Freshman Koa Peat scored a game-high 20 points, leading a group of fourArizonaplayers in double figures, and the No. 1 seed Wildcats stormed back from a seven-point second-half deficit to defeatNo. 2 seed Purdue79-64 in theElite Eightof the2026 NCAA Tournamenton Saturday, March 28 in San Jose, California.
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats celebrates after defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 79-64 in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats drives around Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the first half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats slam dunks against Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats shoots the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers during the first half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats dribbles against the Purdue Boilermakers in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats dribbles against the Purdue Boilermakers in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats shoots the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers during the first half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats looks on during the second half of a game against the Purdue Boilermakers in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats shoots the ball over Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats shoots the ball over Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers defends Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats reacts during the second half of a game against the Purdue Boilermakers in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats drives around Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats drives around the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats slam dunks against Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats slam dunks against Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
1/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats celebrates after defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 79-64 in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
1/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats celebrates after defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 79-64 in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
2/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats drives around Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the first half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
3/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats slam dunks against Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
4/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats shoots the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers during the first half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
5/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats dribbles against the Purdue Boilermakers in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
6/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats dribbles against the Purdue Boilermakers in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
7/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats shoots the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers during the first half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
8/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats looks on during the second half of a game against the Purdue Boilermakers in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
9/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats shoots the ball over Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
10/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats shoots the ball over Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
11/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers defends Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
12/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats reacts during the second half of a game against the Purdue Boilermakers in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
13/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats drives around Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
14/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats drives around the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
15/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats slam dunks against Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
16/16
Koa Peat fuels Arizona’s March Madness win, leads Wildcats in scoring
Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats slam dunks against Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
With its latest victory, coach Tommy Lloyd's team earned a spot in its first Final Four since 2001.
Arizona outscored Purdue by a 44-22 margin in the final 17:12. The Wildcats shot 51.6% from the field and 44.4% from 3-point range in the second half while forcing the Boilermakers, the No. 1 team nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, to miss 19 of their 28 shots in the game's final 20 minutes.
Ivan Kharchenkov had 18 points and eight rebounds for Arizona whileJaden Bradleyadded 14 points and a team-high six assists.
Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the game winning shot against the Texas Longhorns during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers celebrates with teammates after making the game-winning shot against the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against Matas Vokietaitis #8 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Fletcher Loyer #2 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
Omer Mayer #17 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against Dailyn Swain #3 of the Texas Longhorns during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
Fletcher Loyer #2 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
Head coach Matt Painter of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against Matas Vokietaitis #8 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against Nic Codie #10 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against Tramon Mark #12 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Head coach Matt Painter of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers looks on against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against Nic Codie #10 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against Nic Codie #10 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Purdue Pete, mascot of the Purdue Boilermakers, reacts against the Texas Longhorns in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against Tramon Mark #12 and Chendall Weaver #2 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Omer Mayer #17 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Fletcher Loyer #2 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
C.J. Cox #0 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
Camden Heide #5 of the Texas Longhorns reacts against Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against Simeon Wilcher #7 of the Texas Longhorns during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
Braden Smith #3 and Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers react on the bench against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
1/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the game winning shot against the Texas Longhorns during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
1/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the game winning shot against the Texas Longhorns during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
2/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers celebrates with teammates after making the game-winning shot against the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
3/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against Matas Vokietaitis #8 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
4/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Fletcher Loyer #2 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
5/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Omer Mayer #17 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against Dailyn Swain #3 of the Texas Longhorns during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
6/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Fletcher Loyer #2 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
7/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Head coach Matt Painter of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
8/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
9/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against Matas Vokietaitis #8 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
10/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
11/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against Nic Codie #10 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
12/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against Tramon Mark #12 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
13/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Head coach Matt Painter of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
14/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers looks on against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
15/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against Nic Codie #10 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
16/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against Nic Codie #10 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
17/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
18/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Purdue Pete, mascot of the Purdue Boilermakers, reacts against the Texas Longhorns in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
19/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against Tramon Mark #12 and Chendall Weaver #2 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
20/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Omer Mayer #17 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
21/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
22/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Fletcher Loyer #2 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
23/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
24/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
C.J. Cox #0 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
25/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Camden Heide #5 of the Texas Longhorns reacts against Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
26/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
27/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against Simeon Wilcher #7 of the Texas Longhorns during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)
28/28
See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8
Braden Smith #3 and Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers react on the bench against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)
In his final college game,Braden Smith, the Division I career assists leader, had 13 points, seven assists and five rebounds for Purdue, though he missed 11 of his 15 shot attempts.Oscar Cluffadded 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Boilermakers.
