Arizona takes huge step toward No. 1 overall seed in NCAA Tournament with Big 12 title game win vs. Houston

At this point, Arizona feels inevitable. The Wildcats steamrolled their way to the Big 12 regular-season crown, and it would not be denied in its chase for more hardware in Kansas City. Arizona won three elimination games in three different ways. It used defense to squeeze the life out of UCF in the quarterfinals. It used an offensive extravaganza to outlast Iowa State in the semifinals. It used a little bit of both to put Houston away for good in the championship bout.

Tommy Lloyd took a gamble that paying up for Peat and Burries would be more impactful than any transfer addition. That has aged beautifully. Burries and Peat combined for 42 points in the victory. Peat was a monster early. Burries has been a beast for long stretches of Big 12 play. Maybe now they're both going to hum at the same time? That gives Arizona a different feel.

Arizona has made the Big 12 its playground. Tommy Lloyd won the regular-season title and backed it up with a Big 12 Tournament crown. The top-seeded Wildcats outlasted Houston, 79-74, and avenged a loss to this same Cougars' outfit in the Big 12 Tournament finale a year ago. 

Brayden Burries shook off two straight airballs to finish with 21 massive points. Fellow freshman Koa Peat was outstanding, totaling 21 points and six boards in 27 minutes. Jaden Bradley scored all 13 points in the first half.

Arizona built a 15-point lead early in the second half, but it got sweaty down the stretch. Houston rallied to cut the deficit to just one after a massive 14-0 run midway through the second half, but it couldn't get over the hump. JoJo Tugler totaled a team-high 20 points for the Cougars, but Houston's star-studded backcourt was bottled up. Arizona held Kingston Flemings, Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan to just 26 points on 30 shots.

Arizona will enter the Big Dance rolling. It has won nine games in a row and will be a No. 1 seed. Houston's bid for a No. 1 seed will likely fall short. The Cougars look every bit the part of a No. 2 seed. A dangerous one at that.

Houston's flurries can arrive at any time, and now is that time. The Cougars have used a 10-0 run to sneak back within five with less than nine minutes left. Arizona has dominated this game for 27 minutes, but Houston's right back in the thick of it thanks to one of its patented Kill Shots.

The Arizona do-it-all point guard exited with a wrist injury and went back to the locker room for X-rays, but he returned to the floor a few minutes later and immediately got inserted back into the fray. While his left wrist was wrapped, Arizona's star seems to have dodged a major injury. 

Crisis averted.

Jaden Bradley handled the first section of the game, Koa Peat took a shift in the middle third and then freshman sensation Brayden Burries has taken the bull by the horns down the stretch of the first half. The five-star guard scored 10 points in a row to help Arizona take an eight-point lead into intermission. 

Bradley, Burries and Peat have combined for 36 of Arizona's 44 points.

Meanwhile, Houston's guards have to get it going. Kingston Flemings, Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp have just 13 points combined.

The freshly-crowned Big 12 Player of the Year is on fire. The senior point guard has 13 points on just six shots, and he's just torching Houston in pick-and-rolls.

Emanuel Sharp and Chris Cenac Jr. -- two of Houston's best five players -- have two fouls apiece in the first 9+ minutes of regulation. Arizona is out to a 22-14 lead and Kelvin Sampson needs to burn a timeout.

Houston: JoJo Tugler just has to stay out of foul trouble. Houston's offensive rebounding and overall defense has way less bite when Tugler isn't on the floor.

Arizona: Hunt offensive rebounds. Houston's defense can be vulnerable to the offensive glass because of its swarming defense. Arizona corralled 12 offensive rebounds in the first matchup. Another effort like that on the glass would be just what the doctor ordered. 

Houston's trio of Kingston Flemings, Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan has been pound-for-pound one of the most reliable, consistent backcourts in college basketball. 

Arizona could make its pitch to have the top backcourt, too. Brayden Burries has transformed into a potential lottery pick. Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley is one of the clutches players in America. Oh, and Ivan Kharchenkov and Anthony Dell'Orso are outstanding role players.

What's going to give?