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Arizona vs Houston basketball live updates: Big 12 championship score, highlights
Gonzaga’s Mark Few on the current state of NCAA basketball
Mark Few shares his perspective on college basketball landscape.
Sports Illustrated – Gonzaga Bulldogs
The foregone conclusion has finally become reality for the 2026 men’s Big 12 Tournament.
The top two teams in the conference, No. 2 Arizona and No. 5 Houston, will face off for conference supremacy in the Big 12 Championship on Saturday, March 14.
The top-seeded Wildcats defeated No. 8 seed Central Florida and No. 5 seed Iowa State 81-59 and 82-80, respectively, to make their way to the Big 12 Championship. No. 2-seed Houston, meanwhile, defeated No. 10 seed Brigham Young and No. 3 seed Kansas by scores of 73-66 and 56-47, respectively, to reach the title game.
Follow along live as USA Today Sports provides live updates, scores and highlights from the 2026 Big 12 Championship:
TEAMS
1H
2H
F
Houston
36
38
74
Arizona
44
35
79
Houston’s furious comeback attempt falls short, as Arizona avenges last year’s Big 12 Championship loss against the Cougars with a 79-74 win. Arizona is your Big 12 champion, a day before it is officially labeled a 1 seed in the 2026 men’s NCAA Tournament. Koa Peat is the Big 12 Championship Player of the Game with 21 points and six rebounds.
Motiejus Krivas hits a pair of must-have free throws to extend Arizona’s lead to 77-72 with 22 seconds left. On the opposite end, Koa Peat fouls out with 21 points and the Wildcats nursing a five-point lead with 13.1 seconds to play.
Houston hits a pair of timely 3s with Mercy Miller and Milos Uzan to make it 75-72 Arizona. The Wildcats take a timeout with 48.5 seconds left in the game.
Trailing 73-66 with 1:31 left to play, Houston loses one of its best 3-point weapons as Emanuel Sharp fouls out with 10 points. Arizona is starting to clamp down late.
Ivan Kharchenkov is doing his part to help Arizona win the Big 12 Championship with a 3-pointer, made field goal and two made free throws. He has the Wildcats’ last seven points. The Wildcats lead 69-62 with 3:56 remaining.
It’s game on in the Big 12 Championship game. Houston goes on an incredible 14-0 run that’s finally stopped by a Brayden Burries and-1. Houston has a chance to make it 62-58 but this is far from the blowout it was shaping up to be.
Houston’s mounting somethign of a comeback, pulling to within five points of the Wildcats with 9:32 minutes left to play off a 10-0 run. Several Wildcats players are in foul trouble as well, as Koa Peat and Tobe Awaka have four fouls apiece. Motiejus Krivas has three fouls.
It’s all Arizona in the second half, as the Wildcats now hold a 12-point lead at the under-12 timeout following a Houston 3-pointer. It will be Cougars ball out of the timeout.
It took over 3 minutes into the second half, but Houston finally scores its first basket from a Chase McCarty 3-pointer. Houston will need a lot more of that to get back into this, as Arizona leads 53-39 with 15:49 left in the game.
Potentially significant update in the Big 12 Championship, as Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley appears to hurt his left wrist as Emanuel Sharp is called for the foul, his third of the game. He leaves the game and heads to the locker room.
Arizona opens the second half with a 4-0 run, forcing Sampson to take his second timeout with 18:13 to play. There is some frustration brewing on the Cougars’ sideline.
Here’s a look at the halftime stats with Arizona holding a 44-36 lead:
- Field goals: Houston 14 of 28 (50%) | Arizona 15 of 30 (50%)
- 3-pointers: Houston 3 of 9 (33.33%) | Arizona 4 of 9 (44%)
- Free throws: Houston 5 of 6 (83%) | Arizona 10 of 11 (91%)
- Rebounds: Houston 11 | Arizona 11
- Assists: Houston 5 | Arizona 6
- Steals: Houston N/A | Arizona N/A
- Blocks: Houston N/A | Arizona N/A
- Turnovers: Houston 5 | Arizona 2
- Fouls: Houston 10 | Arizona 7
- Largest lead: Houston 2 | Arizona 8
- Percentage of game led: Houston 5% | Arizona 87%
Houston refuses to go away, but Arizona is doing its part in maintaining a somewhat comfortable distance from the Cougars. The Cougars have 44-36 lead with 13.1 seconds in the half, and they have Brayden Burries to thank for it. He has their last 10 points.
