The Arizona Wildcats have taken a commanding lead in the Big XII standings after a crucial 73-66 victory over Houston on Saturday. With Kansas stumbling against Cincinnati and Iowa State falling to BYU, Arizona now sits atop the conference with a 12-2 record. Houston follows closely at 11-3, while Iowa State and Kansas are both at 10-4.
Saturday's matchup was the lone regular-season clash between Arizona and Houston, and the Wildcats capitalized, securing not only a one-game lead but also the all-important tiebreaker. The losses by Iowa State and Kansas further solidified Arizona's position.
However, the race isn't over yet. Iowa State and Kansas still have opportunities to challenge Arizona. Iowa State will face Arizona on March 2, while Kansas, having already beaten Arizona earlier this month, will visit them this coming Saturday.
Arizona's remaining schedule includes a trip to Baylor on Saturday and a regular-season finale at Colorado on March 9. Meanwhile, Houston faces a pivotal game at Kansas on Monday, which could determine their fate in the Big XII race.
Notably, Arizona's victory marked just the second time a team has defeated Houston at the Fertitta Center during Big XII play. Key performances from Anthony Dell’Orso and Ivan Kharchenkov, who excelled off the bench and on defense, were instrumental in the Wildcats' success.
Looking ahead, Houston hosts Colorado on Saturday, welcomes Baylor on March 4, and wraps up the regular season at Oklahoma State on March 7. Iowa State will visit Utah on Tuesday, host Texas Tech on Saturday, and face Arizona State on March 7.
Kansas, on the other hand, will play at Arizona State on March 3 before concluding their regular season against Kansas State on March 7.
With their latest win, Arizona has some breathing room, allowing for one more potential loss while still aiming for the Big XII crown. For Iowa State and Kansas, the path to the title involves beating Arizona and hoping for additional losses from both Houston and Arizona. The Wildcats have set the stage for a thrilling finish to the season.