How To Watch Arizona Wildcats Men’s Basketball in 2025
✦ Edited and fact-checked by Sports Editor Taylor Kujawa, our resident TV expert with over eight years of covering sports.
A look at the 2025–2026 Wildcats season
Last season, Arizona crashed the Big 12 party and proved they belong, making a run to the conference tournament final and the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. The “new kid” narrative is officially over. But to take the next step and truly contend for the crown, head coach Tommy Lloyd has to replace a massive amount of production. Star guard Caleb Love and his clutch late-game heroics are gone, as is NBA draft pick Carter Bryant and key defender KJ Lewis. That’s a staggering loss of scoring and experience.
Lloyd’s solution? Only one of the best overall recruiting classes in the nation, headlined by a trio of five-star talents in Koa Peat, Dwyane Aristode, and Brayden Burries. This is where the fan excitement and anxiety meet. We’re all thrilled to see this group, but this is a young team. Returning guards like Jaden Bradley will have to provide immediate veteran leadership. Lloyd, in his typical fashion, scheduled a brutal non-conference slate—Florida, UConn, Auburn, Alabama—to forge this group in the fire before they even hit the Big 12 grind.
This team’s ceiling is a national title, but the floor is a nerve-wracking bubble watch if the freshmen don’t acclimate to the Big 12’s physicality. It’s going to be must-see TV, and you’ll need a specific setup to catch it all. Games will be split across the ESPN channels (ESPN, ESPN2, ABC), FOX Sports (FOX, FS1), and even TNT Sports (TNT, TBS, truTV). But the non-negotiable part of the equation for Big 12 fans is the streaming exclusives on ESPN+ and Peacock.
2025–2026 Arizona men’s basketball TV schedule
We’ll know exactly what this team is made of before the holidays. The regular season tips off on November 3 against a top-ranked Florida team in Las Vegas, and the hits don’t stop. We get marquee non-conference matchups against UCLA (Nov. 14), UConn (Nov. 19), and Alabama (Dec. 13), all before conference play begins.
Once the Big 12 season starts, all eyes will be on the new rivalries and the brutal away schedule. I’m already circling the ESPN Big Monday showdown at Kansas on February 9. Fans are right to be wary of the super back-loaded calendar, which has Arizona playing six of its last several games against expected top 15 teams. It’ll be a true test of this young roster’s endurance.
| Opponent | Day | Time (ET) | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida (#3) | Monday, Nov. 3 | 7:00 p.m. | TNT, TruTV |
| Utah Tech Trailblazers | Friday, Nov. 7 | 9:00 p.m. | TNT, TruTV |
| Northern Arizona Lumberjacks | Tuesday, Nov. 11 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| At UCLA (#12) | Friday, Nov. 14 | 10:00 p.m. | Peacock |
| At UConn (#4) | Wednesday, Nov. 19 | 7:00 p.m. | FS1 |
| Denver Pioneers | Monday, Nov. 24 | 10:30 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
| Norfolk State Spartans | Saturday, Nov. 29 | 4:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Auburn (#20) | Saturday, Dec. 6 | 10:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| At Alabama (#15) | Saturday, Dec. 13 | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Abilene Christian Wildcats | Tuesday, Dec. 16 | 9:00 p.m. | TBA |
| San Diego State Aztecs | Saturday, Dec. 20 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Bethune-Cookman Wildcats | Monday, Dec. 22 | 9:00 p.m. | TBA |
| South Dakota State Jackrabbits | Monday, Dec. 29 | 9:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Utah Utes | Saturday, Jan. 3 | 4:00 p.m. | Peacock |
| Kansas State Wildcats | Wednesday, Jan. 7 | 9:00 p.m. | FS1 |
| At TCU Horned Frogs | Saturday, Jan. 10 | 4:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Arizona State Sun Devils | Wednesday, Jan. 14 | 10:30 p.m. | FS1 |
| At UCF Knights | Saturday, Jan. 17 | 4:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Cincinnati Bearcats | Wednesday, Jan. 21 | 9:00 p.m. | FS1 |
| West Virginia Mountaineers | Saturday, Jan. 24 | 2:00 p.m. | CBS |
| At BYU (#8) | Monday, Jan. 26 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Oklahoma State Cowboys | Saturday, Feb. 7 | 4:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At Kansas (#19) | Monday, Feb. 9 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Texas Tech (#10) | Saturday, Feb. 14 | TBD | TBA |
| BYU (#8) | Wednesday, Feb. 18 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| At Houston (#2) | Saturday, Feb. 21 | 3:00 p.m. | ABC |
| At Baylor Bears | Tuesday, Feb. 24 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Iowa State (#16) | Monday, March 2 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| At Colorado Buffaloes | Saturday, March 7 | 11:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
Data effective as of post date.
Best TV plans for watching Arizona men’s basketball
Alright, let’s get to the tactical part. To be an Arizona basketball fan in the Big 12 era, your viewing setup is more complicated than it used to be. You can no longer just rely on a single cable package. You will need a “foundational” service for the core national channels and two essential streaming subscriptions for select exclusives.
My top recommendation for the most streamlined, all-in-one setup is Hulu + Live TV. Why? Because its base plan already includes the Disney Bundle, which gets you ESPN+ at no extra cost. So, not only do you get Big 12 Now on ESPN+ content, but you also get all the must-have linear channels (ABC, ESPN, FOX, FS1, TNT, etc.). But you’ll still need to add a separate, standalone Peacock subscription to be 100% covered.
Other excellent foundational options include Stream with DIRECTV, Fubo, and YouTube TV. They all have great channel lineups that include the necessary national networks. Just be aware that you’ll still have to subscribe to Peacock separately. And ESPN+ access will depend on whether your TV plan includes ESPN Unlimited.
How to watch Arizona men’s basketball FAQ
Where can I watch Arizona men's basketball for free?
If a game is broadcast on your local ABC or FOX affiliate, you can access it for free with a good over-the-air (OTA) digital antenna. But the vast majority of games are on cable networks (ESPN, FS1, TNT) or behind the streaming paywalls of ESPN+ and Peacock, which typically don't offer free trials.
How can I stream Arizona basketball without cable?
The best cord-cutter setup for Wildcats fans is a live TV streaming service paired with ESPN+ and Peacock. My recommendation is to subscribe to Hulu + Live TV, which includes ESPN+, and get Peacock on its own. This combination will get you 100% of the nationally televised and exclusive streaming games.
Why are some Arizona basketball games on Peacock?
This is a new development. The Big 12 signed an additional media deal with NBC Sports, placing a package of 20 men's basketball games (including Arizona's Jan. 3 game at Utah) exclusively on the Peacock streaming service for the 2025–2026 season. It’s another small subscription you’ll need to catch every single game.
Do I need ESPN+ to watch Arizona basketball?
Yes, a significant number of Big 12 conference games aren't on regular TV. Instead, they stream exclusively on Big 12 Now, which is the conference's branded hub within the ESPN app. You must have an active ESPN Select or ESPN Unlimited subscription or an eligible TV provider login to watch these games.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com editorial team cross-referenced the official Arizona men’s basketball schedule with the channel lineups of every major TV provider. Using those details, we selected our viewing recommendations based on channel availability, pricing, and ease of use.
This guide is updated regularly throughout the season to ensure our information is accurate. To learn more about our methods, check out our How We Rank page.
