No. 1 Arizona Wildcats Make Program History Following Win Over Arizona State Sun Devils
There is an old cliché in sports journalism that says when two rivals meet, you can throw the records out the window. For about 20 minutes on Saturday afternoon at the Desert Financial Arena, that looked like it might actually be true. The Arizona State Sun Devils, hovering at .500, were giving the number one team in the country everything they could handle.
By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Wildcats had pulled away for a decisive 87-74 victory, moving to a staggering 22-0 on the season. It wasn’t just a win over a bitter rival; it was a coronation of sorts. With this victory, Arizona secured the best start in program history, eclipsing the legendary 21-0 start by the 2013-14 team that featured Aaron Gordon and T.J. McConnell.
Arizona Finds Rhythm After Gritty First Half
If you only watched the first half, you might have thought the Wildcats were in trouble. Rivalry games are often ugly, defensive struggles, and this one started exactly that way. The Sun Devils were scrappy, dragging Arizona into the mud and refusing to let them run.
It was physical, it was tense, and frankly, it was a little bit messy. Koa Peat, the freshman sensation, took a shot to the face that left him bloodied around the left eye. It was a perfect visual metaphor for the first 20 minutes. When ASU’s Noah Meeusen drained a three-pointer with two seconds left on the clock, the teams jogged into the locker rooms deadlocked at 38-38.
Whatever Head Coach Tommy Lloyd said in that locker room, it should probably be bottled and sold. Arizona came out for the second half looking like a completely different animal. They didn’t just adjust; they evolved.
Offense Explodes As Arizona Pulls Away
The Wildcats shot a blistering 60 percent from the field in the second half. It was a masterclass in offensive efficiency that ASU simply didn’t have the firepower to match. Arizona scored the first six points out of the break and never looked back, eventually stretching the lead to 20 points in the final minutes.
The turning point came with just over 13 minutes left. Brayden Burries launched a pinpoint full-court pass to a streaking Peat, who slammed it home to push the lead to nine. It was the kind of play that sucks the air out of an opposing arena.
While the guards controlled the tempo, the game was ultimately won in the trenches. Arizona absolutely bullied its rivals in the paint, racking up 50 points inside compared to ASU’s 20. When you own the interior like that, the scoreboard usually takes care of itself.
Freshman Phenoms Power Arizona
It is rare to see freshmen walk into a hostile rivalry environment and look like the most composed guys on the floor, but that is exactly what happened. Peat was spectacular. Despite the physical abuse and the bloodied eye, he dropped a game-high 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting. He wasn’t just scoring; he was making a statement.
He wasn’t alone. Burries added 17 points and 7 rebounds, playing with a maturity well beyond his years. Jaden Bradley orchestrated the chaos perfectly, finishing with 10 points, 6 assists, and 4 steals.
And we have to talk about Tobe Awaka. He might not get the flashy headlines, but grabbing 13 rebounds in a game like this is blue-collar work at its finest. He anchored a rebounding effort that saw Arizona crush ASU on the glass, 47-32.
Arizona Chasing Perfection
This win does more than just give bragging rights to Tucson residents for the next year. It solidifies Arizona as the premier team in college basketball right now. They are now one of only two unbeaten teams left in the nation, sitting alongside Miami (Ohio).
By moving to 9-0 in conference play, they have also tied the Big 12 record for the best start to a season, a mark set by Kansas back in 1996-97. They are chasing ghosts and breaking records every time they step on the hardwood.
The Wildcats have now swept the season series against the Sun Devils and improved to 5-0 on the road against their rivals under Lloyd. They return to the McKale Center next Saturday to face Oklahoma State, where they will honor the 2001 Final Four team. But judging by the way this current group is playing, they might soon be the team everyone else is being compared to.
For now, the record is 22-0. The history books have been rewritten. And the road to March looks wide open.
