Freshman Koa Peat starred in his college debut, scoring 30 points, adding seven rebounds and five assists, and leading No. 13 Arizona to a 93-87 upset victory over defending national champion and No. 3-ranked Florida Gators in a season-opening matchup in Las Vegas. The Wildcats trailed by as many as 12 in the first half but closed strong, entering the break ahead 50-46 after a decisive late run.
Senior Jaden Bradley complemented the rookie’s breakout performance by contributing a career-high 27 points, including a stretch of 11 consecutive points down the stretch that helped seal the win. Meanwhile Florida’s second half shooting sagged to just 36.8%, and the Gators ultimately couldn’t complete a comeback despite getting within three points late in the game.
The win signals both the arrival of Arizona’s highly touted freshman class and the Wildcats’ readiness to compete at a high level from the start of the season. With Peat showing poise under pressure and Bradley stepping up, Arizona’s early-season statement sets a tone of confidence going forward — while Florida will need to regroup after this uncharacteristic stumble out of the gate.
