Arizona freshman forward Koa Peat will miss the Wildcats' upcoming games against BYU and Houston with a leg muscle strain, while reserve Dwayne Aristode will remain out with an illness.
Arizona announced Tuesday afternoon that Peat had a muscle strain in his lower leg area and would be re-evaluated next week by its medical staff, meaning he won't play at least in the Wildcats' next two games: Wednesday against BYU and Saturday against Houston. Peat left the Wildcats' game with Texas Tech on Saturday after playing 11 minutes without taking a field goal.
Arizona forward Koa Peat watches from the bench as the Wildcats take on Texas Tech in the second half of their Big 12 game, Feb. 14, in Tucson. Peat didn’t play in the second half due to injury.
It is unclear if Aristode will make the Wildcats' trip to Texas, where they will play at Houston on Saturday and at Baylor on Tuesday. Aristode first sat out the Wildcats' game with Texas Tech on Saturday with an unspecified illness that UA coach Tommy Lloyd said would keep him out "for a short while."
Peat did not appear to initially sustain the injury against Texas Tech but likely was trying to play through it, with the injury appearing to affect his mobility and/or elevation.
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Peat shot only 6 for 22 combined in UA's previous two games, against Oklahoma State and Kansas, and didn't take a single shot before leaving against Texas Tech.
Peat also missed two of the four free throws he took both against Kansas and Texas Tech and Lloyd said after that game that Peat would be examined to determine the extent of the injury.
Arizona reported both players as out for BYU when the Big 12's official day-before player availability reports were posted Tuesday evening. The Wildcats (23-2) are scheduled to host the Cougars (19-6) at 7 p.m.
BYU lost its third-leading scorer, Richie Saunders, to a torn ACL on Saturday against Colorado.
The absences are striking the Wildcats after their record-breaking start skidded into losses at Kansas and against Texas Tech last week. Arizona didn't have any rotation players miss any games until Aristode sat out the Texas Tech game.
Poll: A $27.7 million mouthful: Is 'Alkeme' part of your McKale game day vocabulary?
The University of Arizona sold naming rights to the iconic McKale Center for $27.7 million to a Southern California-based insurance services firm. The sports venue's official name is now McKale Center at Alkeme Arena. Are you going to use the new name?
Contact sports reporter Bruce Pascoe at bpascoe@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @brucepascoe
Bruce Pascoe
Reporter
