Arizona’s long-awaited Sweet 16 breakthrough under coach Tommy Lloyd arrived in emphatic fashion Thursday night, as the Wildcats rolled past Arkansas 109-88 in the NCAA tournament.
Brayden Burries scored 23 points to lead Arizona, which delivered a dominant offensive performance from start to finish. The Wildcats’ 109 points underscored the pace and efficiency that defined the night, turning the matchup into a runaway as Arizona consistently found quality looks and converted them.
The victory marked a significant step for Lloyd’s program, which had been trying to get over the Sweet 16 hurdle during his tenure. Arizona did so with its most explosive showing of the tournament, putting sustained pressure on Arkansas and keeping the Razorbacks from mounting a serious push back into the game.
Offense sets the tone
Arizona’s scoring output was the headline, with Burries setting the pace and the Wildcats’ attack producing throughout the rotation. Arkansas, meanwhile, couldn’t match Arizona’s offensive rhythm, and the gap widened as the game progressed.
With the win, Arizona advanced out of the Sweet 16 and continued its NCAA tournament run, while Arkansas’ season ended in the loss.