Dec 22, 2025
3 min read
It was a special homecoming for Arizona Wildcats forward Koya Peet, who returned to the Valley for the first time as a college football player on Saturday.
Arizona shines in the Koa Peat Valley in San Diego State
December 21, 2025, 9:02 am |Update: 10:08
When Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peet was introduced courtside at the Mortgage Matchup Center before Saturday's game against San Diego State, the freshman said it was special for him to return to the Valley as a college player.
"When they announced my name on the front line, I got goosebumps from the whole crowd and the excitement," Peat said.
Peat played in his first game in the Valley since playing for Gilbert Perry High School, where he won four state championships.He shined in Saturday's game as Peat finished with 11 points (on 5-of-9 shots) and five rebounds and assists as the Wildcats beat the Aztecs 68-45 to improve to 11-0.
Peat added that it will be special to get the win on Saturday in front of family and friends, as well as Arizona fans.
"It's good to go back to Phoenix and come out with a win like that. Just to see the U of A fans in the stands cheering us on is cool to see," Peat said.
Peat started all 11 games for the Wildcats this season and averaged 14 points (55.7 percent shooting), 5 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd praises the crowd after the win
After the victory, coach Tommy Lloyd praised the Wildcats fans at the Mortgage Matchup, even though he recognized the crowd differently from the McKale Memorial Center crowd.
"The only thing I saw all night when I looked up was people drinking beer out of their shoes," Lloyd said."I was like, 'wow, this has become real.'UConn's $2 beer night is nothing to us.”
Lloyd said he and the program would be very open to returning to play at the Mortgage Center in the future.
"It's special when we come here and we want to continue to build it and I think we obviously appreciate our fans when they come and the support we get here," Lloyd said.“I think there is a lot of potential and we have to go back to the drawing board and figure out how we can make this a bigger and better event for the University of Arizona because it is a special event.”
Arizona's next game is back at McKell Memorial Center on Monday, when the Wildcats host Bethune-Cookman (3-8).The deadline for proposals is 7 p.m.
