Second Ranked Arizona Beats #6 Iowa State to Win Big 12 Title

Back in the middle of February, Arizona’s basketball team posted its first losses of the season, dropping consecutive games to then ninth ranked Kansas and number 16 Texas Tech. When something like that happens, one could question if a team has peaked too soon, the tough Big 12 schedule notwithstanding. But that did not appear to be the case, as the Wildcats beat #23 BYU and #2 Houston in their next two games. They followed that with a win at Baylor, and then a revenge win over Kansas. Next, the now #2 Wildcats hosted #6 Iowa State on March 2nd; a victory over the Cyclones would give Arizona the outright regular season Big 12 title.

The Wildcats were up for the occasion, holding Iowa State shooting to just 29%, beating the Cyclones 73-57. Both teams got off to slow starts, but Arizona had a 15-3 run late in the first half to take a 37-25 lead into the locker room. Iowa State (24-6 overall, 11-6 in the Big 12) couldn’t get within shouting distance of the lead after that, and the Wildcats (28-2, 15-2) had the win and the Big 12 crown.