Addition of stretch big helps Arizona Wildcats rebuild frontcourt

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Addition of stretch big helps Arizona Wildcats rebuild frontcourt

Bruce Pascoe, Arizona Daily Star · AZCentral | The Arizona Republic

Wed, May 13, 2026 ·

4 min read

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The Arizona Wildcats are continuing to rebuild their frontcourt, whether or not Koa Peat returns.

The Wildcats pulled in veteran big man Ugnius "Oogie" Jaruševičius earlier this week, giving them a potential rotation player next season if he can shake off the back issues that limited him to just one game in 2025-26.

A first-team all-MAC pick in 2024-25 at Central Michigan, Jaruševičius (pronounced OOOG-niss YARE-rue-SHEHH-vih-CHUSS) could back up fellow Lithuanian Motiejus Krivas at center or play some at power forward, while the Wildcats last week brought in Dutch center Endurance "Endi" Aiyamenkhue as a longer-term developmental player.

In addition, UA has been pursuing former Idaho State big man Evan Otten , who led the Big Sky in blocked shots in 2025-26 with an average of 1.76 per game and was named to the conference's all-defensive team .

Michigan Wolverines guard Trey McKenney (1) blocks the shot of Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) during the first half in a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) twists his ankle against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)

Arizona Wildcats forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) celebrates after making a three-point basket against the Michigan Wolverines in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) and Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) battle for a rebound in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Robert Deutsch/Imagn Images)

Arizona Wildcats forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) reacts against the Michigan Wolverines in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Robert Deutsch/Imagn Images)

Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) shoots over Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)

Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) shoots over Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)

Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) shoots the ball against Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) during the first half in a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)

Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) battles for the ball in between Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) and Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Robert Deutsch/Imagn Images)

Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) in action between Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) and Michigan Wolverines guard Nimari Burnett (4) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Robert Deutsch/Imagn Images)

Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) reaches for the ball against Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) during the first half in a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines guard Roddy Gayle Jr. (11) and guard Nimari Burnett (right) reach for the ball against Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) and forward Koa Peat (10) during the first half in a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)

Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) shoots past Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)

Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka (30) shoots against Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) reacts after a play against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)

Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka (30) shoots over Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) shoots over Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, on April 4, 2026.
(Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)

Having both once played for junior Lithuanian club Zalgiris 2, Krivas and Jaruševičius could play UA's two post positions. Otten, if he commits, could join them, while small forward Ivan Kharchenkov could shift to power forward at times as he did in 2025-26.

A return from Peat, meanwhile, could supercharge the Wildcats' fortunes up front and turn them into a preseason Top 5 team.

A projected mid- to late-first round pick, Peat is participating in the NBA Combine this week and is expected to remain in the draft if he is solidly projected to be taken among the first 20 picks. He will have until May 27 to withdraw if he wants to return to Arizona.

Aside from their potential 2026-27 rotation, the Wildcats also have two developmental bigs lined up in Aiyamenkhue and returner Mabil Mawut, who sat out 2025-26 as a redshirt.

While the 6-11 Aiymenkhue has averaged 11.2 points and 9.8 rebounds for Ulm's Orange Academy in Germany's third-tier Pro B league this season, appearing a prospect for high-major college basketball, Jaruševičius had already proven himself at the mid-major level before his back issues torpedoed his up-transfer to Nebraska.

After playing a key reserve role at Cal State Bakersfield during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, Jaruševičius led Central Michigan in scoring (16.2 points per game) and rebounding (7.3) as a junior in 2024-25. The Chippewas played at McKale Center early in the 2024-25 season, losing 94-41 to the Wildcats, though Jaruševičius did not play in that game.

Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Ugnius Jarusevicius (13) warms up before the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Jan. 2, 2026.

But after moving to Nebraska before last season, expected to be the Cornhuskers' top backup in the post, Jaruševičius was plagued with back issues. Jaruševičius sat out the first 12 games of the season, then had seven points, two rebounds and two blocks over 11 minutes against New Hampshire in what became the only game he played all season.

He hit all three field goals he attempted in that game, including a 3-pointer.

"He shook a lot of rust off," Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said after that game. "He was ready... We're going to need him."

According to a Nebraska release, Jaruševičius said after the New Hampshire game that he was trying to soak up the experience of playing before what was a crowd of 14,457 fans at Pinnacle Bank Arena. He was greeted by a standing ovation when he entered the game.

"It felt good," he said. "Nothing's promised, so I try to enjoy as much as I can."

Jaruševičius' words proved somewhat prophetic, as he never saw the floor again over the Cornhuskers' final 22 games. After the season, he entered the transfer portal again, and he was seen visiting Arizona last week before news of his commitment surfaced on Monday, May 11.

Describing Jaruševičius as "a stretch big man capable of posting up and attacking the basket off the dribble," if his injury hadn't limited him, the Omaha World-Herald noted that Hoiberg called Jaruševičius' injury "not serious" in September as the team began pulling him on and off the shelf.

"We're just having too many times where he'll get out there and he'll come back the next morning and he's more sore than he was," Hoiberg said in the preseason. "So we just need to shut him down for hopefully a short stint."

Because Jaruševičius played in the 12th game of the season, he might not qualify for a fifth season in 2026-27 under current NCAA rules, in which players cannot appear after 30% of a team's games are played to qualify for a medical redshirt. But he would likely qualify via a waiver, since he played in only one game, or he could be automatically eligible if the NCAA's "five-in-five" rule is approved later this month.

The proposed "five-in-five" rule allows players up to five years of eligibility within a strict five-year window that begins upon graduating high school or turning 19. Currently, players are allowed to play four seasons within a five-year period, but waivers for injuries and other issues can extend a playing career into six or more seasons.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Addition of stretch big helps Arizona rebuild frontcourt

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Addition of stretch big helps Arizona Wildcats rebuild frontcourt

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