STORRS, Conn. — Up to now 30 years, solely three groups have opened a season with a minimum of three of their first 5 wins in opposition to top-15-ranked opponents, with all of these victories coming away from residence.
• 2001-02 Arizona
• 2020-21 Gonzaga
And?
These Arizona Wildcats.
Tommy Lloyd’s fourth-ranked staff joined the rarefied listing Wednesday night time after maneuvering previous third-ranked UConn, 71-67. The Wildcats received the primary sport between two top-five groups at Gampel Pavilion since No. 3 Connecticut beat No. 2 Villanova 89-75 on Feb. 26, 2006. The win was additionally Arizona’s first in a top-five matchup because the 2001 Closing 4 in opposition to Michigan State.
No coach ever has to apologize for any form of highway conquest in opposition to a power-conference program, nevertheless it’s price instantly noting that the Wildcats did get the advantage of catching the Huskies shorthanded. Along with ready only a bit longer for the collegiate debut of former five-star prospect Braylon Mullins, Dan Hurley’s staff needed to go with out one of many higher large males within the nation, senior Tarris Reed Jr., who sat on account of an ankle harm he suffered within the Huskies’ win vs. BYU on Saturday in Boston.
Reed, whose 20.0 factors per sport leads the staff, is the one participant via the primary two and a half weeks of the season averaging a minimum of 20.0 factors, 8.0 rebounds and a couple of.0 blocks. His scratch took Arizona unexpectedly. Wildcats senior guard Jaden Bradley advised me he did not notice they weren’t going to need to face Reed till he noticed the large man wasn’t going via pregame warmups.
“Do not take them evenly,” Bradley mentioned to his teammates. “They’re nonetheless a extremely good staff.”
What ensued was an Arizona rebounding ruckus, the likes of which is nearly by no means doable in opposition to UConn.
“We all know that modifications the sport,” Lloyd mentioned of Reed’s sit-out. “However for those who get hop, area it, flip two.”
The Wildcats overpowered the Huskies, snagging 43 boards to Connecticut’s 23. That prowess across the rim was pivotal to incomes the upset, as a result of for nearly as good as Arizona is in so many aspects, it isn’t a dependable group from the perimeter. In some way, for the second time this season, Arizona beat a staff ranked No. 3 whereas hitting fewer than 5 3-pointers; the Wildcats additionally did it on opening night time in opposition to Florida.
‘Zona’s physicality was the think about getting this win and lifting the staff’s profile to the highest of school basketball. The Wildcats held Connecticut senior star ahead Alex Karaban to eight factors, 10.3 under his common coming into the night time. After junior sniper Solo Ball hit some inspiring photographs early, Lloyd’s crew principally muted the capturing guard’s influence within the second half.
“We obtained punked,” Hurley mentioned. “It’ll be a foul movie session popping out of right here. There is a road combat occurring within the paint and, you understand, males cannot watch fights. You may’t stand on the surface when your buddies are in a combat. You get within the combat. You do not stand on the periphery of the combat.”
The Gampel Pavilion crowd was however invested all night time, hitting a deafening din when UConn overcame a 13-point deficit to go up 62-60 on the 3-minute mark on a Jaylin Stewart broken-play layup.
“I advised my guys earlier than the sport, it is our first highway check,” Bradley advised CBS Sports activities. “California, it is most likely a cut up crowd. Florida, we most likely have extra followers there in Vegas. That is our first away-game crowd. They hit one shot, it felt like they hit 5.”
Bradley’s up-and-under to make it 67-64 (after patiently working his technique to the low block) with 16.3 seconds remaining was the newest in a rising spotlight reel of clutch, heady play for among the best guards in faculty basketball.
“When you’ve a degree guard who’s selfless, and in addition baller, and has the cojones to make and take that on the finish of a sport, it is fairly particular,” Lloyd mentioned.
They have been promoting $2 Miller Lites all night time lengthy, and the strains flowed into the concourse. By the top of the night time, a top-five billing met the second.
“I might like to see what this place is on $1 beer night time,” Lloyd mentioned afterward.
He was all smiles, and he ought to be. As a result of what Arizona has completed is essentially the most spectacular factor in faculty hoops via the primary 17 days of the season. It started with a head-turning 93-87 win over No. 3 Florida within the opener in Las Vegas. Then, final Friday, a 69-65 come-from-behind tornado over basic rival, No. 15 UCLA.