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USA TODAY Sports provided live updates from Arizona's win against Purdue in the NCAA tournament. Here are the highlights.
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Arizona vs Purdue basketball live score
This section will be updated throughout the game.
TEAMS
1H
2H
F
Purdue
38
26
64
Arizona
31
48
79
Arizona vs Purdue basketball live updates
This section will be updated throughout the game.
Arizona pulling away from Purdue
Since trailing 42-35 early in the second half, Arizona has outscored Purdue 24-9. The Wildcats have made nine of their past 15 shots while the Boilermakers have started to go cold, having missed nine of their past 12 attempts.
Koa Peat has 18 points and seven rebounds while Jaden Bradley has added 12 points and a game-high six assists.
Arizona ties it up with Purdue
The Wildcats have come out hot to start the second half and have used a 7-0 run to tie Purdue at 42 apiece with 15:21 remaining in regulation. Koa Peat has 14 points for Arizona and has made six of his nine shots.
Purdue up on Arizona at halftime
One of the best teams in the country is on the ropes. After getting out to an early seven-point lead, Arizona now finds itself down seven at halftime against Purdue, 38-31. The Boilermakers have been on fire from beyond the arc, making seven of their 14 3-pointers. Braden Smith leads all scorers with 11 points for Purdue while Koa Peat has a team-high 10 points for the Wildcats.
Something to keep in mind for the final 20 minutes: Arizona is 5-0 this season when trailing at halftime.
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Purdue takes lead over Arizona
After falling behind by seven early, Purdue has come alive, riding an 11-2 run to take a 23-21 lead over Arizona with 7:48 remaining in the first half. Trey Kaufman-Renn, with two fouls, is back in the game for the Boilermakers. Braden Smith leads Purdue with eight points while six different players have already scored for Arizona.
Trey Kaufman-Renn in early foul trouble
One of Purdue's best players is off to the bench after senior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn picks up his second foul with 12:54 remaining in the first half and his team trailing 17-12. It will be fascinating to see how Matt Painter handles this situation and when he puts Kaufman-Renn back in the game, especially if Arizona starts to pull away.
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Charles Barkley pregame advice for Purdue basketball
"If Purdue can keep this game 60, 65, they've got a good chance of winning. If this game gets to 70, 80, Arizona is going to Indy. Because Braden Smith is such a great leader, this game is dangerous for Arizona."
What time is Purdue vs Arizona in Elite 8?
Time:8:59 p.m. ET, Saturday, March 28. (pushed back 10 minutes)
What channel is Purdue vs Arizona? How to watch, streaming info
The game is airing on TBS/truTV, streaming viaSling TV.
The Wildcats lost two games in a five-day span in February by a total of seven points to NCAA Tournament teams — one in overtime. To become the third team to join that club, Purdue must rebound and defend at a higher level than it did Thursday night. Arizona is a monster, but the last time the Boilermakers took the floor against one of those teams — Michigan, in the Big Ten Tournament championship — they won. Purdue's season always pointed toward some version of this game. Winning may require the best collective performance this group has put together.
Purdue's record in track meets this season isn't great. Purdue can't afford any defensive lapses or Arizona might make the Boilermakers have to score 100 to win. If you're rooting for Purdue, you hope it got its bad shooting night out of the way against Texas. Even if Purdue shoots well, it might not matter. Arizona might be the most complete team in the NCAA Tournament.
Purdue hasn't lost in the postseason, a run that includes the Big Ten Tournament title. But, Arizona, winner of 12 straight, is playing at another level. Jaden Bradley will have a big game for Arizona as the Wildcats advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2001.
