All articles tagged with #arizona wildcats
A circulating rumor on Doug Gottlieb's podcast claims Michael Jordan called Tommy Lloyd to recruit him to UNC, suggesting the Tar Heels are pursuing Lloyd as their next head coach, but the claim is unverified.
Bleacher Report’s post-Elite Eight power rankings cap the 2026 NCAA men’s tournament with a Final Four featuring Michigan, Arizona, Connecticut and Illinois. The semifinals tilt Arizona vs. Michigan and UConn vs. Illinois, with UConn’s stingy defense and a rising scoring threat from Tarris Reed Jr., Illinois’s nation-leading offense led by Keaton Wagler and David Mirkovic, Arizona’s guard-driven attack and paint control anchored by Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries, and Michigan’s size-based three-big lineup shaping the path to the title. The piece also notes a buzzer-beater by Braylon Mullins and emphasizes that guard play and game pace will largely determine the champion.
Arizona rode coach Tommy Lloyd’s “figure it out” approach to erase a halftime deficit and beat Purdue 79-64 in the West Region final, earning its first Final Four in a quarter century. A deep, versatile lineup—Brayden Burries, Koa Peat, Ivan Kharchenkov, Jaden Bradley, Motiejus Krivas, Anthony Dell’Orso and Tobe Awaka—took over in the second half, combining interior dominance, improved guard play and rebounding to seal the win and keep Arizona’s title potential alive.
Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd has the Wildcats back in the Final Four, and rising coaching chatter could trigger a domino effect across college basketball: Lloyd’s future at Arizona, Dusty May’s skyrocketing stock (with possible interest from Kansas or UNC), and rumors of Billy Donovan to North Carolina or Bill Self retirement potentially opening Kansas. The piece frames the Final Four as a flashpoint for big-job moves that could reshape the coaching landscape beyond this season.
Arizona roared back from a halftime deficit to beat Purdue 79-64 in the West Regional Final, reaching the Final Four for the first time since 2001, as fans and notable figures flooded X (formerly Twitter) with celebratory reactions and praise for coach Tommy Lloyd and the program.
Arizona outscored Purdue decisively in the second half, flipping a 7-point halftime lead into a 79-64 Elite Eight win and ending Purdue’s bid to return to the Final Four. Purdue’s offense cooled dramatically after halftime (only 1-for-8 from deep in the second half, 9-for-28 for the game) as key moments—Trey Kaufman-Renn picking up his third foul early and Braden Smith’s ankle injury—hampered the Boilermakers. Oscar Cluff led Purdue with 14 points and 10 rebounds and earned JWMPOTG honors, but the season closed with a tough defeat to a strong Arizona squad.
In San Jose, Purdue (30-8) faces No. 1 Arizona (35-2) in the NCAA Elite Eight, aiming for a second Final Four in three seasons. Purdue remains the top offense per KenPom but needs improved 3-point shooting after a rough night from deep; Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith carry the scoring load, with Trey Kaufman-Renn trending at 21.3 PPG on 64% shooting in the tournament and Oscar Cluff providing inside heft. Arizona, a high-scoring, elite-efficient team, uses a low-volume 3-point approach but excels on the glass and interior defense, led by a strong frontcourt. Purdue must avoid foul trouble for its big men, generate double-digit threes, and rely on Smith to match Arizona’s physicality. On3 projects a tight, high-level clash with Arizona likely to edge Purdue 82-78.
Top-seeded Arizona (35-2) faces second-seeded Purdue (30-8) in the West Region Elite Eight at SAP Center in San Jose, with a potential Final Four berth on the line. The game is slated for about 5:49 p.m. PT on CBS, with NCAA.com streaming and Wildcats Radio 1290 AM providing radio coverage. Arizona is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 153.5, per FanDuel, and KenPom gives UA a 66 percent chance to win. Follow SB Nation’s Arizona Desert Swarm for pregame notes, live updates and postgame analysis via X.
North Carolina is weighing its head-coaching options after Hubert Davis, with Tommy Lloyd and Billy Donovan as the top targets. Lloyd’s success at Arizona—an undefeated-ish 35-2 run this season and multiple conference titles—puts him in elite consideration, but leaving for UNC after a potential national championship would be a difficult optics move. The Athletic linked Lloyd to UNC; his public comments and his agent’s behind-the-scenes work suggest UNC has time as Arizona presses toward a title, making the decision timing a central factor in whether Lloyd departs or stays put.
A college basketball preview of the NCAA Tournament Round of 64 matchup between Utah State and Arizona highlights Utah State’s ball‑moving offense and disruptive, shape-shifting defense led by coach Jerrod Calhoun, with top scorers Mason Falslev and MJ Collins. Arizona’s size and paint dominance pose a tough test, and the expert predicts Arizona wins 82‑66, noting possible coaching rumors around Calhoun.
Arizona rolled to a 32-point victory over LIU in the opening round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, never letting the margin dip below 22 in the second half. Coach Tommy Lloyd stressed respecting the 16-seed and focusing on the next game, while freshmen Koa Peat and Brayden Burries reflected on their development and readiness as Arizona looks ahead to Sunday’s matchup.
Arizona Wildcats routed LIU Sharks 92-58 in the NCAA Tournament opener at Viejas Arena in San Diego, pulling away early and finishing with balanced scoring led by Brayden Burries (18), Koa Peat (15) and Ivan Kharchenkov (14). Arizona dominated the boards (52-31) and shot 53.3% from the floor to advance to the West Region’s second round, where they’ll face the Villanova–Utah State winner. LIU ends its season at 24-11.
Arizona opened its NCAA Tournament run with a dominant 92-58 win over Long Island (LIU Sharks) at Viejas Arena in San Diego, led by Brayden Burries (18), Koa Peat (15) and Ivan Kharchenkov (14, 10 rebounds) in a balanced attack as the Wildcats sprinted to a big first-half lead and cruised to victory. LIU’s Mason Porter-Brown led the Sharks with 15 points, but Arizona’s depth and defense overwhelmed the NEC champions, who trailed by 24 at halftime. Arizona advances to face the Villanova-Utah State winner in the West region.
Arizona is a heavy favorite over LIU in the NCAA tournament first round, with top bets centering on Shadrak Lasu over 5.5 rebounds and a same‑game parlay featuring Lasu rebounds and Jamal Fuller points; LIU +30.5 is also highlighted as a live betting option.
A prediction-driven preview of the 2026 NCAA men’s tournament that weighs top seeds, potential upsets, and standout freshmen, argues NIL has professionalized the field and could reduce Cinderella runs, and ultimately bets on Arizona to win in Indianapolis based on their balance, depth, and late-season form.