Arizona Beats Utah State to Reach Sweet 16, Updated Path to Final Four in March Madness

The Arizona Wildcats pulled away late to secure a 78-66 win over Utah State on Sunday in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Sweet 16.

The No. 1 seed will face No. 4 Arkansas for a spot in the Elite Eight.

In true Arizona form, the Wildcats got it done with a team effort in San Diego, with three of four starters scoring in double figures.

Jaden Bradley led the way with 18 points, Brayden Burries added 16 points and nine rebounds, and Koa Peat recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Motiejus Krivas made a major impact on the glass, pulling down 14 rebounds.

After a dominant first-round win over No. 16 Long Island, Arizona ran into trouble against a tough No. 9 Utah State team that had just taken down No. 8 Villanova.

Turnovers proved costly Sunday, as Arizona committed 11 compared to Utah State's four, allowing the Aggies to hang around deep into the game.

Looking ahead, No. 4 Arkansas has taken a smoother path to the Sweet 16, beating No. 13 Hawaii and No. 12 High Point by a combined 25 points, lacking the blowout margins seen from other top seeds — such as Arizona's 34-point win over Long Island.

However, Arkansas is not Arizona. The Wildcats have something special.

Beyond that, Arizona could face the winner of No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 11 Texas in the Elite Eight. Both teams are red hot.

Purdue is coming off a Big Ten tournament title and a second-round win over No. 7 Miami, while Texas has emerged as the tournament's Cinderella, knocking off No. 6 BYU and No. 3 Gonzaga to advance.

Either matchup would present a major test on the road to the Final Four.