Arizona freshman Koa Peat opened his college career in style Monday night, scoring 30 points to lead the No. 13 Wildcats past third-ranked and defending national champion Florida 93-87 in the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas. The performance gave the Wildcats an early-season boost and confirmed why Peat arrived with such high expectations.
However, as is often the case, the victory did not come without some controversy. Florida fans were quick to turn to social media and claim that the referees showed some clear bias in some of their calls throughout the night.
How Did Koa Peat Set the Tone for Arizona’s Upset Win?
First, the positive: Peat looked composed and confident throughout his first college game. He shot 11-for-18 from the field, grabbed seven rebounds, and added five assists. With 14.2 seconds left, he sealed the win by hitting two free throws after being fouled on a defensive rebound. His consecutive dunks late in the second half brought the crowd to its feet and provided the night’s decisive momentum shift.
Arizona found itself in trouble early after Florida hit 11 of its first 16 shots to build a 12-point lead. That is where the controversy first started. One fan pointed out that the calls seemed to shift in Arizona’s favor when Florida was up big.
“Absolutely one-sided calls in this Florida vs Arizona game. Letting Arizona get away with murder and calling every little thing on Florida. Shocking that it started once Florida was up 12……” one person posted.
Absolutely one sided calls in this Florida vs Arizona game. Letting Arizona get away with murder and calling every little thing on Florida. Shocking that it started once Florida was up 12……
— randyham (@BigRandyHam) November 4, 2025
The Wildcats improved defensively from that point, forcing tougher looks and closing the half on a 32-16 run while hitting 11 of 18 shots. That surge gave them a 50-46 lead at halftime and control they never lost. And then it continued, with the same fan claiming the refs were even worse after the half.
“And we are right back to it in the second half. Koa literally shoves Condon in the back as he goes up for a dunk and no call. Then goes down the other end and calls a block on Florida for literally nothing,” he said.
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Others also took to social media to display their displeasure with the refs. “Refs decided to stop officiating Arizona before Florida went on a run,” one said.
“Florida has no whistle multiple fouls by Arizona to Lee and none called,” added another.
Refs decided to stop officiating Arizona before Florida went on a run.
— Caleb Combs (@calebcombs) November 4, 2025
Jaden Bradley finished with 27 points, including 11 of Arizona’s final 18, showing steady composure under pressure. Ivan Kharchenkov returned after a first-half injury scare to chip in 12 points. Arizona shot 49.2% from the field overall, maintaining offensive flow while tightening its defense in the second half.
“He didn’t touch you bro”
-Ref in Arizona vs Florida probably pic.twitter.com/fJVSRBq92P
— Burch (@braden_burcham_) November 4, 2025
Florida’s Thomas Haugh led all Gators with 27 points, followed by Xaivian Lee with 14, and Alex Condon and Micah Handlogten with 11 each. Florida’s early success faded as Arizona adjusted defensively, and the Gators shot just 36.8% (14 of 38) after halftime.
Arizona’s defensive efficiency improved 22% from the first to second half, while Florida’s shot quality index dropped from 1.12 to 0.92 points per possession. The turning point was Arizona’s defensive organization rather than any single scoring run. However, if you ask Gator fans, the real turning point was the referees and their “bias” for Arizona.