SAN JOSE, Calif. — Because the Wildcats have stayed nearly injury-free all season, Arizona trainer Justin Kokoskie could probably take a little credit for their 36 wins and Final Four berth.
But he won't.
“There's so many people involved with this,” Kokoskie said. “Tucson is a small community, and they allow us to use the best doctors in town. I have a Rolodex of hundreds of doctors and people I call, and they're awesome people.
On Friday night, “doctors were calling me. My medical staff, our athletic trainers. They all want to pitch in and help. It's a team effort, to be honest.
“I have all the resources I need on my phone with the doctors and the athletic trainers. So, we make the most of what we have. It's a phenomenal group to work with.”
Freshman forward Koa Peat was the only one of UA's eight rotation players to miss time because of injury all season, and he missed just three and a half games after leaving UA's Feb. 14 loss to Texas Tech with a lower-leg injury. Freshman forward Dwayne Aristode also missed the Texas Tech game and the next three because of an illness.
Other than that, nobody in the rotation missed a regular-season game.
Tobe Awaka sat out an exhibition game, while Kokoskie and UA staffers helped both wing Anthony Dell’Orso (Feb. 21 at Houston) and Ivan Kharchenkov (Nov. 29 against Norfolk State) recover from mid-tier ankle injuries in time to return for the Wildcats’ next games.
Arizona guard Anthony Dell'Orso (3) reacts as UA trainer Justin Kokoskie helps him up in the second half against Houston, Feb. 21, 2026, in Houston.
In addition, even though the Wildcats lost to Texas Tech when Peat went out, and Aristode was already missing, they may have grown by learning how to deal with it.
At less than full strength, Arizona beat BYU at home on Feb. 18 and won at Houston three days later without Peat or Aristode.
Forwards Tobe Awaka, Anthony Dell'Orso and Ivan Kharchenkov all played bigger roles without the two missing players, a process Awaka said helped the team grow in the long-term.
“For sure,” Awaka said Saturday. “It kind of makes you ready for moments like this.”
Pride of Cochise College
Held to just two points over two games against Washington State and Oscar Cluff two seasons ago, Arizona center Motiejus Krivas did not appear surprised to see once-unknown Cochise College center Oscar Cluff collect 14 points and 10 rebounds against the Wildcats on Saturday.
“I remember he was really strong,” Krivas said.
Cluff’s rise at Washington State, which beat Arizona twice in 2023-24, led to a featured role at South Dakota State last season, when he averaged 17.6 points and 12.3 rebounds.
Purdue center Oscar Cluff, right, is defended by Arizona center Motiejus Krivas during the first half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in San Jose, Calif.
Cluff then hit the transfer portal again last spring and signed on at Purdue for this season, giving the Boilermakers a tough inside presence they lacked since Zach Edey left after their 2024 Final Four. Cluff averaged 10.6 points and 7.5 rebounds while starting all 39 games for the Boilermakers this season.
“He was great for us,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said. “He gave us what we needed. Second in the nation in rebounding last year at South Dakota State. Great attitude. Tough dude. He fit in.
“O.C. was fabulous for us. Man, he'll compete. He'll foul you about 15 times in a game, too. He's going to lay it on the line. He's going to hit. … He loves the physicality of the game. He's been great for us. Good dude to be around.”
March gladness
Despite growing up Down Under, where March Madness isn't much of a thing, Anthony Dell’Orso has a pretty good grasp on how it works.
The Aussie wing knew even beating Florida, UConn and UCLA to begin the season, then winning the Big 12, meant nothing once the do-or-die NCAA Tournament began.
“You see every year different teams make it” to the Final Four, Dell’Orso said. “We may have been one of the greatest teams all year, but when it gets to March, it's anything could happen. You saw Florida lost and Florida's a great team. If they happen to lose, nothing's guaranteed. That's what makes it so special.”
So when Dell’Orso transferred to Arizona from low-major Campbell in 2024, he said he did not envision going to the Final Four.
Then it happened.
“I had no idea,” Dell’Orso said. “When everyone answers the transfer portal, they immediately think of themselves and what can they get? I came here expecting to play (in) March and get all the all the stuff that Arizona brings, but to be here in this moment, you can never predict that.”
More emotion
Among the other Wildcats pierced with emotion with their advancement to the Final Four: Former walk-on guard Grant Weitman, a Tucson local who literally was born into the program, with a grandfather who was a close friend of former coach Lute Olson.
Arizona Wildcats guard Grant Weitman hugs head coach Tommy Lloyd after he exits the court in his senior night game against Oregon on March 2 at McKale Center.
“Grant was in the hotel, his family was in the hotel and he’s crying after the game,” Kokoskie said. “I was looking up in a crowd after the game and our donors are in full out tears.”
Michigan machine
After winning two games in the Big Ten Tournament by an average of 3.5 points and losing to Purdue in the conference tournament final, Michigan is back to its old dominant self.
The Wolverines pummeled No. 6 seed Tennessee 95-62 to win the Midwest Regional and the right to face Arizona in the national semifinals Saturday at Indianapolis. They won their first four NCAA Tournament games by an average of 22.5 points.
Michigan's Nimari Burnett celebrates after defeating Tennessee in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Chicago.
Michigan rose to prominence this season by winning three Players Era Festival games against San Diego State, Auburn and Gonzaga by an average of 33.3 points, then won the Big Ten regular-season title by four games.
On Sunday, they went on a 24-2 run after trailing by two points early in the game.
It was never the same afterward.
“The game got loosened up, and I want to give our staff a lot of credit,” Michigan coach Dusty May said. “They managed the foul trouble and the minutes as well as we have all year. That was a big part of it.
“I think the beautiful brand of basketball we were playing became contagious. You could see these guys feeding off of each other.”
