“It wasn’t the outcome we wanted, but they balled out this season,” Perez said. “In the tournament, they balled out. No one expected us to go this far with as many freshmen as we had. But they just totally balled out this season. And we love our Wildcats.”
Arizona
Arizona governor's signing of abortion law repeal follows political fight by women lawmakers
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs’ signing of the repeal of a Civil War-era ban on nearly all abortions was a stirring occasion for the women working to ensure that the 19th century law remains in the past.
Current and former state lawmakers and reproductive rights advocates crowded into the 9th floor rotunda outside Hobbs’ office Thursday afternoon, hugging and taking selfies to capture the moment. Some wept.
“It’s a historic moment, and it’s a place and time where thrilling moments all come together,” Democratic Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton said during the signing ceremony. “It’s a time where we are doing away with what is in the past that doesn’t fit the present.”
Stahl and Sen. Anna Hernandez, also a Democrat, were the two current lawmakers chosen to speak at the ceremony for their efforts to ensure repeal of the long-dormant law that bans all abortions except those done to save a patient’s life.
The effort won final legislative approval Wednesday in a 16-14 Senate vote, as two GOP lawmakers joined with Democrats during a session of some three hours where motivations for votes were described in personal, emotional and even biblical terms. There were graphic descriptions of abortion procedures and amplified audio of a fetal heartbeat, along with warnings against “legislating religious beliefs.”
Abortion-ban advocates in the Senate gallery jeered state Republican state Sen. Shawnna Bolick as she explained her vote in favor of repeal, then she was scolded by GOP colleagues. Bolick is married to state Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick, who voted with the majority in April to reinstate the 1864 law. He faces a retention election in November.
The House previously approved the repeal, with three Republicans in that chamber breaking ranks.
Hobbs says the move is just the beginning of a fight to protect reproductive health care in Arizona. The repeal is set to take effect 90 days after legislative session ends, which typically is June or July once the budget is approved.
“This means everything to get this archaic, inhumane territorial law off the books,” said Dr. Gabrielle Goodrick, founder of Phoenix-based Camelback Family Planning, which performs a third of abortions in Arizona.
A 2022 statute banning the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy then will become Arizona’s prevailing abortion law.
Abortion rights advocates, led by Planned Parenthood Arizona, have filed a motion with the state Supreme Court to prevent the 1846 law from taking hold before the repeal does. If it’s rejected, girls and women could see a pause in abortion services.
The 19th century law had been blocked in Arizona since 1973 with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade that guaranteed the constitutional right to an abortion nationwide. When the federal law was overturned in 2022, it left Arizona’s in legal limbo.
The Arizona Supreme Court last month took the state back decades and reinstated the ban that provides no exceptions for survivors of rape or incest. The justices suggested doctors could be prosecuted for violating the law, with a maximum five-year prison sentence if convicted.
The anti-abortion group defending the ban, Alliance Defending Freedom, maintains county prosecutors can begin enforcing it once the Supreme Court’s decision becomes final, which hasn’t yet occurred. Democratic Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is making a push to delay the enforcement of the ban until sometime in late July.
Meanwhile, abortion-rights advocates are collecting signatures to enshrine reproductive rights in Arizona’s constitution. A proposed ballot measure would allow abortions until a fetus could survive outside the womb, typically around 24 weeks, with exceptions to save the parent’s life or to protect her physical or mental health.
Republican lawmakers are considering putting one or more competing abortion proposals before voters in November.
In other parts of the U.S. this week, supporters of a South Dakota abortion rights initiative submitted far more signatures than required to make the ballot this fall, while in Florida a ban took effect against most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, before many people even know they are pregnant.
President Joe Biden’s campaign team believes anger over the fall of Roe v. Wade will give them a political advantage in battleground states like Arizona, while the issue has divided Republican leaders.
For the Democratic women who led the effort on the repeal in Arizona, Thursday was celebratory moment but also showed there’s more work to be done, they said.
In an interview before the signing ceremony, Stahl Hamilton talked about her early years on the Navajo Nation where her parents were school teachers and where federally funded clinics still limit abortion services.
She talked about a sister-in-law who she said struggled with two difficult pregnancies, one that resulted in a stillbirth and a nonviable one in which “they had to make the heartbreaking decision to terminate that pregnancy, because there was no brain development.”
