No. 4 Arizona Wildcats stormed into Houston on February 21, 2026, and left with a signature 73-66 victory over the No. 2 Cougars, seizing sole possession of first place in the Big 12 Conference and delivering a statement win that may echo all the way to March. For head coach Tommy Lloyd and his Wildcats, the triumph was not just another tick in the win column—it was a cathartic moment, four years in the making, after three straight losses to Houston, including heartbreaks in the 2022 Sweet 16 and last year’s Big 12 Tournament final.
The Wildcats, now 25-2 overall and 12-2 in Big 12 play, showcased resilience and poise in a hostile Fertitta Center, where Houston had lost only once in conference play since joining the Big 12 in 2023-24. The Cougars, who fell to 23-4 (11-3 Big 12), were left searching for answers after back-to-back losses for the first time this season. Arizona’s win not only snapped Houston’s home dominance but also handed the Wildcats the season tiebreaker, since this was their only regular season meeting.
"It took four years and three tries, but Tommy Lloyd and Arizona have finally gotten their revenge," as one source put it, summing up the emotional weight of the victory for the Wildcats’ program and its fans.
The game itself was a showcase of defensive grit and timely offense. Arizona’s Anthony Dell’Orso, coming off a 22-point outing against BYU, tied his career high with another 22-point performance off the bench. He also tallied a career-best four steals, making his presence felt on both ends of the floor. Dell’Orso’s first-half explosion (14 points) set the tone, as he repeatedly found seams in Houston’s vaunted defense, helping Arizona to a 36-31 halftime lead. The senior, who started 28 games last season but has embraced a super-sub role this year, has emerged as a linchpin in the absence of freshman star Koa Peat, who missed his second consecutive game due to a lower leg muscle strain.
"The Australian is on a heater, and the Wildcats are reaping the rewards," Yahoo Sports noted, highlighting Dell’Orso’s recent surge. Arizona’s bench depth was further tested with Dwayne Aristode out for a third straight contest due to illness, but Lloyd’s rotation delivered under pressure.
Jaden Bradley stepped up in the clutch, scoring 17 points and hitting five of six free throws in the final 70 seconds to keep the Cougars at bay. Ivan Kharchenkov added 16 points, and the Wildcats’ supporting cast chipped in key minutes—especially when frontcourt anchors Tobe Awaka and Motiejus Krivas fouled out late. Sidi Gueye and Evan Nelson combined for 17 minutes, even subbing for each other in offense/defense situations, showcasing Lloyd’s strategic flexibility.
Arizona’s defense was the backbone of the win. The Wildcats held Houston without a field goal for over 10 minutes in the second half, a stretch during which the Cougars missed 11 straight shots and committed three costly turnovers. Houston’s Chris Cenac Jr. hit a jumper with 12:57 remaining, but after that, the Cougars managed only free throws until Kingston Flemings finally broke the drought with a three-pointer at the 2:28 mark, trimming Arizona’s lead to 61-57. Yet, on the Wildcats’ next possession, Bradley’s turnaround jumper pushed the margin back to six, and Houston was forced to foul repeatedly as the clock ticked down.
“Houston missed 10 straight field goals in the second half,” one report observed. “The Cougars had a similar drought in the first half too, going over six minutes without a field goal late as Arizona built up a 10-point lead.”
For Houston, it was a frustrating afternoon. The Cougars, who had not lost consecutive games all season, struggled to find offensive rhythm. Kingston Flemings led the Cougars with 17 points but shot just 6-of-17 from the field, while Emanuel Sharp added 14 points on 2-of-11 shooting. Houston shot only 35.7% from the floor, well below their season average, and turned the ball over 12 times—well above their Division I-low average of 8.2 per game. Those miscues led directly to 16 Arizona points, a margin that proved critical in such a tight contest.
Momentum swung wildly in the second half. After trailing by as many as 10, Houston chipped away and took its first lead of the game at 44-42 on a Milos Uzan three-pointer with 14:16 remaining. But each time the Cougars nudged ahead, Arizona answered, tying the game three times in a row before Dell’Orso drilled a three off a set play, sparking a decisive 12-0 run that gave the Wildcats a 60-50 cushion with just over five minutes left. Brayden Burries contributed four points in that span, including a gritty putback, and later made three of four free throws in crunch time despite battling illness earlier in the week.
“Arizona scored the next 12 points after being down by two points to lead 60-50 with about five minutes remaining,” AP News reported, underscoring the Wildcats’ ability to seize control when it mattered most.
Free throw shooting was a tale of two halves for Arizona. The Wildcats were 20-of-31 from the line overall, missing five straight late in the first half, but steadied themselves to go 10-of-12 down the stretch. That composure proved vital as Houston began fouling with 1:10 to play, trying to extend the game.
The win had major implications for the Big 12 race. With Kansas suffering a shocking 84-68 home loss to Cincinnati earlier in the day, the Jayhawks fell two games behind Arizona, while Iowa State—still looming as a threat—was set to visit Tucson on March 2. Arizona, with four games remaining, suddenly controls its own destiny in the conference and holds the tiebreaker over Houston. The Wildcats’ next test comes at Baylor on February 24, while Houston faces another tough road challenge at No. 8 Kansas on February 23.
For Tommy Lloyd and Arizona, this victory marks a turning point—a hard-fought, well-earned triumph that not only exorcises some old ghosts but also sets the stage for a dramatic Big 12 finish. The Wildcats’ blend of veteran grit, bench depth, and stifling defense has them right where they want to be: in control, atop the league, and brimming with confidence as March looms closer.