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Inside The Wildcats

Arizona's Peat Praises One Thing in Wildcats' Comeback Win

Jaden Bradley's leadership was on full display in the Elite Eight.
Caleb Meadows|
Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

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Arizona Wildcats

Arizona is back in the Final Four for the first time since 2001. It has been a long time coming, but the time is now. The Wildcats knocked off the Big Ten champions, Purdue, in the Elite Eight to advance.

Wildcats Were Down 38-31 at Halftime

The Wildcats have demolished the competition this NCAA Tournament, but the Boilermakers made them earn this one. For the first time this tournament, and only the fifth time all season, the Wildcats were losing going into halftime.

This was practically unheard of for this group, so there was a question about how Tommy Lloyd would get his team to respond. Good thing for Lloyd, his squad has plenty of leaders who can step up at any time. Koa Peat talked about how the Wildcats stayed calm with a deficit and the amount of leadership on the roster.

  • "Just our leaders, you know, leading us honestly," Peat said. "JB (Jaden Bradley), Tobe, Ivan, Mo (Motiejus Krivas), I mean, they all talked to us and just told us to keep going. We've been through adversity this season. You know, can't get too high or too low. Just stay even-keeled. We went out there and played our game and came out victorious. I'm just proud of the guys. We stayed together."

Peat Gives Credit to Tommy Lloyd

Tommy Lloyd has done a great job in his head coaching career with the Wildcats. This season is by far his most successful one with the program. He has built a strong roster, blending talented freshmen and experienced veterans. Peat spoke on how it is playing for Lloyd and how much he means to him.

  • "Coach Tommy is huge for us. You know, always giving us great speeches. On the night before the game, I think it was back to the LIU game, just had me ready to play, honestly, that night."
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Mar 28, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd reacts in the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers during an Elite Eight game of the West Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
  • "So, I mean, coach is great, ever since he recruited me, it's been nothing but love and I'm just just happy, to be able to win games for him, me and these guys, we want to win as many games we can for coach, because he deserves it, and he won't say it, but I think he's the best coach in the country."

Peat led the Wildcats with 20 points and seven rebounds. He has dominated the tournament and is a key to the Wildcats' success. The freshman forward continues to impress game after game and is building a real case to be a lottery pick in the upcoming NBA draft.

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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."