Arizona secured an 80-69 road victory over Auburn on Friday, marking the Tigers’ first home loss to a non-conference opponent since 2016.
The defeat ended a 71-game home winning streak for Auburn, which had been the longest active streak of its kind in the nation, according to ESPN.
The Tigers had not dropped a home non-conference game since falling to Oklahoma State on Jan. 30, 2016, as noted by ClutchPoints.
Freshman guard Caleb Holt led the Wildcats with 24 points and nine rebounds, hitting four of six shots from beyond the arc.
Ivan Kharchenkov added 19 points, while Motiejus Krivas recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Arizona dominated the boards with a 52-36 rebounding advantage and maintained a lead for roughly 20 consecutive minutes.
The victory also served as a milestone for the visitors, representing their first road win against an SEC team since 2016, per ESPN.
Auburn struggled offensively, shooting 34.8% from the field despite a 13-block defensive effort led by Narcisse Ngoy.
Thomas Dowd paced the Tigers with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Adam Olsen provided 12 points off the bench.
The loss drops Auburn to a 2-1 record in the second season under head coach Steven Pearl, as reported by local outlets.
Arizona improved to 3-1 overall, rebounding from a season-opening loss to UCLA.
The Wildcats controlled the game’s tempo by converting 18 of 22 free-throw attempts to maintain their lead late in the second half.
Auburn is scheduled to face West Virginia in its next outing, while Arizona prepares to host No. 4 UConn this coming Wednesday.
The matchup highlighted the challenges of the 2026-27 campaign for the Tigers, who have faced early season roster changes, according to recent reports.