Tie ballgame! A tough field goal from Kingston Flemings in the paint knots it up 33-33 with 3:36 left in the first half.
Mercy, Miller. A massive 3-pointer from the sophomore guard makes the score 31-29 in favor of Arizona. Houston makes its last four shots and the pace is beginning to pick up in the Bigt 12 Championship.
And now here’s Houston with a 6-0 run off two made field goals and two made free throws. The Cougars have cut the deficit to 22-20 at the under-8 timeout with 8:00 left to pay in the half.
Wildcats go on a 6-0 run in less than a minute out of the under-12 timeout, growing their lead to 22-14 with 10:25 and forcing Kelvin Sampson to burn his first timeout, down 22-14.
Arizona holds a slim 16-14 lead with 11:39 left in the half. The Wildcats also have a slim shooting lead, going 6-of-12 from the field compared to Houston’s 6-of-13.
Jaden Bradley is off to a hot start, scoring eight of Arizona’s 14 points, including six off two made 3-pointers.
Arizona started the game with a 5-0 run. Houston has since rebounded, so to speak, going on a 7-0 run, capped with a Chris Cenac Jr. 3-pointer at the under-16 timeout.
Koa Peats opens the scoring in the Big 12 Championship with an easy 2-pointer, and we’re off from the T-Mobile Center!
What channel is Arizona vs Houston basketball on today?
The Big 12 Championship will air nationally on ESPN. Streaming options include the ESPN app and Fubo, which offers a free trial.
Arizona vs Houston start time today
- Date: Saturday, March 14
- Time: 6:10 p.m. ET | 5:10 p.m. CT
- Location: T-Mobile Center (Kansas City, Missouri)
The Big 12 Championship is scheduled to tip off at 6:10 p.m. ET (5:10 p.m. local) from the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City on Saturday, March 14.
Arizona vs Houston odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM on Saturday, March 14
- Odds: Arizona (-1.5)
- Over/under: 138.5
- Moneyline: Arizona (-135) | Houston (+110)
Federal and state officials imposed new fire restrictions across a large portion of central Arizona ahead of a weekend forecasted to bring hot, dry winds that could increase wildfire danger.
On Friday, May 15, Tonto National Forest enacted Stage 1 fire restrictions across the entire forest, while the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management announced similar restrictions for state trust lands in Gila, Maricopa, and Pinal counties.
The restrictions come as fire officials reported major progress on two wildfires in the region, potentially freeing up firefighting resources for future incidents. The Forestry Department announced that the Hazen Fire, which burned nearly 1,200 acres of dense tamarisk along the Gila River near Buckeye, had reached 100% containment. Meanwhile, the Jones Fire near Wickenburg, which prompted evacuations and was also fueled by tamarisk vegetation, was reported at 90% containment.
Tonto National Forest prohibited campfires and the use of wood-, charcoal-, or coal-burning stoves outside Forest Service-provided fire structures. Liquid petroleum or LPG stoves are still allowed if they can be switched off and are kept at least three feet away from overhead or surrounding flammable materials. Similar restrictions apply on state lands, except fires are permitted in developed campsites or picnic areas. The ban also extends to wildlife areas managed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, state parks, and highway rights-of-way.
The National Weather Service forecasted high temperatures in the upper 90s across metro Phoenix through Saturday, cooling slightly into the upper 80s and low 90s by Sunday. In Arizona’s high country, forecasters warned of elevated fire danger due to low humidity and strong southwest winds, with gusts expected between 20 and 30 mph on Saturday and 25 to 40 mph on Sunday.
“Gusty winds, dry fuels, and low humidity will lead to critical fire weather danger with easier fire starts and uncontrollable spread of new or existing fires,” the agency said in its Friday afternoon briefing.
The weather service declared a red flag warning for the Tonto National Forest and for southern Gila County, effective Sunday. The agency’s Tucson office also put out a Sunday, May 17, red flag warning covering Santa Cruz, Cochise, Graham and Greenlee counties, and the far eastern parts of Pinal and Pima counties.
Beyond the fire prohibition, the Tonto’s restrictions ban recreational shooting except for legal hunting activity.
The Tonto fire restrictions are in place through Sept. 30 unless rescinded. The state order is in effect until further notice.
Brandon Loomis covers environmental and climate issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Reach him at brandon.loomis@arizonarepublic.com.