“And I imagine that had any of these laws been in place during the time when she was needing care, it really would have wreaked havoc,” Stahl Hamilton said.
When the Civil War-era ban was passed, all the 27 lawmakers were men, America was at war over the right to own slaves and women couldn’t vote, Hobbs said. Now, the Arizona Legislature is roughly evenly divided between men and women.
Hernandez became involved in politics after her younger brother, Alejandro, was killed in a police shooting in April 2019. She and her two other siblings have tattoos with his portrait on their left arms.
Her sister is a nurse in labor and delivery, and she has two nieces, aged 16 and 12, she said.
“In this moment, I think of them being able to grow up in the state that we love so much, having the rights that they have,” she said.
Former Democratic state Rep. Athena Salman was so overcome with emotion Thursday that she could barely speak when she was called to the lectern at the signing ceremony. She proposed a repeal of the 19th century law in 2019, three years before Roe v. Wade was overturned.
Salman, who resigned in January to lead an abortion rights group, said she can’t stop thinking about her daughters.
“Future generations will not have to live under the restrictions and the interference that we have had to experience,” she said.
The University of Arizona men’s basketball team closes out their historic season after losing to the University of Michigan in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats had a tremendous season, breaking program records and earning several different recognitions and awards.
Over the course of the season, the Wildcats dominated with a 36-3 run, breaking the program record for most wins in program history. Previously, this record was 35 wins during the 1987-98 season.
Many of Arizona’s players were recognized for their outstanding work during the season. Notably, senior Jaden Bradley was named Big 12 Player of the Year. Freshman Koa Peat and Bradley were selected to the West All-Region team. Peat also earned the Most Outstanding Player across the western regionals. Another notable recognition was Bradley and freshman Brayden Burries earning All-American honors.
Head coach Tommy Lloyd also received lots of well deserved praise for the way he led this team. He was named Big 12 Coach of the Year and Naismith Coach of the Year. After much discourse during the coaching carousel and the possible coaching job at the University of North Carolina, Lloyd recently agreed to a five-year contract extension with Arizona.
Regular Season Dominance
Right off the bat, the Wildcats showed promise in their team. The Red-Blue showcase was a great introduction to the team and demonstration of their talent for this upcoming season. As many predicted, they dominated in the preseason matchups against Saint Mary’s College and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, blowing both teams out of the water.
Arizona continued to exert this dominance in their non-conference start to the season in November against tougher opponents. Their first competition was against the reigning NCAA Champions, No. 3 University of Florida, in Las Vegas. The Wildcats took the win 93-87, which was just the start of what was to come. Koa Peat made his college debut with a bang and proved he was a force to reckon with. Peat recorded 30 points on his debut, which also turned out to be his career high. When Arizona took the win against Florida, this was eye opening for a lot of people about the promise and talent that this team had to offer.
They had a close call against UCLA about two weeks later, taking the victory by a mere 4 points, 69-65. Arizona jumped significantly in the rankings since playing Utah Tech, where they were ranked No. 13, to taking the No. 5 spot. They only continued to climb in the AP rankings, inching up one position at a time. They were ranked No. 4 when they took the victory against No. 3 University of Connecticut, who won the national championship back in 2024. This win was just five days after they beat UCLA.
The Wildcats jumped right past the No. 3 spot after the UConn victory to the No. 2 spot as they took on the University of Denver, Norfolk State University and No. 20 Auburn University at home. After these three games, the Wildcats hit double digits and were holding a 10-0 record.
Christmas came early for the Wildcats as they grabbed the No. 1 spot in the AP polls in early December before playing No. 12 University of Alabama. Arizona held the No. 1 spot for nine consecutive weeks, which broke the program record that was previously held at eight weeks. They closed out their 2025 by adding four more victories to their roster, along with that No. 1 position.
After a notable regular season run, the Wildcats established themselves as a force to be reckoned with. They became the first team in AP Poll history to beat five ranked teams in their first nine games.
Undefeated Conference Run
The Wildcats began their new year and conference season on the road as they took their first Big 12 victory, 97-78, against the University of Utah. The following Wednesday, the Wildcats returned home for their first conference game in the McKale Center to face another team of Wildcats, Kansas State University. They blew them out of the water, taking a 101-76 victory. Throughout the course of the season, Arizona had 17 wins where they took the victory by 20+ points.
