Instead, the No. 6-seeded Jayhawks wilted in an 88-77 loss at T-Mobile Center. A prime example came when Kansas trailed by five with 4:06 left. Kansas turned the ball over on two straight possessions and eventually lost another winnable game.

Because of the way the bracket was laid out, the No. 3 seed in the Big 12 Tournament ends up being the last of 16 teams to play. Turns out it was worth the wait for Arizona. The Wildcats trailed for only 97 seconds in a nearly wire-to-wire 88-77 win over Kansas in the Big 12 tourney quarterfinals on Thursday night in Kansas City.

Arizona kicks off postseason play Thursday during the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals. The Wildcats benefit from a double-bye in their debut appearance in Kansas City and will square off with Kansas.

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The Big 12 Tournament continues this evening when the BYU Cougars (24-8, 15-6) take the court against the Houston Cougars (28-4, 20-1). Houston advanced to the semifinals with a 72-68 win over Colorado yesterday and BYU advanced with a 96-92 win over Iowa State.