Environmental coverage on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
Follow The Republic environmental reporting team at environment.azcentral.com and @azcenvironment on Facebook and Instagram.
Dozens of bright yellow jets once operated by Spirit Airlines are now sitting idle in the Arizona desert after being repossessed by leasing companies, according to aviation officials.
The aircraft are currently parked in a storage field following the shutdown of operations involving the planes. Industry experts say the jets were not owned directly by Spirit Airlines, but instead leased through outside companies that quickly moved to reclaim the aircraft.
One aviation contractor involved in the process said crews had only a matter of hours to coordinate the recovery effort and relocate the planes.
That process included hiring former Spirit pilots who had suddenly found themselves out of work to help ferry the aircraft to storage facilities in Arizona.
“The reason I’m empathetic to all this is because I’ve been in the same situation four or five times,” one aviation worker said. “I was with airlines that closed their doors overnight. I woke up the next morning not having a job. I’m worried about how I’m going to make my mortgage, how I can pay for health care. I have little kids.”
Officials say the future of the aircraft remains uncertain. Depending on what the leasing companies decide, the planes could eventually return to service with another airline, be dismantled for parts, or scrapped altogether.
Spirit Airlines has not announced whether the aircraft could return to operations.
Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
The 2026 NFL Draft is over, but the 2026 NFL schedule is here!
While Arizona Cardinals fans should be excited about Jeremiyah Love and all the new additions, the release of the regular season schedule turns a mere daydream of fall into a more concrete 17-game reality check.
The Cardinals finished last season 3-14, missed the playoffs, and now have a new path towards the postseason.
Shop Cardinals 2026 tickets
As a Cardinals fan, you don’t want to miss the opportunity to commune with your fellow fans and see State Farm Stadium in all its glory.
The first game of the NFL season is less than three months away, be the first to secure your tickets to see the Arizona Cardinals play this season.
Arizona Cardinals 2026 NFL schedule, tickets
- Week 1: Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Chargers – Sunday, Sept. 13 at 4:25 p.m. ET
- Week 2: Arizona Cardinals vs. Seattle Seahawks – Sunday, Sept. 20 at 4:25 p.m. ET
- Week 3: Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers – Sunday, Sept. 27 at 4:05 p.m. ET
- Week 4: Arizona Cardinals at New York Giants – Sunday, Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. ET
- Week 5: Arizona Cardinals vs. Detroit Lions – Sunday, Oct. 11 at 4:25 p.m. ET
- Week 6: Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams – Sunday, Oct. 18 at 4:05 p.m. ET
- Week 7: Arizona Cardinals vs. Denver Broncos – Sunday, Oct. 25 at 4:05 p.m. ET
- Week 8: Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys – Sunday, Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. ET
- Week 9: Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks – Sunday, Nov. 8 at 4:25 p.m. ET
- Week 10: Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams – Sunday, Nov. 15 at 4:05 p.m. ET
- Week 11: Arizona Cardinals at Kansas City Chiefs – Sunday, Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. ET
- Week 12: Arizona Cardinals vs. Washington Commanders – Sunday, Nov. 29 at 4:25 p.m. ET
- Week 13: Arizona Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Eagles – Sunday, Dec. 6 at 4:05 p.m. ET
- Week 14: BYE
- Week 15: Arizona Cardinals vs. New York Jets – Sunday, Dec. 20 at 4:05 p.m. ET
- Week 16: Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints – Sunday, Dec. 27 at 1 p.m. ET
- Week 17: Arizona Cardinals vs. Las Vegas Raiders – Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027 at 4:05 p.m. ET
- Week 18: Arizona Cardinals vs. San Francisco 49ers – TBD
Shop Cardinals 2026 tickets
Cardinals home opponents, tickets
The Cardinals will host the following teams at State Farm Stadium this season:
- L.A. Rams
- San Francisco 49ers
- Seattle Seahawks
- Denver Broncos
- Detroit Lions
- Las Vegas Raiders
- N.Y. Jets
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Washington Commanders
Cardinals away opponents, tickets
The Cardinals will hit the road and take on the following teams during the regular season:
- L.A. Rams
- San Francisco 49ers
- Seattle Seahawks
- Dallas Cowboys
- Kansas City Chiefs
- L.A. Chargers
- New Orleans Saints
- N.Y. Giants
Shop Cardinals 2026 tickets
Arizona Cardinals NFL Draft pick
With the team’s first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cardinals selected Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 overall. Watch Jeremiyah Love play in person this year by buying your tickets now .
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