Arizona overcame a sluggish start defensively with an energic second half, behind 14 of Brayden Burries’ 24 points, to pull out an 87-80 win over Baylor at Waco, Texas, on Tuesday night.
Jayden Bradley finished with a team-high 25 points and made a career-best five 3-pointers.
Arizona (26-2, 13-2 Big 12) swept its Texas trip with wins over Houston and Baylor (14-14, 4-11) and is now two games in the lead in the Big 12 over Iowa State, Kansas, Houston and Texas Tech.
The Wildcats host Kansas on Saturday at McKale Center at 2 p.m.
Baylor took the largest lead against Arizona in a Big 12 game this season, 10 points early in the second half, but could not hold on for the upset.
Tommy Lloyd to Brian Jeffries in the 1290-AM postgame interview following Arizona's rally from behind to beat Baylor 87-80:
"Just an incredible effort by our guys. … Maybe we didn't have it, but our guys dug deep. … We're wounded and and we're battling through that.…
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) February 25, 2026
The game had 12 lead changes and nine ties in the last 15:52 of the game after the Wildcats rallied following a 44-34 deficit following a 3-pointer by Tounde Yessoufou on the first possession of the second half.
A Motiejus Krivas layup off a pass from Burries put Arizona ahead 80-77 with 1:36 left.
Isaac Williams was then fouled going to the hoop by Krivas and made one of two free throws.
Burries, looking like he is past the flu that affected his play in the last week, than buried a long-range jumper that looked like a 3-pointer but his foot was on the line. Arizona led 82-78 with 24 seconds left.
Tommy Lloyd to Brian Jeffries on the 1290-AM postgame interview about Brayden Burries, who looked like he is over his illness, finishing with 24 points that included an emphatic dunk in the second half:
"Brayden is back. Brayden is so tough. … Don't mistake that pretty-boy…
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) February 25, 2026
Williams, who had 16 points and five assists, was then fouled by Ivan Kharchenkov with 22.1 seconds left but missed the front end of a one-and-one. Krivas corraled the rebound.
Burries was fouled with 17.6 left and made both free throws to give Arizona an 84-78 lead.
Cameron Carr drove the lane for his team-leading 26th point of the game on the next possession.
After Burries made one of two free throw attempts, Baylor’s Ogi Agbim missed a 3-pointer.
Bradley was then fouled and made two free throws with 1.3 seconds left to close the game.
Arizona started well with Bradley making a couple of 3-pointers en route to a 10-8 lead, but Baylor went on an 11-2 run.
A Carr 3-pointer put Baylor ahead 19-12 with 12:43 left in the half.
Baylor’s lead increased to 37-28 before the Bears went into the half leading 41-34.
The Bears shot 53.6% in the first half and outscored Arizona 22-12 in the paint. They also outrebounded Arizona 19-14.
After Yessoufou’s 3-pointer, Arizona finally got in gear, surging with a 14-2 run to take a 48-46 lead with 15:09 left.
A 3-pointer by Bradley three minutes later put Arizona ahead 55-51, the Wildcats’ largest lead at that point.
Baylor answered with six unanswered points and the game was back and forth thereafter.
Arizona outrebounded Baylor 23-11 and shot 54.5% from the field in the second half.
Krivas also had 10 of his 12 points in the second half.
Tobe Awaka finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
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