Jaden Bradley Buzzer-Beater Sends Arizona to Big 12 Championship

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jaden Bradley’s buzzer-beater propelled No. 2 Arizona to the Substantial 12 championship game, securing an 82-80 victory over No. 7 Iowa State in a contest defined by relentless scoring and dramatic shifts in momentum. The Wildcats will face the winner of the Houston-Kansas semifinal on Saturday.

Bradley, who admitted he didn’t initially see the shot fall, found himself at the bottom of a celebratory pile after his game-winning jumper. “That’s stuff you dream about in the backyard,” Bradley said, “counting down, hitting the shot.” He described the immediate aftermath as “hard to breathe,” a testament to the intensity of the moment.

The final minutes of the game were a showcase of offensive firepower, with the two teams combining to make 11 of their last 13 shots. Arizona initially seized a five-point lead thanks to a turnaround jumper from Ivan Kharchenkov. However, Iowa State responded with a barrage of three-pointers, spearheaded by Milan Momcilovic and matched stride-for-stride by Arizona’s Anthony Dell’Orso, who finished with a career-high 26 points and six three-pointers.

“JB kept finding me,” Dell’Orso said, highlighting Bradley’s crucial role in facilitating the offense. “I felt like I was open every possession.” The back-and-forth exchange continued with three-pointers from Momcilovic and Dell’Orso, followed by a three-pointer from Joshua Jefferson for Iowa State.

Despite a missed layup from Bradley, Arizona managed to score on a put-back dunk by Tobe Awaka. The defensive intensity then briefly surfaced as Motiejus Krivas blocked a layup attempt by Tamin Lipsey, setting the stage for another three-pointer from Momcilovic, tying the game at 80.

The game’s frenetic pace underscored a surprising lack of defensive stops in the closing minutes. “Two of the top five defenses in college basketball and not one stop in the final 4:09 by either side,” observers noted. Even Lipsey, who had struggled from the field throughout the game, connected on a crucial three-pointer to tie the score, ultimately setting up Bradley’s winning shot.

Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd opted for a “figure it out” approach on the final possession, trusting Bradley to make the right decision. “We practice a lot of figure-it-out situations,” Lloyd explained. “And the players gotta kind of, in the moment, figure out the right plays to make with the right fundamentals. And when they do that, when they’re figuring things out, complicated things, we’re our best version of ourselves.”

Bradley described his mindset in the final moments as simply trying to get to his preferred spot on the floor. “I had just hit a mid-range previously, so I’m trying to just get a good look. I got a solid look, great contest, but just a tough bucket.”

Lloyd also emphasized the importance of celebrating, particularly given Iowa State’s home-court advantage and the energy of the crowd. “Iowa State had the home-court advantage with a majority of the crowd. the Wildcats had to generate their own energy.” Bradley’s game-winner certainly ignited a celebration for the Wildcats.

The victory wasn’t without its earlier challenges. Arizona trailed Iowa State 43-37 at halftime, a deficit created in part by a late first-half sequence. With the game tied and 24 seconds remaining, Iowa State executed a trap that resulted in a steal by Blake Buchanan, leading to a three-pointer from Momcilovic. A subsequent turnover by Brayden Burries and another three-pointer from Momcilovic at the buzzer extended Iowa State’s lead to six points.

Despite the struggles of Burries, who finished 0-for-7 from the field, and Koa Peat, who committed four turnovers, Arizona demonstrated its depth. Kharchenkov contributed 17 points, although Awaka recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Arizona’s win keeps their hopes alive for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats (31-2) will now turn their attention to the Big 12 championship game, where they will face either Houston or Kansas. Arizona lost to Houston in last year’s Big 12 championship game, adding another layer of intrigue to the upcoming matchup.