Purdue has Arizona on wraps at halftime of Elite Eight showdown

The Purdue Boilermakers punched first against the tournament favorite. For the first time in this NCAA Tournament, the Arizona Wildcats look uncomfortable.

At halftime in San Jose, it’s the Purdue Boilermakers controlling the game, leading 38-31 in a West Region Elite Eight matchup that was expected to tilt heavily toward the top overall seed.

Instead, Purdue dictated everything for 20 minutes.

Hot shooting

The Boilermakers shot 43 percent from the field and a sharp 50 percent from three, knocking down 7 of 14 attempts. More importantly, they controlled tempo and kept Arizona from ever finding a rhythm. This wasn’t a shootout. This was Purdue turning the game into something uncomfortable.

Arizona, a team that entered the night 35-2 and widely viewed as the most dominant group in the field, looked human. The Wildcats shot just 41 percent overall and a brutal 1-for-6 from beyond the arc.

Guard play

Braden Smith and Purdue guards set the tone

This game has followed Purdue’s guards.

Braden Smith led the way with 11 points and three assists in the first half, consistently creating looks and controlling pace. Fletcher Loyer and C.J. Cox stretched Arizona’s defense with perimeter shooting, combining for multiple first-half threes that flipped momentum.

Purdue also quietly won the physical battle. The Boilermakers outrebounded Arizona 20-15 and forced six turnovers, turning defense into clean offensive possessions.

More: Illinois Fighting Illini advance to 2026 NCAA Final Four

Questions for Wildcats

Meanwhile, Arizona never found a go-to answer. Koa Peat led the Wildcats with 10 points, but no one else took control, and the offense stalled for long stretches. The pressure shifts to Arizona in the second half

This is new territory for Arizona.

The Wildcats had rolled through much of the season and this tournament, rarely playing from behind and almost never being pushed like this. Now, with a Final Four berth on the line, they’ll have to respond.

Big Ten x 2?

Purdue, meanwhile, is 20 minutes away from being the second Big Ten team into the Final Four. If the Boilermakers keep controlling pace, hitting timely threes, and making this game physical, the pressure won’t just stay on Arizona. It will grow with every possession.

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