SAN DIEGO — After running the table in nonconference play, winning the Big 12 by two games and capturing the conference tournament to earn a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed, the Arizona Wildcats finally received their payoff Friday: An almost sweat-free first-round NCAA Tournament win over a No. 16 seed.
The Wildcats were never challenged in their 92-58 win over LIU at Viejas Arena, shooting 53.3%, holding the Sharks to just 32.4% shooting and outrebounding them 52-31, while taking 23 more free throws.
The win moved Arizona (33-2) into an NCAA Tournament second-round game against the winner of a Friday afternoon game between Villanova and Utah State. LIU, champion of the Northeast Conference, ended its season at 24-11.
Still, after showing remarkable balance, chemistry and steadiness all season, several Wildcats weren't exactly describing the LIU game as a free pass to the second round.
Just another matchup against a good team that had its moments, especially during an early second half run in which the Sharks pulled within 22 points, drawing wild cheers from the few folks in Viejas Arena who weren't actually rooting for UA.
Arizona guard Brayden Burries celebrates after making a 3-point basket against LIU during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 20, 2026, in San Diego.
"We take everything seriously," said wing Ivan Kharchenkov, who had 14 points and 10 rebounds in his second double-double of the season. "It happens that we are the first seed and, and we earned it, obviously. But we're going to take any game seriously anyway."
Naturally, UA coach Tommy Lloyd expressed it the same way. He had even more reason to Friday after fellow No. 1 seeds Duke (against Siena) and Michigan (against Howard) had their struggles a day earlier.
"I don't think playing down to the competition is something that ever enters my mind," Lloyd said. "I have a lot of respect for our opponents, and I make sure our players do as well.
"I told our guys, these 1-16 games, you just don't know. You can't get emotionally caught up if the game is close at half or anything like that. The main objective is to find a way to get the win, and luckily we came out and we got a lead right away, and we were able to carry that the rest of the game."
Arizona forward Tobe Awaka, right, shoots against LIU center Isaiah Miranda during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 20, 2026, in San Diego.
They did in large part because Lloyd's three freshmen starters, as they have nearly all of this season, didn't behave like freshmen.
Having notably put up his first double-double in his first-ever college game against Florida on Nov. 3, Kharchenkov put together his second one Friday. Meanwhile, Burries nailed four 3-pointers in the first half en route to a 22-point effort and forward Koa Peat had 15 points and seven rebounds.
LIU guard Malachi Davis (0) shoots against Arizona during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 20, 2026, in San Diego.
"It was fun, just enjoying the moment with my teammates," Burries said of his tourney debut. It's "just being grateful, being where my feet are, staying in the present."
Of the veterans, forward Tobe Awaka had 11 points and eight rebounds off the bench, and guard Jaden Bradley had seven points, five rebounds and four assists while wearing a similar protective wrap around his left index finger to the one he wore after suffering the injury in UA's Big 12 Tournament championship win over Houston on Saturday.
"It's all good," Bradley said.
Arizona guard Jaden Bradley (0) is congratulated by teammate Bryce James after making a 3-point basket against LIU during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 20, 2026, in San Diego.
While Bradley said after the Houston game that it felt different wearing a protective wrap after immediately returning from the injury, he showed no issues early Friday after a week of rehabilitation and getting used to the wrap.
Bradley made an early layup, assisted Burries on a 3-pointer that gave Arizona a 9-2 lead, then blocked LIU’s Malachi Davis — and put in a 3 of his own on that ensuing UA possession.
Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (13) shoots against LIU during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 20, 2026, in San Diego.
Bradley's 3 gave UA a 12-2 after three minutes and the Wildcats went up 15-4 when Burries hit another 3 less the four minutes into the game.
Arizona took its first double-digit lead for good after Peat made a layup with 14:32 to go, and continued rolling from there.
The Sharks didn’t help themselves when Xinyi Li threw an elbow at the back of UA center Motiejus Krivas in transition, drawing a flagrant foul that allowed Krivas to shoot two free throws, one of which he made, and giving UA the ball for what eventually became a rebound basket by Awaka.
Arizona also won a coach’s challenge later in the first half when it successfully protested that Peat did not touch the ball before it went out of bounds, saving UA a possession.
Up 53-29 at halftime, the Wildcats kept LIU scoreless for over three minutes at the start of the second half while scoring the first eight points of the half.
The Sharks rallied over the middle of the second half, drawing cheers when Mason Porter-Brown dunked to cut UA’s lead to 67-45, but the Wildcats kept control of the game throughout the half.
With 6:46 left, Lloyd put in lightly used reserve forward Sidi Gueye, who picked up a foul but blocked a shot during his first two minutes in the game. Lloyd also turned to reserve senior guard Evan Nelson with 4:29 left. He later played his walk-ons, also.
Afterward, Lloyd said he wanted to get his post game press conference over so he could get on with preparation for the next game.
Another game he and the Wildcats aim to approach the same way as their first 35 games.
"Our guys know where we're at," Lloyd said. "They know where we want to go. And they know what our purpose is. I'm not worried about the focus not being there."