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John Leuzzi:Arizona
Jordan Mendoza:Arizona
Ehsan Kassim:Arizona
Austin Curtright:Arizona
Moneyline:Arizona (-275); Purdue (+220)
Spread:Arizona (-6.5)
Over/under total:153.5
Arizona will reach Final Four if...
John Leuzzi:It sticks to what got them to the Elite Eight: Winning in the paint.
Jordan Mendoza:it controls the tempo of the game with its physicality.
Ehsan Kassim:The Wildcats can limit Purdue inside
Austin Curtright:It keeps Purdue's shooting in check.
Purdue will reach Final Four if...
John Leuzzi:Be the more physical team inside the paint and knock down 3-pointers. Foul trouble too.
Jordan Mendoza:the 3-point shot comes back.
Ehsan Kassim:It dominates inside and puts the early pressure on Arizona
Austin Curtright:Someone other thanFletcher Loyerheats up from 3-point range.
When was last time Arizona went to Final Four?
It's been 25 years since the Wildcats last reached the Final Four in 2001.
"You hear rumblings of it all the time," Wildcats forwardTobe Awakatold USA TODAY Sports.
"The collective joy it would give our community, it would be more special than just the win by itself," said Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd.
Lloyd was asked about the opening in Chapel Hill at Wednesday's press availability ahead of Thursday's Sweet 16. Here's what he said:
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"I already have one of the best jobs in the country. One thing we talk about in our program all the time, and I think I've gotten better at, and I think our team has been crushing it this year, is just the ability to have full focus and be present in the moment.
"So I think we have a great team. I think we have a chance to advance in this tournament game by game. But I'm not delusional. I know we could lose tomorrow.
"But this team deserves my full focus, so there's not one thing that is going to knock me off my path. I'm 100 percent focused on Arizona basketball and this program, and I can't wait until the ball gets thrown up tomorrow, and then can't wait to try to figure out a way to come out on top."
Braden Smith breaks Bobby Hurley NCAA assists record
Smith finished the game with 1,083 career assists in his four-year career with the Boilermakers. Purdue fans at the game gave Smith a standing ovation for the achievement.
Smith told USA TODAY Sports ahead of the tournament he was "ready to just get it over with" so he could put all of the attention toward winning Purdue's first national championship. Now with that in hand, the decorated guard can go for the two goals he had for his senior season.
"That's one of the reasons I came back, was to win and to get the record," he said. "Obviously, wanted to do it at a place that I've been for the three years prior. For me, just to be around a great bunch of guys and obviously great coaching staff, and do it with them, I think it makes it more special."
Matt Painter March Madness record
Matt Painter has a 27-17 career record in the NCAA Tournament. This is his 18th trip to March Madness, 17th with Purdue (he led Southern Illinois to the NCAA Tournament before becoming Purdue's coach-in-waiting).
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IsLeBron James' son on Arizona roster? Does he play?
Bryce James, LeBron's son, is on the Wildcats roster. The freshman is redshirting this season. Bryce was a three-star recruit out of Sierra Canyon, where brotherBronny Jamesalso attended,
The Miami Heat have drafted several prospects known for their athleticism, which means a player like Arizona forward Koa Peat will probably have some appeal to their organization. Peat is an ideal match for this franchise given his versatility as a playmaking forward. The All-Big 12 forward just needs a jumper to carve out regular minutes as a high-impact pro. Arizona plays at a significantly faster pace (4.6 extra possessions) when Peat is on the floor relative to when he is not, per CBB Analytics, which would fit very well with Miamis fastest-paced offense in the NBA.
Arizona freshman Brayden Burries had two breakout games in January, which helped solidify his draft stock. But the All-Big 12 guard has continued to display his tantalizing talent, scoring 31 points with seven rebounds and five steals against Colorado on March 7 and 20 points with 12 rebounds and five assists during a victory against No. 14 Kansas on Feb. 28. Burries has proven productivity and that he is able to defend, relocate, move the ball and make 3-pointers off the dribble.