Top-ranked Arizona improves to 21-0 with 86-83 win at BYU

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

 

Brayden Burries scored a season-high 29 points and came up with a key block to save the game down the stretch, while Jaden Bradley poured in 26 points as No. 1 Arizona beat BYU, 86-83, tonight at BYU in Provo, Utah.

Arizona tied for its best start in school history with a 21-0 start. 

Burries finished 7 of 13 from the field, made 2 of 3 three-point attempts, grabbed five rebounds, four assists, and three steals, while Bradley was solid from the point-guard position, canning 10 of 15 field goals, 2 of 3 three-pointers, three assists, and two steals, while playing 36 of the 40 minutes.

Ivav Kharchenkov and Koa Peat finished in double figures with 10 apiece.

Arizona owned a 19-point lead in the second half but let BYU back in the game down the stretch. In the final minute, everything was going by the way of the Cougars before the block by Burries enabled the Wildcats to maintain a one-point advantage at 84-83. Burries was fouled after the play and calmly sank the final points of the game.

Bookemdanosports to continue

 Bookemdanosports to continue

The feedback during the last few weeks has been surprising, so my blog will continue through 2026 at least and maybe through 2027. I'll continue to focus on senior living, senior sports, and of course the Arizona Wildcats -- especially men's football, basketball, and baseball...and will also follow the Arizona Diamondbacks as the 2026 season approaches.

We may reach 6,000 posts after all! We are at 4,759 posts and counting. To all my followers: Thank you.

from the desk of Dan Price

20-0 for the top-ranked Wildcats

 Everyone should be happy with this win. The top-ranked Arizona Wildcats checked off the entire stat sheet with an 88-53 victory over West Virginia today at the McKale Center -- rebounds, scoring, only five turnovers, defensive stops, some long-range gems, you name it, the Wildcats did it all to improve to 20-0 and 7-0 in the Big 12.

Brayden Burries led the way with seven assists and 22 points, on 7-of-12 shooting, including 4 of 8 3-pointers, while the big boys underneath, Mo Krivas (11 and 12 boards), Koa Peat (17 and seven boards), and Tobe Awake (14 rebounds and five points) had their way above and below the rim.

Anthony Dell'Orso broke out of his slump with 12 points, including two 3-pointers, while Ivan Kharchenkov was steady once again with seven points and a couple of assists in 21 minutes.

And now it's off to 13th-ranked BYU in Provo on Monday.

Arizona 77 Cincinnati 51

 

What would I do without my Arizona Wildcats?

Sitting on the sofa, in pain once again and with crutches nearby, I entered the world of No. 1 Arizona roll -- after a brief scare in the first half -- to the Wildcats 19th win without a loss -- a 77-51 victory at McKale over Cincinnati.

Once again, it was beautiful to watch, and I felt no pain. Maybe my heart fluttered a bit as I witnessed another balanced attack by the Wildcats: 17 points by Big Moe, 14 by crowd-pleaser Ivan Kharchenkov, 13 by 19-year-old Koa Peat, Brayden Burries added 12 points and 10 rebounds, and eight more points from Mr. Jaden Bradley.

The Wildcats move on to face West Virginia at McKale on Saturday. I'll be there. No, not at McKale, but on my sofa, pain-free for at least an hour and 45 minutes.

Bear Down, Arizona!

Arizona 84 UCF 77

 Arizona 84 UCF 77

Top-ranked Arizona withstood the old phantom flagrant foul trick, and the referees spent the final minutes of the game tracking down the videos at the scoring table, looking for something that wasn’t there.

What was there, high in the rafters, was the scoreboard, and it showed the final result in Orlando, Florida, today as Arizona improved to 18-0, 5-0 in the Big 12 behind another balanced scoring effort from the Wildcats and an 84-77 win over the UCF Knights.

Arizona’s Jaden Bradley turned those phantom foul cries into points at the foul line down the stretch, finishing with 23 points, while Brayden Burries added 18, Moe Krivas tallied 17, and Ivan Kharchenkov and Tobe Awaka chipped in 10 points apiece.

With Koa Peat in early foul trouble, Arizona rode the 15 points, seven rebounds from Krivas in the first half to maintain a slim 41-39 lead. The Wildcats added 11 from Burries, who hit 5 of 7 field goals in the first twenty minutes.

Arizona led the rest of the way despite a hostile crowd…and, of course, those phantom fouls.

Arizona heads home still perfect. Way to go, Wildcats!

Bookemdanosports comes to an end 2/1/2026

 From the desk of Dan Price

After almost two decades, my long-running blog will come to an end on February 1, 2026.

It's time. With all the spam, AI, and all the craziness out there among us, it's time to let go.

I'll still putter around with my three Facebook pages and my Instagram account.

I'm 80 years old, and it's time to put Bookemdanosports to bed.

To all my readers: It has been quite a run. I thank you for all your support over the years.

Arizona remains unbeaten with 89-82 win over Arizona State at McKale

 Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Top-ranked Arizona improved to 17-0, 4-0 in the Big 12 with an 89-82 win tonight over Arizona State at McKale Center behind a career-best 25 points from Tobe Awaka and 24 points from Koa Peat. The Wildcats are one of three teams still unbeaten.

The Sun Devils kept the game close with a 23-point night from Moe Odum, including four long-range 3-pointers.

Peat grabbed 10 rebounds to finish with a double-double, while Ivan Kharchenkov scored 15 points and Jaden Bradley was again the floor general with 12 points, four assists, and two steals in 32 minutes.

Nebraska (17-0), from the Big 10 Conference, and Miami (Ohio) (18-0), from the Mid-American Conference, are the other two teams without a blemish.

Way to go, Wildcats!