For most of the afternoon inside a hostile Houston arena, it felt like another heavyweight bout in what has become the deepest conference in America. Then Arizona flipped a switch.
In a five-minute stretch that may ultimately decide the Big 12 title, the Wildcats turned a tight game into a statement. Behind Anthony Dell’Orso’s 22 points, No. 4 Arizona knocked off No. 2 Houston, 73-66, and moved into sole possession of first place.
In February, on the road, against one of the nation’s toughest teams, that is the kind of win that echoes.
The 12-0 burst that changed everything
Arizona trailed by two midway through the second half. Houston had the building buzzing and momentum tilting in its favor.
Then the Wildcats slammed the door.
Arizona ripped off 12 straight points to seize control, turning a 48-46 deficit into a 60-50 lead with about five minutes to play. During that span, Houston missed eight consecutive shots and committed three turnovers. The Cougars simply could not get a clean look or a clean possession.
It was poise under pressure. It was execution in a hostile gym. It was championship-level composure.
Dell’Orso delivers, Bradley finishes
Dell’Orso tied a season high with 22 points and consistently found soft spots in Houston’s defense. He wasn’t rushed. He wasn’t rattled.
When Houston finally broke its long scoring drought, nearly 10 minutes without a field goal,Arizona had answers. After a Kingston Flemings three trimmed the lead to four, Jaden Bradley responded with four straight points to push it back out with just over a minute left.
That is what good teams do on the road. They absorb runs and then answer immediately.
Houston’s offense goes cold at the worst time
Houston entered the game 23-3 and riding the edge that has defined Kelvin Sampson’s teams for years. But Saturday was different.
The Cougars struggled to take care of the ball, committing 12 turnovers that Arizona converted into 16 points. More damaging was the extended drought. For long stretches of the second half, Houston simply could not generate quality offense.
Flemings finished with 17 points, and Emanuel Sharp added 14, but the rhythm never felt comfortable. The late-game execution that has saved Houston in other close battles just was not there.
It marked consecutive losses for the Cougars for the first time this season, a rare stumble for a program built on consistency.
Back on track after a brief skid
Arizona’s season has been defined by dominance. The Wildcats opened 23-0 before back-to-back losses to Kansas and Texas Tech knocked them from the top of the AP poll.
Instead of spiraling, they recalibrated.
Saturday’s win improved Arizona to 25-2 overall and 12-2 in Big 12 play. More importantly, it placed them alone atop the conference standings.
Tommy Lloyd’s group looks balanced, confident and battle-tested. They can score in the half court. They defend. They rebound. And when the game tightens late, they trust each other.
The Big 12 gauntlet is real
This result was bigger than one afternoon.
In a league where even second or third place can produce a national champion, positioning matters. Arizona did not just grab a win, it grabbed leverage.
The Wildcats proved they can walk into one of the toughest environments in the country and dictate terms. Houston, meanwhile, learned that even slight lapses against elite competition can swing everything.
March is approaching fast. And after Saturday, Arizona looks every bit like a team capable of surviving it.