They continued asserting their dominance on both their home court and on the road. The first rivalry game of the season against ASU was a close one, but Arizona came out unscathed taking an 89-82 win. The Wildcats picked up three more wins against the University of Central Florida, the University of Cincinnati and West Virginia University before heading back to Utah to take on No. 13 BYU.
This was a close victory with the Wildcats beating the Cougars 86-83. The Arizona freshmen met their match with BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa, who was a contender for the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, but still is uncertain if he will enter the portal this season. Dybantsa recorded 24 points for the Cougars while Burries lead the Wildcats with 29. The Wildcats pulled through with a late rally to take the victory and remain undefeated in their season.
The Wildcats closed out January with another win against the school up north but this time in enemy territory. Following their game against ASU, Arizona took a victory against Oklahoma State University at home. This marked the Wildcats’ 23rd win, which was an Arizona program record, as well as achieving the best start in Big 12 history. Arizona and the University of Miami Ohio were the remaining undefeated teams at this point in the season.
Looking forward to their next game, they were taking on No. 9 University of Kansas on their home court. The Jayhawks handed Arizona their first loss of the season in a hard fight. Kansas was able to maintain their perfect home record on Big Monday, going 39-0 under head coach Bill Self. Going into this game, Arizona knew it would be a tough one as Kansas had home court advantage, but they also possess dominant freshman and veteran players. They were led by Flory Bidunga and Melvin Council Jr., who each collected 23 points.
After this loss on Monday, Arizona looked forward to their next home game against No. 16 Texas Tech University on Valentine’s Day. Not only was it a special day because it was Valentine’s Day, but it was also ESPN’s College Gameday, where 14,688 fans sold out the McKale Center to watch this nationally televised spotlight on the Wildcats.
This was the fifth time that Arizona has been the host, with the last time being in 2022. It was also the first time that a game was played in the new McKale Center at ALKEME Arena after the announcement of a 15-year naming rights partnership between Arizona Athletics and ALKEME Insurance. During this game, Arizona also honored former Wildcat guard Caleb Love who was welcomed into the Ring of Honor with a ceremony at halftime.
The Texas Tech game was a nailbiter, with the lead changing 11 times and having 11 ties. The game eventually went into overtime after Ivan Kharchenkov shot late free throws, but unfortunately the Red Raiders were too strong and took the win 78-75. JT Toppin collected 31 points and 13 rebounds while Christian Anderson recorded 19 points and six 3-pointers for Texas Tech. Arizona fought until the end and put up a good fight with both Burries and Tobe Awaka scoring in double figures.
Because of these two back-to-back losses, Arizona took a fall in the AP rankings from No. 1 for nine consecutive weeks to No. 4 as they prepared to take on No. 23 BYU for the second time this season.
Arizona managed to get back in the winning column to close out the rest of their season taking on some familiar faces like BYU and No. 14 Kansas for the second time this season, as well as new ones. They took victories against No. 2 University of Houston, Baylor University, No. 6 Iowa State University and University of Colorado, Boulder to round out the season. They managed to get redemption against Kansas and avenge their first loss of the season with a 20+ point victory margin 84-61 at home.
They secured the Big 12 regular-season title and earned the No. 1 seed heading into the Big 12 Tournament.
Big 12 Champions
After the Wildcats closed out their conference season against Boulder with another victory, they looked towards the Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City. Arizona was the No. 1 seed and automatically advanced to the quarterfinals, where they took on No. 8 seed UCF. It was a clean sweep victory 81-59 to advance to the semifinals.
In the semifinals, they faced No. 5 seed Iowa State for the second time this season. Bradley cemented his name as the Big 12 Player of the Year after shooting a 3-pointer buzzer-beater to win the game and send Arizona to the finals. The Wildcats won 82-80 in a crazy finale.
Arizona faced No. 2 seed Houston in the finals of the Big 12 Tournament before stamping their ticket to the NCAA Tournament after a close win 79-74. This was the first time that Arizona has won the Big 12 Championship title since joining the conference back in 2024.
March Madness
Because of their pure dominance throughout the season and the Big 12 Tournament, Arizona was the No. 1 seed in the western region for the NCAA Tournament. All of Tucson buzzed with excitement over the start of the tournament, and most people made their brackets with Arizona taking the victory at the end of it all.
They headed down to San Diego for the first round of the tournament, where they played against No. 16 seed Long Island University. They took their first victory of the tournament with over a 30-point margin.
