Arizona Wildcats Advance to Big 12 Championship

The Arizona Wildcats secured their place in the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship Game after a thrilling semifinal finish.

In a nail-biting contest held on Friday night in Kansas City, Missouri, Arizona edged out the Iowa State Cyclones 82-80 with a dramatic buzzer-beater.

Tamin Lipsey from Iowa State managed to equalize the game at 80 points with a crucial three-pointer as the shot clock was about to expire.

However, Jaden Bradley quickly made his mark, hitting a fadeaway jumper just as time ran out, even tumbling to the ground in the process.

“It was an incredible game—an epic battle. I really respect Iowa State,” said Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd after the game. “They played exceptionally well today. Their shooting was much sharper than when we faced them last week. They’re a solid team and really challenged us.”

Iowa State had a chance to take the lead in the closing moments, but their final attempt came up short. Arizona, having rapidly transitioned with the ball, took swift advantage of the situation.

The Wildcats held their ground through some timely baskets and strong defensive plays in the second half, improving their record to 31-2, which justifies their top seed from the regular season.

This was a tough loss for the Cyclones, who had performed admirably up until the final moments. Nevertheless, they are expected to be a competitive presence in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

Milan Momsilovic was Iowa State’s standout player, finishing as the game’s top scorer with 28 points, including eight three-pointers.

Joshua Jefferson also contributed significantly, scoring 21 points on 19 attempts for the Cyclones.

On the other side, Anthony Dell’Orso netted 26 points for the Wildcats, showing accurate shooting with 6-of-9 from beyond the arc.

Ivan Kharchenkov added 17 points and five assists, while Jaden Bradley rounded out the scoring for Arizona with 15 points, shooting 6-of-11 and also providing seven assists.