Top-seeded Arizona beats Arkansas 109-88 to reach the Elite Eight for the 1st time since 2015

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — From the opening minutes until the end of the game, Arizona scored almost at will.

The Wildcats used one of the best offensive performances in the NCAA Tournament to get over the Sweet 16 hurdle for the first time in more than a decade.

Brayden Burries scored 21 points and fellow freshman Koa Peat added 21 as part of a record-setting balanced attack that sent top-seeded Arizona to a 109-88 win over Arkansas on Thursday night to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 2015.

“This is the most fun I’ve had playing basketball, honestly,” Peat said. “I love my teammates. Just seeing them be successful, it just makes me happy. Then they find me as well. So we went out there and played our Arizona brand of basketball. I thought everything fell in place, and I thought the whole team played really good today and a lot of guys stepped up.”

There had never been a performance quite like the one Arizona (35-2) delivered as the Wildcats shot 63.8% from the floor for the best mark in the Sweet 16 since 2005.

Ivan Kharchenkov also had 15 points, while Jaden Bradley, Motiejus Krivas and Tobe Awaka scored 14 apiece as the Wildcats became the first team in NCAA Tournament history with six players scoring at least 14 points in a game.

“I feel like that’s what makes us so special, is because anybody can go off on a given day,” Burries said. “Everybody contributes in their own way.”

The Wildcats will take a 12-game winning streak into the West Region final against second-seeded Purdue on Saturday night. The Boilermakers beat Texas 79-77 in the first game.

“I thought our guys were great offensively today,” coach Tommy Lloyd said. “The great thing about basketball and the tough thing about basketball is, unfortunately, that doesn’t automatically translate to Saturday. We’ve got to find a way to kind of recreate that rhythm we had tonight.”

Lloyd has won a record 147 games in his first five seasons as a head coach but has been unable to find tournament success before this season. Arizona had lost three times in the Sweet 16 and once in the first round as a No. 2 seed in Lloyd's first four seasons.

But the Wildcats have rolled through this year's tournament outside of a couple of tense moments in the second round against Utah State, outscoring the opposition by 67 points in three double-digit wins.

Freshman Darius Acuff Jr. scored 28 points for fourth-seeded Arkansas (28-9) in what might be the final college game for the talented freshman who scored 88 points in three tournament games. But he didn't get nearly enough help against the deeper Wildcats.

The frustration for the Razorbacks boiled over in the second half when Nick Pringle and coach John Calipari both got technical fouls and Billy Richmond was ejected after getting a flagrant 2 foul for shoving Kharchenkov.

The Razorbacks reached the Sweet 16 for the fifth time in six seasons but once again fell short and are still seeking their first Final Four appearance since 1995.

“They were on all cylinders, and we weren’t quite what we’ve been,” Calipari said. “That’s why you get a 20-point bulge. Every one of their guys, they’ve got a bunch of guys that can play, and they’ve got a couple other guys that do exactly what they need to do to help their team win. But they’re good.”

Arizona had a nearly flawless first half offensively, shooting 64% from the field, making 15 of 17 free throws and protecting the ball well against the Razorbacks defense. That helped stake the Wildcats to a 54-43 lead, as they tied for the fifth-most points scored in the first half of a Sweet 16 game.

Arizona built the lead to 18 early in the second half on a three-point play by Burries to the delight of Warriors coach and former Wildcats star Steve Kerr, and Arkansas never really threatened the rest of the way.

“We’ve had the freedom of playing free and it makes it difficult for defenses to lock in,” Kharchenkov said. “If you stop one guy we have another. If you stop that guy we have another. Today everybody popped off.”

The Wildcats are one win away from reaching their first Final Four since 2001.

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Arkansas head coach John Calipari argues a call during the first half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Arizona, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) shoots over Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (13) during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd hands the ball to a referee during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Arkansas, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Kelley L Cox)

Arizona guard Brayden Burries (5) celebrates after scoring during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Arkansas, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Arizona forward Koa Peat (10) dunks during the first half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Arkansas, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Kelley L Cox)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Garrett Crochet allowed only three hits in six innings, Ceddanne Rafaela hit an RBI single in the seventh inning and the Boston Red Sox got their first opening day shutout since 2015, defeating the Cincinnati Reds 3-0 on Thursday.

Roman Anthony had three hits for the Red Sox, who had their 11th opening day shutout — with all but one on the road.

It's the ninth time the Reds have been blanked in an opener and the first since 2018. Rookie first baseman Sal Stewart had three of Cincinnati's four hits, including a pair of doubles.

Crochet (1-0) became the first pitcher to start on opening day in each of his first three seasons as a starter, according to MLB. The left-hander struck out six and walked two en route to his first victory in an opener.

Crochet allowed only one hit the first five innings before running into some trouble in the sixth. Matt McLain drew a walk with one out and singles by Elly de la Cruz and Stewart loaded the bases.

The left-hander struck out Eugenio Suárez and Spencer Steer to get out of the inning.

Former Reds closer Aroldis Chapman retired the side in the ninth for the save.

Andrew Abbott, the first lefty to start a Reds opener since 1998, matched Crochet with six shutout innings and struck out four.

Rafaela lined Pierce Johnson's fastball up the middle to drive in Marcelo Mayer. Mayer came on as a pinch-hitter in the seventh and drove a double to the warning track in left center off Johnson (0-1) that was just beyond the outstretched glove of Reds center fielder TJ Friedl.

Mayer advanced to third on Carlos Narváez's sacrifice bunt before scoring on Rafaela's second single of the game.

Boston added a pair of runs in the ninth on RBI singles by Trevor Story and Jaren Duran.

Red Sox RHP Sonny Gray (14-8, 4.28 ERA in 2025) will face Reds RHP Brady Singer (14-12, 4.03 ERA in 2025) on Saturday.

This story corrects that Crochet is a left-hander instead of a right-hander.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott throws during the second inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Boston Red Sox in Cincinnati, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Former Cincinnati Reds player and Hall of Famer Johnny Bench, left, greets Cincinnati Reds' Eugenio Suárez before an opening-day baseball game against the Boston Red Sox in Cincinnati, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, left, Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona, right greet each other before an opening-day baseball game in Cincinnati, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona greets the team during introduction before an opening-day baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox in Cincinnati, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet throws during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)