Arizona reached the NCAA Final Four for the first time since 2001 after a 79-64 victory over No. 2 seed Purdue on Mar. 28 in San Jose. The top-seeded Wildcats set a school single-season wins mark with their 36th victory and arrive in Indianapolis on a 13-game winning streak. Freshmen Brayden Burries, Ivan Kharchenkov and Koa Peat combined for 52 points while senior Jaden Bradley added 14. Purdue finished 30-9 and saw the collegiate career of Smith conclude with 1,103 assists.
Key Takeaways
- Arizona defeated Purdue 79-64 on Mar. 28 in San Jose to reach the Final Four for the first time since 2001.
- The Wildcats set a program single-season wins record with 36 victories.
- Arizona enters the Final Four with a 13-game winning streak heading to Indianapolis.
- Freshmen starters Brayden Burries (14), Ivan Kharchenkov (18) and Koa Peat (20) combined for 52 points.
- Purdue finished the season 30-9; Smith ended his career with 1,103 assists, surpassing Bobby Hurley’s mark earlier this season.
- Coach Tommy Lloyd has amassed 148 wins in five seasons, an NCAA record for wins by a coach in their first five seasons.
- Daniel Jacobsen (7-foot-4) provided a midgame adjustment for Purdue but Arizona reclaimed control early in the second half.
Background
Arizona enters the Final Four after a season that has rewritten the school’s record books. The Wildcats’ 36 wins are the most in a single season in program history, surpassing a mark that had stood since 1988. That historical context places this group alongside Arizona’s deep tournament teams of the late 1980s and the 1997 national champions.
Tommy Lloyd, in his fifth season as head coach, has overseen a rapid ascent. A longtime assistant at Gonzaga before taking the Arizona job, Lloyd’s 148 wins over five seasons are the most for any coach in their first five seasons in NCAA history, a benchmark that highlights both regular-season consistency and postseason success. Expectations had been rising each year with multiple Sweet 16 appearances, but the Final Four had remained the missing milestone until now.
Main Event
The game in San Jose opened with Arizona jumping to a 19-12 lead with 12:37 left in the first half, signaling an early offensive rhythm. Purdue battled back, even after star forward Trey Kaufman-Renn picked up an early second foul, and briefly closed the gap as adjustments were made. A pivotal moment came when Purdue coach Matt Painter inserted sophomore Daniel Jacobsen, whose 7-foot-4 frame altered Arizona’s interior looks and helped the Boilermakers regain momentum.
Arizona, however, regrouped in the second half and needed just over five minutes to retake the lead for good. Led by the three freshmen starters—Burries, Kharchenkov and Peat—the Wildcats executed with poise on both ends, converting high-value attempts and protecting the paint. Those three accounted for 52 points, combining depth and efficiency that Purdue struggled to contain over the final 20 minutes.
Purdue’s Smith led his team with 13 points but was 4-of-15 from the field. The Boilermakers’ season ended at 30-9, and the loss marked the close of Smith’s standout college career, which included breaking the school’s career assist record earlier in the season and finishing with 1,103 career assists. Arizona’s win sealed its spot in Indianapolis; the Wildcats will face the winner of Michigan vs. Tennessee in the national semifinals.
Analysis & Implications
Arizona’s blend of veteran leadership and an unusually productive freshman group is the central storyline for their deep tournament run. The three freshmen starters produced at levels typically expected of seasoned upperclassmen, suggesting Arizona’s recruiting and player development are functioning at a high level. That balance reduces single-point-of-failure risk and gives coach Lloyd multiple matchup options in the Final Four.
Tommy Lloyd’s institutional impact is measurable beyond this season’s wins. His 148 wins over five seasons have reset expectations for a program that has both storied history and recent underperformance relative to its elite peers. That track record matters for recruiting, national perception, and program stability; a Final Four appearance could further accelerate recruiting momentum and donor support.
For Purdue, the loss underscores matchup vulnerabilities against athletic, versatile frontline play and guards who can stretch the floor. Painter’s decision to deploy Jacobsen sought to counter Arizona’s length, and while it helped temporarily, it did not alter the second-half tide. Purdue’s season remains strong at 30-9, but the Boilermakers will need to regroup around roster continuity and turnover in the offseason.
Comparison & Data
| Team | 2025–26 Record | Notable Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Wildcats | 36 wins (season record) | 13-game winning streak entering Final Four |
| Purdue Boilermakers | 30–9 | Smith finished career with 1,103 assists |
The table highlights the headline numbers from the matchup: Arizona’s program-high 36 wins and a 13-game streak, versus Purdue’s 30–9 final ledger and Smith’s career assist total. Those figures frame the teams’ relative narratives heading into the national semifinals and the offseason.
Reactions & Quotes
Coaches and analysts framed the result as validation of Arizona’s season-long trajectory and of Tommy Lloyd’s system. Postgame commentary emphasized the freshmen’s composure and the program’s broader upward momentum while noting Purdue’s fight and key in-game adjustments.
“This group has earned every bit of this run,”
Tommy Lloyd, Arizona head coach (postgame)
Lloyd’s brief comment underscored the team-oriented narrative that has followed Arizona all season; commentators noted how the coach’s offensive schemes and rotations allowed multiple playmakers to flourish. The sentiment reflects both the historic win total and the depth Arizona displayed late in the tournament.
Purdue’s coaching staff and players acknowledged missed opportunities while praising individual career milestones. Analysts pointed to matchup problems and shot-selection issues in the second half as reasons the Boilermakers could not sustain their comeback.
“We didn’t execute enough in the second half to overcome their balance,”
Matt Painter, Purdue head coach (postgame)
Painter’s remark framed the loss as a product of execution rather than preparation; analysts noted that substituting Jacobsen temporarily altered the game but did not provide a lasting counter to Arizona’s rotation and scoring balance.
Unconfirmed
- Whether Arizona’s freshman starters will maintain this scoring rate against the remaining Final Four opponent is not guaranteed and depends on matchup-specific defenses.
- Long-term roster impacts—transfers, draft declarations or injuries—are not finalized and could change Arizona’s and Purdue’s outlooks before next season.
Bottom Line
Arizona’s 79-64 win over Purdue is both a milestone and a validation of a multi-year rebuild under Tommy Lloyd. The Wildcats have combined elite regular-season consistency with tournament poise, producing a program-record 36 wins and a first Final Four appearance since 2001. Valuable youth contributions—three freshmen combining for 52 points—give the team flexibility and future upside beyond this season.
For Purdue, the season ends at 30-9 with significant accomplishments, including a standout career for Smith, but also clear areas for adjustment if the program is to return to the national semifinals. As Indianapolis approaches, Arizona will be watched as a team that has rewritten its recent history and now faces a test of whether this run leads to a national championship opportunity.