NCAA Tournament: Arizona men’s basketball soars past Long Island in first round
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 20: Jaden Bradley #0 and Ivan Kharchenkov #8 of the Arizona Wildcats celebrate during the first half against the Long Island University Sharks in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 20, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images SAN DIEGO—During the first full day of the NCAA Tournament, top seeds Duke and Michigan got scares from their underdog opponents. The Blue Devils nearly lost to a team that played only five guys.
Arizona had no such difficulties. The top-seeded Wildcats came flying out of the gates and never let up, blowing out No. 16 Long Island 92-58.
It was the largest NCAA tourney win for Arizona (33-2) since 1998 when it beat Nicholls by 39. Brayden Burries had 18 points, most by a UA freshman in the postseason since Lauri Markkanen had 20 in 2017, Koa Peat added 15, Ivan Kharchenkov 14 and Tobe Awaka 11. Kharchenkov also had a career-high 10 rebounds, becoming just the fifth freshman in school history to record a double-double in the NCAA Tournament and first since Deandre Ayton in 2018.
Arizona shot 53. 3 percent, going 6 of 13 from 3-point range, and held Long Island (24-11) to 32. 4 percent shooting including 14 of 39 inside the arc.
The Wildcats blocked 10 shots, third-most in school history and most since a record 12 against Weber State in 2014, and finished plus-21 on the boards while winning the paint battle 50-26. No UA starter played more than 28 minutes, with freshman Sidi Gueye making the most of his late run by contributing four points—including a monster one-handed dunk—with two rebounds and two blocks in seven minutes. Arizona led 53-29 at halftime, its largest lead at the break in an NCAA game since 1998.