Photos: Arizona drops Purdue in the Elite Eight 79-64
The Wildcats erase a halftime deficit to drop the Boilermakers and head to the Final Four, winning the West Regional 79-64, San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona forward Koa Peat makes the big slam amid the Purdue defense as the Wildcats put their stamp on a 79-64 win in their Elite Eight game, San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd clips down the remains of the net following the Wildcats' win in the Western Conference Regional Final over Purdue to advance to the Final Four, March 28, 2026, in San Jose, Calif.
Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (13) gets caught in the confetti being thrown around following the awarding of the West Regional trophy and the win over Purdue in the Elite Eight in San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona guard Brayden Burries (5) comes off the court, high-fiving fans, after the Wildcats dropped Purdue 79-64 in their Elite Eight game in San Jose, Calif., March 28.
Arizona forward Tobe Awaka (30), left, and guard Brayden Burries (5) clothesline Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) on his drive in the second half of their Elite Eight game, San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona forward Koa Peat (10) gets grabbed by Purdue guard C.J. Cox (0) on his second half drive in their Elite Eight game in San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona guard Jaden Bradley (0), bottom, and forward Tobe Awaka (30) team up to strip Purdue center Oscar Cluff (45) of the ball in the paint in the first half of their Elite Eight game in San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona forward Koa Peat (10) finishes off an emphatic jam past Purdue center Oscar Cluff (45) in the second half of their Elite Eight game in San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd celebrates with his team in San Jose, Calif., on March 28, after beating Purdue to earn a spot in the NCAA Final Four for the first time in 25 years.
Arizona guard Sven Djopmo (42) high-fives some fans on his way off the court following the Wildcats’ Elite Eight win over Purdue in San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Purdue players have some questions about being assessed a foul on a play that left Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (13) stunned after bouncing his head off the floor in their Elite Eight game in San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona forward Ivan Kharchenkov angles his way to a bucket against Purdue in their Elite Eight game in San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) celebrates as the final seconds tick away on the Wildcats’ win over Purdue in their Elite Eight game, San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona guard Brayden Burries (5) slips through the arms of a couple of Purdue defenders in the second half of their Elite Eight game in San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona guard Brayden Burries (5) yells into the crowd after drawing a Purdue foul in the second half of their Elite Eight game in San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (13) muscles his way through Purdue center Oscar Cluff (45) in the second half of their Elite Eight game, San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona guard Jaden Bradley (0) gets enough room to scoop a shot around Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) in the second half of their Elite Eight game, San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Purdue head coach Matt Painter pleads his case that the Boilermakers deserve an and-one on an Arizona foul in the second half of their Elite Eight game, San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona forward Tobe Awaka (30) strips Purdue guard Fletcher Loyer (2) trying to get past him to the basket in the second half of their Elite Eight game, San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona forward Koa Peat (10) goes over Purdue center Oscar Cluff (45) trying to put back his rebound on a missed shot in the second half of their Elite Eight game, San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona guard Jaden Bradley (0) gets by Purdue guard Braden Smith (3) in the second half of their Elite Eight game in San Jose, Calif., March 28.
Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (13) drags down a rebound from Purdue center Oscar Cluff (45) in the second half of their Elite Eight game, San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona guard Brayden Burries (5) ties up Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) briefly in the first half of their Elite Eight game, San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona guard Jaden Bradley (0) makes steal with his face, knocking the ball out of the hands of Purdue center Oscar Cluff (45) in the first half of their Elite Eight game, San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona forward Koa Peat (10) takes a hit maneuvering his way through the paint against Purdue in the first half of their Elite Eight game, San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona forward Koa Peat (10) avoids the stab at the ball from Purdue guard Omer Mayer (17) in their Elite Eight game in San Jose, Calif., March 27, 2026.
Arizona forward Ivan Kharchenkov encourages Wildcat fans to cheer louder as he gets set to cut the net following their win over Purdue in the Elite Eight in San Jose, Calif., March 28, 2026.
Arizona guard Brayden Burries (5) keeps his eye on the target despite the last second block attempt from Purdue guard Braden Smith (3) in the first half of their Elite Eight game, San Jose, Calif., March 27, 2026.
Arizona forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) barges into the lane through Purdue guard Fletcher Loyer (2) in the second half of their Elite Eight game, San Jose, Calif., March 27, 2026.
As he falls out of bounds Arizona guard Brayden Burries (5) looks to slam the ball off of Purdue guard Braden Smith (3) in the second half of their Elite Eight game, San Jose, Calif., March 27, 2026.
Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd gets a hug as the team and staff celebrate their Elite Eight win against Purdue in San Jose, Calif., March 27, 2026.
Kelly Presnell
Photojournalist
The players on this year's Arizona Final Four team weren't alive the last time the Wildcats went to the 2001 Final Four. Here's what was happening when they were born.