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Why Arizona and a leading Big 12 analyst thought late foul call for BYU was incorrect

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Why Arizona and a leading Big 12 analyst thought late foul call for BYU was incorrect


Was this BYU basketball’s version of the Utah footbal game?

Not quite.

But another late, controversial foul call allowed these Cougars to pull off a signature win during the stretch run of the season.

This time, it was BYU men’s basketball going into the McKale Center and pulling out a 96-95 win over Arizona. The Cougars were down 95-94 with 13 seconds to play when head coach Kevin Young dialed up a look for his best player, Richie Saunders.

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Saunders originally wanted a three at the top of the key, but it was taken away. He drove it to his right, pivoted a few times and then threw up a shot. Official Tony Padilla called a foul on Arizona that drew skeptics.

Saunders knocked down both free throws to give the Cougars a win.

Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd disagreed with the call.

“It is a bad call. I mean, whatever. What am I going to say? You hate for a game to be decided by that,” he said. “The guy is pivoting, pivoting, pivoting. Threw his shoulder into him, throws up a shot and falls down. A foul with two seconds to go.”

But Llloyd followed up by saying he didn’t think that’s why Arizona lost.

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“I mean it’s the Big 12. That’s what I’m told. The guy who called it is one of the best refs. So we got to live with it,“ he continued. ”But take a step back, they scored 93 points up until that point on our home court. That is the problem. Me, my staff, and my players, that’s the problem. Not the officials. It would have been great to steal a victory if they don’t call that. But don’t put yourself in your position.”

Saunders said he wasn’t necessarily looking for a foul, but didn’t have anywhere to go.

“There is only so much time on the clock and trying to figure out how in the world I’m going to make something happen. Lucky he bit on the shot fake and I was fortunate enough to get to the line,” he said. “I practice that since I was a little kid in the church gym. That is what I practice.”

Young didn’t comment on the foul call, but did say he changed his late-game approach from the last time BYU was in that spot. It was on the road at Utah, where it ultimately lost in part because it didn’t get a clean look on the final possession.

“We were in a similar situation at Utah and I kicked myself for not having the right thing dialed up. So I spent a lot of mental time on that particular situation,” Young said. “The play broke down but we wanted to go to Richie. And he was able to make a play. That is what you have to do in that situation. Plays are great, but players got to make plays.”

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One of the Big 12’s most prominent television voices, Fran Fraschilla, disagreed with the call.

“If that foul call was made during the NCAA Tournament, there would be a national uproar. Let’s put it another way, BYU’s Richie Saunders, who should be First Team All-Big 12, is a very astute player,” he wrote on social media.





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Pilot Jessica Cox to be inducted into Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame

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Pilot Jessica Cox to be inducted into Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame


TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Jessica Cox, the world’s first licensed armless airplane pilot and a leading advocate for disability-led innovation, will be inducted into the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame on Friday, May 15, 2026. The induction ceremony, hosted by Rightfooted Foundation International in collaboration with the Pima Air & Space Museum, will take place at the museum from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Cox’s recognition honors both her historic achievement in flight and her ongoing work expanding access and opportunity for people without arms. Through her leadership at Rightfooted Foundation International (RFI), Cox has championed mentorship, education and practical innovations that help aspiring pilots and families reimagine what’s possible in aviation and beyond.

“Saying I’m proud of her can’t fully encompass what I feel,” said Patrick Chamberlain, Cox’s husband and RFI’s Inclusive Engineering Director. “Jessica’s induction into the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame recognizes both what she has accomplished and what she continues to do. She has helped shed light on the many pilots with disabilities in aviation and shown the world that disability does not mean inability.”

The 2026 induction class also honors two military aviators: Frank Schiel Jr., a Phoenix-born Flying Tigers veteran credited with seven enemy aircraft destroyed in World War II, and James K. Johnson, a Phoenix-born U.S. Air Force colonel and Korean War double ace credited with ten aerial victories.

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The Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame, established in 1985 and housed in the Dorothy Finley Aerospace Gallery at Pima Air & Space Museum, pays tribute to Arizonans who have made significant contributions to aviation and aerospace history.





