The Arizona Wildcats men's basketball are heading into one of their biggest weeks of the season without one of their most important pieces.
Arizona Basketball announced that freshman forward Koa Peat is dealing with a muscle strain in his lower leg area. He will be re-evaluated next week and will return to the court when cleared by the medical staff.
That means Peat will not play Wednesday against the BYU Cougars men's basketball and is expected to miss Saturday’s massive road test at the Houston Cougars men's basketball.
Freshman wing Dwayne Aristode will also be unavailable Wednesday due to illness.
Koa Peat has a muscle strain in his lower leg area. He will be re-evaluated next week and will return to the court when cleared by the medical staff.
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) February 18, 2026
Dwayne Aristode (illness) will also not be available Wednesday against BYU.
A tough blow at a tough time
There’s never a good time to lose a starter in Big 12 play. This might be one of the worst.
Peat has been a steady presence all season. The freshman is averaging 13.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting an efficient 54.7 percent from the field. He’s been at his best attacking the rim, running in transition and finishing through contact.
While he struggled recently, including a 2-for-11 night at Kansas, his impact goes beyond the box score. Arizona’s pace, spacing and physicality all look different when he’s on the floor.
Now the Wildcats will have to adjust on the fly against two ranked opponents in a four-day span.
Who steps up for Tommy Lloyd?
Head coach Tommy Lloyd will likely turn to senior forward Tobe Awaka to fill the void in the starting lineup.
Awaka has been excellent off the bench, averaging 10 points and 9.7 rebounds while shooting better than 60 percent from the field. He brings toughness and rebounding, but Arizona will still miss Peat’s athletic burst and versatility.
Depth could also become a factor. Freshman Sidi Gueye and senior guard Evan Nelson may see expanded roles as the Wildcats try to manage minutes and maintain energy in Provo and then Houston.
The bigger picture
Arizona is still firmly in the Big 12 race and positioning itself for NCAA Tournament seeding. Every game matters, especially against ranked competition.
BYU is dangerous at home, and Houston remains one of the most physical teams in the country. Navigating this stretch without Peat will test Arizona’s depth and resilience.
The silver lining is that the injury does not appear long term. If Peat is cleared next week, the Wildcats could get him back in time to stabilize the rotation before the regular season winds down.
For now, though, Arizona’s margin for error just got smaller, and the spotlight on the rest of the roster just got brighter.