Later that weekend, Arizona advanced to play No. 9 seed Utah State University to finish out their weekend in San Diego. This was another victory to add to Arizona’s roster with the Wildcats’ winning 78-66.
Arizona returned home to Tucson, where they were greeted by loving fans showing their support upon their arrival to McKale Center at ALKEME Arena. They had a quick turnaround, though, as they were headed up to San Jose for the second round of the tournament. That Thursday, they took on No. 4 seed University of Arkansas in the Sweet 16.
In this matchup, Arizona showed strong offense with both Burries and Peat scoring 21 points, Kharchenkov scoring 15 and Bradley, Awaka and Motiejus Krivas tallying 14 points each. The Wildcats advanced to the Elite Eight after a 109-88 victory over Arkansas. This was their first appearance in the Elite Eight since 2015.
The Elite Eight matchup was against No. 2 seed Purdue University. Arizona got off to a slow start, letting Purdue take the lead for the majority of the first half and going into halftime. The Wildcats made a strong comeback in the second half to come out with the 79-64 victory taking them to the Final Four for the first time since 2001.
Arizona was heading to Indianapolis for the Final Four where they were set to play the No. 1 midwestern seed University of Michigan. Arizona fans migrated to the midwest to support their Wildcats as they ended the 25 year drought since they had played in the Final Four. Unfortunately, this game did not go as the Wildcats had hoped. They were unable to find their rhythm against Michigan’s tough defensive strategy with their strong offense and high shooting percentage.
Arizona fell to Michigan 91-73 in the Final Four round of the NCAA Tournament. Though they did not win it all after a very tough game, this does not diminish everything this team has done this season and everything they have done for the Arizona basketball program. This team will stand as one of the greats and did the Arizona and Tucson community proud on the national stage.
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Fan cheer and hold up signs as they wait at McKale Center on April 5, 2026 for the Arizona men’s basketball team to return from Indianapolis after their Final Four loss to Michigan the night before.
The two didn’t know each other, but engaged in conversation while they waited next to each other.
On the other side of the barricade was Tucsonan Beth Cole, who graduated from the university in 1997, the same year the Wildcats took home the national championship. She was out at McKale Center to show her love for the Final Four team.
“It’s a big thing for the city of Tucson, for the university,” she said. “It’s not a celebration like a national championship, but we should still be really happy and really proud and rally behind the team and coaching.
“They’ll be back,” she added.
The return of the Wildcats was a family affair for many Tucsonans, who showed up and showed out with kids in tow.
The Brown family, consisting of Devon and Chelsie, who are Arizona alums, and their two young sons, showed up around 11:30 a.m. to wait for the Wildcats. They held “welcome back” and “thank you” signs along the barricade for their favorite team and players.
Their sons also participate in Arizona’s youth basketball camps.
“We’re diehard Arizona fans,” Devon Brown said. “We were students years ago … and our kids, they scream ‘Bear Down,’ and they’re already choosing to come to the U of A when it’s their turn. Our circle of friends, our family, we’re all U of A alums.
Breaking down Michigan basketball victory over Arizona in Final Four
Breaking down Michigan basketball victory over Arizona in Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
INDIANAPOLIS — All season long, the Arizona Wildcats owned the paint. They made more free throws than their opponents attempted. They were secure with the ball. On the few occasions they trailed, they found a way to “figure it out,” as head coach Tommy Lloyd often put it.
This time, there was no figuring it out.
Michigan overpowered Arizona, 91-73, on April 4 in front of 72,111 fans at Lucas Oil Stadium in the second NCAA Tournament semifinal. The win sends the Wolverines (36-3) into the championship game on April 6 against Connecticut (34-5), a 71-62 winner over Illinois earlier in the night.
With 51 seconds left and the Wolverines up by 23, coach Dusty May called a timeout for the opportunity to pull his starters. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd did the same.
Moments later, Arizona players strolled off the court, expressions of disbelief across their faces. Jaden Bradley and Koa Peat walked through the tunnel arm in arm, Peat with a towel draped over his head. The Wildcats weren’t just beaten. They were manhandled, something completely unfamiliar for a team whose only two regular-season losses were by a combined seven points.
Lloyd admitted it will probably take a few days to process.
