Yardbarker
x
UConn HC Breaks Down Arizona’s Koa Peat Threat
Nov 11, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) scores a three pointer during the first half of the game against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

UConn HC Breaks Down Arizona’s Koa Peat Threat

Originally posted on UConn Huskies on SI
By Shivani Menon  |  Last updated Nov 19, 2025 4:00 PM ET

It’s time for a top-five showdown in Storrs, and it is coming with the kind of energy that Gampel Pavilion hasn’t felt in nearly two decades. No. 3-ranked UConn Huskies will be hosting No. 4 Arizona in the first top-five game on campus since 2006, and students are already lining up outside the venue.

The Huskies lead the all-time series 5–2 and won the lone Gampel meeting back in 2000, but none of that history really matters now. Especially not when the matchup is all about slowing down a freshman force who’s redefining what a wing can be.

The real buzz going into the Wildcats' match is about the challenge barreling straight at UConn. Arizona’s Koa Peat, a consensus five-star who came in with enough hype to fill an arena, is already validating every bit of it. Head coach Dan Hurley knows that better than anyone. In fact, he had something to say about Peat ahead of the much-awaited clash.

“I think that the COVID class now disappearing has made incoming freshmen even more important. So there’s less inventory out there in terms of just going in the portal that way. So I think recruiting the right type of high school players is important. He’s a very unique player. The family pedigree is amazing when you really look at the Peat family and the success they’ve had with sports. Just amazing sports and family pedigree,” Hurley said.

“Classy player, a real physical mismatch at that three–four, that wing spot. He really challenges you from the front of the rim all the way out to the three-point line. He’s a tremendous rebounder," he continued.

Peat started his season with 30 points against Florida, 18 on near-perfect shooting against UTU, and slowly but surely, Peat has become the centerpiece of Arizona’s 4-0 surge. Meanwhile, the family pedigree that Hurley mentions is about the sports background that Peat comes from.

Peat is the son of an NFL veteran, Todd Peat, and the brother of multiple Division I athletes, including another brother, Andrus, currently in the NFL playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers , and sisters who starred at several college programs. He is the youngest of seven kids.

However, Peat is not the only threat that Hurley sees in the upcoming matchup.

Dan Hurley Warns About Arizona’s Two “NBA-level” Freshman Problem

The Huskies will not be guarding one but two strong freshmen. As Hurley puts it, “They’re a big, physical team with Koa Peat and (Brayden) Burries. You’ve got two of the best freshmen in the country, two one-and-done-level freshmen. Koa’s really special in his own right, just a physical frontcourt, a two-center system that reminds me a lot of what we had here….And just a classy program, NBA-level talent, extremely well-coached, and clearly looks like a team that’s going to be contending for championships this year.”

Brayden Burries, the other half of Arizona’s freshman problem, has been a force in his own right. He is a McDonald’s All-American who averaged nearly 25 points in high school and is already bringing that energy to the Wildcats.

"Excellent play from the point guard position. One of the best point guards in the country, a senior, and it’s amazing to see his growth from when we saw him at Alabama a couple years back," added Hurley.

Since then, a lot has changed. Buries this season had 18 points with three triples against UTU and nine against NAU, along with brilliant defensive activity that stands out on film. His pedigree runs deep, too, with a father, Bobby, in the athletic hall of Fame at Cal State San Bernardino.

Hurley sees the whole picture. The Huskies will be facing the nation’s top point guards leading their offense, a deep bench piece like Tobe Awaka nearly averaging a double-double, and a top-15 efficiency ranking on both sides of the ball. UConn will be looking at a heavyweight they must match blow for blow.

And with both teams coming off ranked wins, UConn surviving No. 7 BYU, Arizona knocking off No. 15 UCLA, the collision feels less like a November game and more like a preview of something larger. Something that might not end here. Something that just might come back around in March.

Don't forget to bookmark UConn Huskies on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!


This article first appeared on UConn Huskies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.