WATCH: Arizona advances to Final Four with 2nd-half outburst against Purdue

The Arizona Wildcats secured a 79-64 victory in a thrilling Elite 8 matchup against the Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday.

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Much like several of the other Elite 8 matchups so far, the first half was a back-and-forth affair of scoring runs. The Wildcats built a six-point advantage before Purdue responded with a scoring run to retake the lead.

After a number of lead changes, the Boilermakers built a 38-31 advantage at halftime.

The momentum completely shifted early in the second half, however. The Wildcats came out swinging on both ends of the floor with a 20-5 scoring run to take full control of the matchup.

With five minutes left to play, Arizona’s lead had ballooned to 13. While Purdue made a valiant attempt at a comeback, Arizona held on for the victory.

Koa Peat led the way for the Wildcats with 20 points and 7 rebounds on 9-of-18 shooting.

For Purdue, Oscar Cluff finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks while Braden Smith put up 13 points, five rebounds and seven assists.

Jmes Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker

About the Author Published Mar 28, 2026

JAMES PARKER

James Parker is a sports reporter and writer for Ball Exclusives. With a bachelor's degree earned at the age of 19, he’s spent years working as a sports journalist, including an award-winning stint at The Appalachian. He has never used AI for his work in any way, shape or form.