“I thought we had a chance to win this four-team tournament,” Lloyd said. “Obviously, Michigan had other thoughts today. We’ll get back home and take a breath. But I know, myself, no loss at the end of the season feels great. But I also think that it can be a great learning tool.
“So we’re going to take a breath, probably try to figure out what our roster looks like next year, and like I’ve always said, in this business, as a coach, you’ve got to be tough enough to take disappointment and show back up. And we’re going to show back up. We’re going to try to do this again, but see if we can do it a little bit better.”
The Wildcats (36-3) were making their fifth appearance in the Final Four, but the first since 2001 when they made the title tilt. Their only championship came way back in 1997. Many national pundits thought this was the year the school could break that long drought. The Wildcats defeated 14 nationally ranked teams, the most by a team since rankings started. They were battle-tested, winning both the Big 12 regular-season title and the conference tournament.
But Michigan came in battle-tested, too. It is one of the few teams that has the size to match up with the Wildcats. That made all the difference.
Arizona has a 7-foot-2 behemoth in Mo Krivas, but Michigan countered with 7-3 Aday Mara. Mara, who previously played at UCLA, tallied 26 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. The Wolverines also started a pair of 6-9 forwards in Morez Johnson and Yaxel Lendeborg, who combined for another 21 points and 10 rebounds. Michigan finished with a 19-12 edge in second-chance points.
Lendeborg sprained an ankle in the first half. He returned in the second but played just 15 minutes in the game, although it was an impactful 15 minutes.
“Their size really impacted the game,” Lloyd said. “I felt that. I see they only have Mara down for two blocks. There’s no way. I could think of three that he tipped, you know what I mean, just right off the top of my head.
“They’re one of those teams — I would say, like, Houston’s like that, or even Iowa State’s like that, teams we played. You have to play them a few times. And after you kind of get used to playing them a few times, you get more comfortable. I wish we had another crack at it, but we don’t. And so they get a ton of credit.”
Michigan came in as a 1.5-point favorite, which indicated the game was a toss-up. But it was never close.
The Wildcats trailed 48-32 at the half, the largest deficit the team has faced at any point this season. That hill to climb got steeper at 23 points just 5 minutes into the second half and was up to 30 at 77-47 with 10:31 left. There was no coming back from that.
Part of the disappointment comes from the fact that next season the team will look a lot different. For many, this was their shot. Three of the top seven are graduating, and freshmen phenoms Koa Peat and Brayden Burries are likely to head to the NBA.
Peat won four state titles at Perry High School, so ending the season with a loss is something unfamiliar. He says he took pride in being a hometown kid and representing the state.
Peat accompanied Lloyd to the postgame interview room along with Burries, Bradley, and Lloyd, but had his head buried in his arm when others were answering questions.
“It means everything to me. Being a kid from Arizona, putting on this jersey, having Arizona across my chest,” he said. “Like I said at the beginning of the season, when I put Arizona across my chest, I’m going to go 110% every game and leave no regrets. I’m just really thankful for the brand and the program for everything they did for me, and these teammates right here. I’m just super blessed. And it was a special year, and I’m just really thankful for everybody in Tucson.”
Players were asked to reflect on their favorite moments of the season. Each said it wasn’t one win, it was more about the time they spent together.
“I would say just, on and off the court,” Bradley said. “I feel like you really get to figure your teammates out, know what they’re like, meet their families. Just stuff beyond basketball. I felt like it brings you closer on the court, and I feel like we did a lot of stuff like that this year.”
Arizona shot just 36.6% (26-for-71), which included a 6-for-17 from deep. Peat had 16 points, but it took a 6-for-18 showing from the field. Burries and Anthony Dell’Orso each had 13, but Burries was only 4-for-16 from the field and 2-for-10 from deep. The Wildcats tallied 14 turnovers, which allowed Michigan to finish with a 26-12 advantage in points off turnovers.
Michigan shot 47.8% (33-for-69), including a 12-for-27 from deep.
“I think a lot of it is simply match-ups,” May said. “When we’ve played this model, this Arizona model this year — and they’re the souped-up version, they’re the steroid version of Gonzaga and these other teams — we just felt like if a team relies on scoring 15 feet and in, with Aday and Morez and Yaxel and Nimari Burnett and Roddy Gayle, because of our size, length, it’s going to be tough to score enough points 15 feet and in, if we’re making some shots and we’re in a decent rhythm offensively. We matched up well with Arizona better than we have some other teams this year.”
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