents, and a program-record 29 regular-season wins. They’ll head into the Big 12 Tournament as the top seed in the conference, and a favorite to win it ahead of the NCAA Tournament.

After the game against Colorado, head coach Tommy Lloyd spoke highly about Burries’ explosive scoring ability after his career-high performance.

Feb 24, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd reacts on the sideline during the first half against the Baylor Bears at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Lloyd’s Thoughts

“Brayden obviously didn’t have a good start to the game,” Lloyd said. “You don’t really have to challenge him, he’s a competitor, and he kind of figured it out on his own and got himself going a little bit. I didn’t even realize he had 31 points, but for him to do that was great.”

With the postseason inching closer, Burries will look to keep the momentum going as Arizona looks to earn its second national title in program history this year.