NCAA Final Four: Arizona blown out by Michigan in national semifinals
Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) looks to shoot Saturday, April 4, 2026, during a Final Four game against the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images INDIANAPOLIS—Now we know what it looks like when this Arizona team truly has a bad game, and what a terrible time to find that out. The Wildcats’ magical season came to a crashing end on Saturday night, losing 91-73 to Michigan in the national semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Wildcats, in their first Final Four appearance since 2001, finish with a 36-3 record. Michigan (36-3) will take on UConn, which beat Illinois 71-62 in the first semifinal, on Monday night for the NCAA title. The Huskies are in their third championship game in the last four seasons and have won 19 consecutive tourney games in the Sweet 16 or later.
A crowd of 72,11 saw very little go right for the UA, which never getting closer than five after being down 10-1 in the first 2½ minutes. Arizona shot a season-worst 36. 6 percent, turned it over 14 times—with Michigan turning those into 26 points—and on the defensive end got dunked on and shot over.
Michigan shot 47. 8 percent, including 57. 1 percent in the second half, were 12 of 27 from 3 and had almost as many dunks (six) as layups.
Koa Peat led the UA with 16 points and 11 rebounds, the first freshman in school history to record a double-double in the Final Four, but he was 6 of 18 from the field. Brayden Burries scored 13 on 4-of-16 shooting, including 2 of 10 from 3, and Jaden Bradley had 13 but only played 25 minutes due to foul trouble. Michigan got 26 points from UCLA transfer Aday Mara , who was 11 of 16 from the field, 16 from Trey McKenney and 13 points with 10 assists from Elliot Cadeau.