Jan 26, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) drives while being defended by BYU Cougars forward Kennard Davis Jr. (30) during the second half at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images
The Arizona Wildcats maintained their unbeaten streak with a hard-fought 86-83 victory against the BYU Cougars on January 26, 2026. This matchup marked a significant test for Arizona, as it was their toughest road challenge in the Big 12 Conference this season. With this win, Arizona improved to 21-0 overall and 8-0 in conference play, reinforcing their position as the top team in the nation.
Wildcats Show Resilience Against Cougars
Arizona showcased their dominance early in the game, establishing a lead of up to 19 points. However, they faced a fierce comeback from BYU, who rallied late in the game. The Wildcats’ backcourt proved crucial, with freshman Brayden Burries leading the scoring with 29 points and senior Jaden Bradley contributing 26 points. The duo combined for an impressive shooting performance, hitting 60.7 percent of their shots (17-of-28) while also providing seven assists and five steals.
Defensively, Arizona’s strategy effectively contained BYU, limiting them to 40.3 percent shooting, which is a significant drop from their season average of 49.1 percent. Burries further solidified his impact on the game by making a critical block in the final seconds, preventing BYU from clinching the win.
“Brayden Burries blocks the potential BYU game-winner,” noted a tweet from SportsCenter. “Arizona escapes undefeated.”
Upcoming Challenges for Arizona
The Wildcats are well-positioned to continue their winning streak, facing two comparatively weaker opponents in the coming weeks: Arizona State and Oklahoma State. Both teams currently hold records of 11-9 and 14-6, respectively, which could provide Arizona an opportunity to solidify their record further.
However, a challenging schedule looms ahead. From February 9 to March 2, Arizona will encounter several formidable teams, including matches against No. 14 Kansas, BYU again, No. 11 Texas Tech, No. 10 Houston, and No. 8 Iowa State. Each of these games presents a potential hurdle for the Wildcats, yet their performance thus far suggests they are more than capable of navigating this tough stretch.
With an average of 83.3 points per game in nine Quadrant 1 matchups, Arizona has demonstrated resilience, winning four of those games by six points or fewer. This experience in close contests will likely bolster their confidence as they face increasingly competitive teams.
BYU’s strong effort against the Wildcats showcases their potential, but ultimately, it wasn’t sufficient to disrupt Arizona’s perfect season. As the Wildcats continue their campaign, other teams in the Big 12 Conference may soon find themselves facing a similarly daunting challenge.
