Arizona Eyes 20-0 Start, But Red-Hot West Virginia Isn’t Coming to Tucson Quietly
Arizona basketball is rolling. The Wildcats are 19-0, one of just three undefeated teams left in the country, and they’ve looked every bit the part of a national title contender. But as they prepare to host West Virginia this Saturday in Tucson, they know the target on their back gets bigger with every win - and the Mountaineers are coming in with momentum and confidence.
Let’s start with Arizona. The Wildcats are 6-0 in Big 12 play and have handled the transition to their new conference with ease. They’ve been tested, sure, but they’ve passed every exam so far - and Wednesday’s 77-51 dismantling of Cincinnati was less about star power and more about a team operating in sync.
Motiejus Krivas led the scoring with 17 points, while freshman guard Brayden Burries turned in a complete performance: 12 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. But the real story was the defense. Arizona held Cincinnati to just 30% shooting from the field - 17-for-56 - and dominated the paint on both ends.
Offensively, Arizona didn’t need to rely on the three-point shot. They hit just 3-of-13 from beyond the arc but still outscored the Bearcats 48-14 in the paint. That kind of interior dominance tells you everything about how this team likes to play - physical, efficient, and unselfish.
And Burries? He’s quickly becoming one of the most reliable freshmen in the country.
At 6-foot-4, the San Bernardino native is averaging 14.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting nearly 50% from the field. He and Jaden Bradley combined for eight assists and just one turnover against a Cincinnati team known for forcing mistakes.
“I thought he was great today in a lot of areas,” said head coach Tommy Lloyd after the game. “To run the point against a team that turns a lot of people over and come out with eight assists and one turnover - that’s a pretty impressive performance.”
But don’t expect West Virginia to play the role of quiet visitor. The Mountaineers are 13-6 overall and 4-2 in Big 12 play, and they’ve shaken off a rough conference opener - an 80-59 loss at Iowa State - to win four of their last five.
That stretch includes double-digit wins over No. 22 Kansas, Colorado, and Arizona State.
This is a team that’s finding its rhythm at the right time.
Senior forward Treysen Eaglestaff has been a big reason why. The North Dakota transfer has exploded offensively over the last two games, dropping 23 points at Arizona State and 22 against Colorado. He’s now hit the 20-point mark five times this season, and he’s doing it with efficiency from deep - 36-for-99 on the year (36.4%), including a 6-for-9 performance that helped the Mountaineers survive a blown 12-point lead in one of those wins.
“Honestly, he’s just comfortable,” head coach Ross Hodge said. “He understands that we need him to be aggressive.
We need his shot making. He really bailed us out in the first half.
He kind of willed us into the game.”
Eaglestaff’s surge has been complemented by the steady production of Honor Huff, who leads the team with 16.6 points per game and is shooting nearly 39% from three. Brenen Lorient adds 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, giving West Virginia a well-rounded attack that can stretch the floor and compete physically.
Last season, Arizona handled West Virginia with ease in their lone Big 12 meeting, winning 75-56 in Morgantown. But this year’s Mountaineers are playing with a different kind of edge - and they’re catching Arizona at a moment when every opponent is bringing their best shot.
Arizona is chasing perfection, but West Virginia is chasing respect. And that makes Saturday’s matchup in Tucson a must-watch.