However to journey throughout the nation and step into UConn’s residence dome and management a lot of the sport to get a 3rd top-15 win?
That is the No. 1 staff in faculty basketball. Whether or not it is the greatest is up for debate, as a result of faculty hoops has been blessed with a litany of actually good groups for this 2025-26 marketing campaign.
There isn’t any argument over one of the best résumé, nevertheless. Arizona clears all, for now, with ease.
Of his many nice traits as a coach, considered one of Tommy Lloyd’s greatest is he schedules in a approach that advantages Arizona whereas uplifting faculty basketball.
The very fact he wishes the large sport has to have one thing to do with why he is so good at successful them.
Arizona has 16 wins in video games away from residence vs. ranked groups since Lloyd obtained to Tucson in 2021. An actual wow: Arizona’s win over UConn was Lloyd’s twenty fifth vs. a ranked opponents, which provides him the second-most wins over ranked groups within the first 5 seasons of a training profession previously 30 years. Solely Tom Izzo’s 31 from the beginning of his tenure in 1995 has extra.
Lloyd has scheduled home-and-homes with Duke, UConn and Auburn. Give it a while — there will likely be extra within the years to return — along with the number of inventive neutral-site battles Arizona will reliably be part of as long as Lloyd is working the present.
Even with out a Closing 4 on his résumé (but), Lloyd has constructed up a fame as among the best coaches in faculty basketball as a result of he is hunted these sorts of video games. He is now 7-4 in matchups the place each groups are ranked within the high 5. By successful two video games vs. top-three groups simply 5 ends in, this Arizona staff tied a college report for many in a single season … and we nonetheless have four-plus months to go.
“While you get alternatives like this, give your self an opportunity and take benefit,” Lloyd advised CBS Sports activities. “Possibly that’s the magic. That we perceive the second, however we need to actually attempt to strategy it like another sport. We’re not afraid of these items, and truthfully, we’re not afraid of dropping these items. You understand what I imply? As a result of we perceive that is half and parcel of this deal.”
Making it much more spectacular: Arizona begins three freshmen (Koa Peat, Brayden Burries, Ivan Kharchenkov), who’re removed from taking part in on the peak of their powers. Bradley is the rock and 7-foot-2 leviathan Motiejus Krivas is a load, however the roster mix right here is spectacular. The staff is averaging greater than 25 bench factors per sport, making the Wildcats one of many deeper groups within the nation.
CBS Sports activities Analysis
However it all begins with Bradley. Arizona is the No. 1 staff in faculty basketball — or a minimum of ought to be when the polls refresh subsequent Monday — as a result of it has an unflappable senior who, stunningly, wasn’t even voted to the Huge 12’s preseason 10-man First Crew listing. It was an egregious oversight, to say the least.
“I do not assume JB will get sufficient credit score for his work and the way a lot he is improved,” Lloyd advised CBS Sports activities. “And that is to not say that he wasn’t all the time actually good, however he is actually labored on his sport and honed his sport and glued some weaknesses and accentuated some strengths. He simply has a quiet confidence and perception in himself that rubs off on his teammates. Simply actually particular.”
This staff might be a particular one as properly, although Lloyd wasn’t even flirting with letting the win inflate the staff’s ego, or his personal.
“Florida might have gone one other course. The UCLA sport might have gone in one other course, so let’s not assume we have got all of the world’s issues solved,” Lloyd mentioned. “This win right here is not going to imply we’ll be an excellent staff in January or February.”
However it’s a nice indication that Arizona will likely be. And having Bradley because the chief is necessary. Final season, Arizona obtained off to a 4-5 begin in opposition to robust competitors earlier than discovering its groove in January. Final season’s staff obtained a 4-seed and misplaced within the Candy 16 in opposition to the monster Duke squad led by Cooper Flagg. This Arizona group is healthier. Three wins vs. possible good NCAA Match seeds outdoors your own home state is as sturdy of a predictive indicator as there may be.
“It is a lengthy season. We have been harping on our guys: hold constructing,” Bradley mentioned. “I used to be part of the staff final 12 months, we did not have an excellent begin to the 12 months. That is hanging behind my head.”
The season is a protracted race, and we’re not even on the quarter-pole but, however everybody’s chasing the Wildcats for now. Nobody’s appeared stronger, and the tantalizing half is, this staff can nonetheless get loads higher between now and March.
