Inside The Wildcats

No. 1 Arizona Drops Second Consecutive Game to No. 16 Texas Tech in Overtime

The Wildcats suffered their first home loss since playing Duke in November 2024.
Nathaniel Martinez|
Feb 14, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) points up to celebrate during the first half of the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images
Feb 14, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) points up to celebrate 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

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Arizona Wildcats

The No. 1-ranked Arizona Wildcats battled through adversity, as they were down Dwayne Aristode and Koa Peat against a defensively physical No. 16 Texas Tech Red Raiders. Arizona played fiercely, but costly errors were too much to overcome and it lost its second game in a row, 78-75 in overtime.

It was a jubilant day for Arizona (23-2), as ESPN's College Gameday was in town and Caleb Love was to be inducted into the ring of honor at halftime. Freshman Dwayne Aristode, a key piece of Arizona's 8-man rotation due to the flu. Koa Peat played most of the first half but exited the game in the second with a lower-body injury.

It was a gritty game all the way to the end, but the Red Raiders matched Arizona on points in the paint (26-26) and rebounds (41-39, Arizona). The Texas Tech (19-6) defense proved to be aggressive, forcing the Wildcats to shoot 39% from the field and 4-for-16 from beyond 3-point range.

Both Brayden Burries and Tobe Awaka led Arizona in points scored with 16. Awaka also had 12 rebounds, making it the fourth time he had a double-double this year. Motiejus Krivas scored 10 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, which is the seventh time he earned a double-double this year.

Arizona's end to the season will not get any easier, as it will face No. 22 BYU in a rematch, this time at McKale Center, this Wednesday.

First half

By the first timeout, Arizona held onto a 6-5 lead with 15 minutes left in the first half. Bradley scored four of those six points. It was a back-and-forth game from there, with both teams exchanging both physical defense and precise shooting.

With eight minutes remaining, the Wildcats took a six-point lead, the largest of the night so far, after Awaka's 3-point shot sank through the hoop to make it a 21-15 game. The Red Raiders continued to battle back against the Wildcats, clinging onto a 27-22 deficit. Burries scored the final four points before the next timeout with just under four minutes left in the half.

Arizona was unable to hold onto the lead and Texas Tech found itself up 30-29 with just under two minutes left until Bradley's mid-range jumper took the lead back, making it a 31-30 game. By the final buzzer of the half, the Wildcats were tied with the Red Raiders at 32 apiece.

Second half

The offense of the Reda Raiders came out hot against the Wildcats, taking a 36-32 lead in the first minute of the second half. Arizona then settled in and tied the game back up with a 39-39 score with 15 minutes left to play.

With 12 minutes left, Arizona was still tied with Texas Tech, this time with a 44-44 score. Freshman Sidi Gueye checked into the game in place of Awaka. Koa Peat, who has emerged as one of the Wildcats' most electrifying players, hadn't stepped onto the court since being subbed out in the first three minutes of the second half.

The McKale Center faithful ignited when Gueye scored his first points of the game, giving Arizona a 46-44 lead. Later on, the Wildcats found themselves up by four points with a 57-53 score after Bradley knocked down a long 3-point shot. After that, Ivan Kharchenkov scored an easy layup off an inbound to make it 59-53 with six minutes remaining.

After Texas Tech battled back to shorten its deficit, Arizona went back up by seven points following a pair of field goals from Krivas and a made free throw by Jaden Bradley. The Red Raiders still refused to give in and scored nine unanswered points to make it a 66-64 game with less than a minute left.

A pair of free throws made by Kharchenkov tied the game back up with 10 seconds remaining. The Arizona defense stood firm in the final seconds to send the game into overtime.

Overtime

Arizona and Texas Tech battled fiercely in overtime, but it was the Red Raiders who would take a four-point lead with a 75-71 score with two minutes left. The Wildcats clawed their way back to within two points, but time ran out and Arizona dropped its second game in a row.

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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.