koa peat sits over the conversation as the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats (30-2) prepare to meet the fifth-seeded Iowa State Cyclones (27-6) in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals. The game is set for Friday, March 13, 2026, with tip-off listed at 6 p. m. CT, at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The stakes are immediate: Arizona is chasing another trip to the title game, while Iowa State is framing this meeting as a revenge chance after a prior loss.
Semifinal setup and what’s at stake
Arizona enters the semifinal as the No. 1 seed in the matchup listing, carrying a 30-2 overall record and a 16-2 mark in Big 12 play. Iowa State is listed as the No. 5 seed, at 27-6 overall and 12-6 in the conference.
The two teams have seen each other recently. Arizona beat Iowa State 73-57 on March 2, a result that clinched the regular-season conference title for Arizona. Now the rematch comes on a neutral court, with Iowa State describing the moment as “another opportunity at revenge” in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals.
Koa Peat spotlight as Iowa State, Arizona arrive off lopsided wins
koa peat remains a focal point in the broader fan discussion around this semifinal, even as the on-court preview centers on form and momentum heading into Friday night.
Iowa State arrives on a three-game winning streak, and its athletics preview notes those wins have come by an average margin of 30. 7 points. The Cyclones advanced by beating No. 16 Texas Tech in the quarterfinals on Thursday, described as avenging the program’s lone home loss of the season.
Arizona also advanced with a decisive result. In its debut contest of the Big 12 Tournament, Arizona beat UCF by 22 points. The Wildcats are aiming to return to the title game for the second straight season after finishing runner-up in their first year in the league.
How to watch and listen, with full broadcast crews
The semifinal will be televised on ESPN2, with Dan Shulman on play-by-play, Jay Bilas as analyst, and Kris Budden reporting from the sideline. The same trio is also listed for the broadcast information in Iowa State’s primer.
On radio, Arizona listeners can tune in on Wildcats Sports Radio 1290 AM. Iowa State’s radio call will be carried on the Cyclone Radio Network, with John Walters handling play-by-play and Eric Heft as analyst.
Time note: The listed tip time is 6 p. m. CT. That corresponds to 7 p. m. ET on Friday, March 13, 2026.
Quick context and what happens next
This semifinal pairs a top seed that already clinched a regular-season conference title against a team openly framing the rematch as payback, with both coming off tournament wins by 22 points or more.
Next comes the clearest pressure point: the winner advances to the Big 12 title game, with Iowa State aiming for what it calls its seventh Big 12 title-game appearance in program history and Arizona trying to reach the final again after last season’s runner-up finish. As the ball goes up at 7 p. m. ET, koa peat will remain part of the wider spotlight surrounding a matchup that now carries both bracket stakes and unfinished business.