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2026 NFL draft: 3 potential trades back from No. 3 for Arizona Cardinals

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2026 NFL draft: 3 potential trades back from No. 3 for Arizona Cardinals



Since the Arizona Cardinals want to trade back from the No. 3 picks, here are three deals that could work.

The Arizona Cardinals have the third pick in the 2026 NFL draft, which begins this week on Thursday. All the reports coming out are saying that they want to trade out of the pick to acquire more draft picks.

But what does a trade look like and who could be involved?

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The Kansas City Chiefs are involved in talks at some level. ESPN’s Adam Schefter expects trade talks to heat up this week.

NFL teams use a variation of a trade value chart when it comes to draft picks. Now, what a team actually is willing to give up can be influenced by potential competition with other teams, but we can’t count on that.

Here is the general trade value chart teams use.

Here are some potential deals that could be done.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs have two first-round picks, which would be appealing to the Cardinals, who reportedly want to make a move for quarterback Ty Simpson, and the 29th pick might be just the spot to get him.

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The third overall pick is worth 514 points.

The Chiefs’ picks at No. 9 (387 points) and No. 29 (202 points) together are worth 589.

To make up the difference, the Cardinals could give up No. 65 (78 points) for a total of 592 points.

One deal could be:

  • Cardinals receive get No. 9 and No. 29 (589 points)
  • Chiefs receive No. 3 and No. 65 (592 points)

Another could be:

  • Cardinals receive No. 9, No. 29, No. 74 and 2027 third-round pick (653 points + value of future third-round pick, which is 36-78 points)
  • Chiefs receive No. 3 and No. 34 (689 points)

The Cardinals keep their third-round pick and the Chiefs essentially move back five spots from No. 29.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have the 12th and 20th picks but no pick in the second round.

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Pick No. 12 is 347 points and No. 20 is 269 for a total of 616.

This deal is close:

  • Cardinals receive No. 12, No. 20 (616 points)
  • Cowboys receive No. 3, No. 65 (592 points)

New Orleans Saints

The Saints are perhaps a dark horse to move up, although they do not have two first-round picks. They have the No. 8 pick, worth 406 points. Their second-round pick, at No. 42, is worth 142 points.

This deal could work:

  • Cardinals receive No. 8, No. 42 (548 points)
  • Saints receive No. 3, No. 104 (547 points)

Then the Cardinals could use their two second-round picks to then move back into Round 1 to get Ty Simpson.

They could trade No. 34, No. 42 and No. 65 (395 points) for No. 28, No. 38 and No. 106 (398 total points).

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

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Dust returns to Phoenix area after hazy weekend – KTAR.com

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Dust returns to Phoenix area after hazy weekend – KTAR.com


PHOENIX — Breezy winds kicked up a blanket of dust across the Valley on Sunday, and forecasters say more is on the way this week.

Visibility in Phoenix became so bad on Sunday that Sky Harbor airport stopped flights for over an hour

The wind and dust peaked Sunday afternoon and gradually improved into the evening, said Michael Graves, an air quality meteorologist with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

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“You might’ve seen the mountains a bit obscured in the distance,” Graves told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday. “A lot of haze in the air.”

By Monday morning, skies had largely cleared and dust levels near the ground had dropped significantly.

Expect more gusty, dusty days this week

The relief may be short-lived.

ADEQ is watching for increased afternoon breezes Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, this time from the west and southwest. Though the winds are expected to be weaker than Sunday’s, Graves said forecasters cannot rule out dust.

“I wouldn’t say windstorm,” Graves said. “I would just say we’ve got some waves coming in. They’re going to increase our afternoon breeziness.”

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It’s enough to kick up dry, exposed dirt, which could create pockets of dust. There is a slight chance of broader regional dust transport, Graves said.

It will impact people with asthma, COPD or respiratory conditions the most. Graves advised those with issues to monitor conditions and stay indoors during the dustiest hours.

“If you’re going to be outside, be outside during the times when it’s less dusty or hazy,” Graves said.

Graves noted that spring weather systems typically pass to the north of the Phoenix area, delivering wind and slight temperature drops but little to no rain, a pattern likely to continue.

KTAR News reporter Kellen Shover contributed to this report.

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