Arizona continues to roll through its debut Big 12 campaign, and Wednesday night’s 26-point win over Cincinnati was the latest reminder of just how dominant this team can be when it hits its stride. What looked like a tightly contested slugfest for much of the night turned into a runaway, thanks to a 37-13 surge over the final 14 minutes. That kind of finishing kick is becoming a signature for a Wildcats squad that’s not just winning games-they’re pulling away when it matters most.
With the victory, Arizona remains one of just three unbeaten teams in college basketball and holds the No. 1 spot in the AP poll unanimously for the first time in program history. That’s rare air, and head coach Tommy Lloyd knows exactly what comes with it. He’s been here before from his time at Gonzaga, and he’s not shying away from the expectations.
“I’ve been on a few of these runs before,” Lloyd said after the game. “And I think it’s important to know that winning is not a burden. The winning shouldn’t feel heavy.”
At 19-0 overall and 6-0 in Big 12 play, Arizona is just two wins away from tying the best start in school history. The next test comes Saturday at McKale Center against a tough, methodical West Virginia team. Here’s what to keep an eye on as the Wildcats try to keep the streak alive.
Rotation Tightening as Stakes Rise
Against Cincinnati, Arizona leaned heavily on its starters-147 of the possible 200 minutes came from the first five. That’s the most in any Big 12 game this season and trails only the UConn and Florida matchups for the highest total all year. It’s a sign that Lloyd is starting to tighten things up as the games get more meaningful.
Tobe Awaka continues to be the steady sixth man, logging around 20 minutes a night in his usual frontcourt role. But the minutes are shrinking for others. Anthony Dell’Orso played just 14 minutes, and Dwayne Aristode saw the floor for 11.
Dell’Orso’s slump is hard to ignore. He’s missed his last 14 field goal attempts, and over six Big 12 games, he’s averaging just 4.5 points-17 of his 27 total coming in one game at TCU.
That’s a steep drop for a player who started last season and was expected to be a spark plug off the bench this year. When his shot isn’t falling, his impact tends to fade.
Still, