Arizona big man Motiejus Krivas returning to the Wildcats after Final Four run

The Mon, April 27, 2026 at 6:12 PM UTC

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FILE - Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (13) reaches for a rebound next to Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, March 28, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File) ()

Arizona big man Motiejus Krivas is returning for the 2026-27 season, giving the Wildcats a key player from their Final Four run.

Arizona announced Krivas' return on Monday, less than a week after the departures of freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Peat for the NBA draft.

Krivas averaged 10.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots per game in 39 games last season after being limited to eight games in 2024-25 because of a foot injury.

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The 7-foot-2 Lithuanian center shot 57% from the floor and 78% on free throws as the inside anchor to Arizona's first Final Four run since 2001. Opponents shot 7% worse from the floor and scored 14 fewer points per 100 possessions when Krivas was on the floor last season.

Arizona will lose seniors Jaden Bradley and Tobe Awaka, but versatile guard Ivan Kharchenkov is expected to return.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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Source: “AOL Sports”