UCF vs Arizona Basketball: Wildcats Dominate UCF in Big 12 Tournament Quarterfinals, 81-59
No. 2 Arizona made a statement at the 2026 Big 12 Tournament, dismissing UCF basketball in dominant fashion Thursday in Kansas City. The UCF vs Arizona matchup was never truly competitive, as the Wildcats seized control early and never let go.
Arizona Basketball Explodes Early Against UCF
No. 1 seed Arizona opened up a 35-8 advantage in the game's first 12 minutes and never looked back, punching its ticket to the Big 12 Tournament semifinals.
Back-to-back three-pointers by Anthony Dell'Orso and Burries were part of a 15-0 run that gave Arizona the commanding early cushion, and a pair of 7-0 runs helped push the lead to 14-2 before UCF could find any rhythm.
UCF did not reach double figures in scoring until there were 6:29 left in the first half, and the Knights needed almost 15 minutes to surpass Burries individually in scoring. That kind of cold start proved impossible to overcome against a team of Arizona's caliber.
Brayden Burries Leads Arizona Basketball
Brayden Burries had 21 points, Tobe Awaka had 12 points and 12 rebounds, and second-ranked Arizona blew most of a big first-half lead before pulling away again for an 81-59 victory over UCF in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament.
Burries led all scorers with 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting among four Arizona players in double figures, including a true double-double off the bench from Tobe Awaka. The depth and efficiency of Arizona's U of A basketball roster was on full display.
UCF Basketball Falls Short Despite Tournament Run
UCF basketball arrived in Kansas City riding genuine momentum. In the second round, UCF erased an eight-point deficit in the final 2:17 of regulation and forced overtime against Cincinnati, eventually holding on for a 66-65 victory. That dramatic comeback set the stage for the UCF vs Arizona quarterfinal clash.
For UCF, leading scorer Riley Kugel had just six points and played only 14 minutes due to foul trouble. Themus Fulks led the Knights with 14 points in the loss, a far cry from his 30-point performance in their earlier regular season meeting.
UCF shot 36.5 percent overall and went 3-of-21 from three-point range. The Knights had hit their first three-pointer with just 3:05 left before halftime, having missed 21 consecutive attempts from outside dating back to Wednesday's overtime win over Cincinnati.
Arizona U of A Basketball Survives a Mid-Game Scare
Arizona was 17 of 31 from the free-throw line, missing 10 times in the second half including eight in one stretch when UCF started to make it interesting, trimming the lead to 61-48 with 7:24 remaining.
That is when Burries stepped up again, scoring seven points in a row in 36 seconds and adding a steal and rebound, sparking a 10-0 run that pushed Arizona's lead to 76-54 with 2:53 left. The UCF basketball comeback attempt was officially over.
What Is Next for Arizona U of A Basketball
Top-seeded Arizona outlasted Iowa State 82-80 in the semifinals, thanks to a game-winning jumper from Jaden Bradley in what many have dubbed the best game of the year.
Arizona will face No. 2 Houston in the Big 12 Tournament championship game, a clash between the conference's two best teams that could have major NCAA Tournament seeding implications. UCF basketball's season, meanwhile, now turns entirely toward Selection Sunday and the NCAA Tournament field.
