Kansas City, Mo. - In a moment that left fans in awe, Arizona guard Jaden Bradley pulled off a jaw-dropping fadeaway, turnaround baseline jumper to secure an 82-80 victory over Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals. Killyan Toure, who was tasked with guarding Bradley, could only watch in disbelief as the ball swished through the net.
Despite Toure's textbook defense, Bradley, the Big 12 Player of the Year, found a way to make the shot. Iowa State's head coach, T.J. Otzelberger, acknowledged the effort, saying, "Killyan guarded Bradley as perfectly as you could guard him."
Reflecting on the play, Toure said, "I played good defense. It's part of the game.
He's just a good player; he made a tough shot. I just did my best, and unfortunately, it went in."
With this victory, Arizona, the top seed, advances to the Big 12 Tournament championship game for the second consecutive year. They'll face off against Houston and head coach Kelvin Sampson on Saturday at the T-Mobile Center, marking a repeat matchup from last season's championship.
For Iowa State, the journey home to Ames is filled with reflections on what Bradley called a "crazy shot." However, the mood in their locker room remained positive.
Just over a week ago, Iowa State suffered a significant defeat to Arizona, losing 73-57 at McKale Center. But Friday night, they demonstrated they could go toe-to-toe with one of the nation's top contenders.
"We have tremendous belief in the guys in our locker room, the work that they do every single day," Otzelberger expressed. "And we respect Arizona and their program. But just like they're a Final Four contender, so are we."
The Cyclones' performance showed grit and determination, proving they belong in the conversation as a formidable opponent come Selection Sunday.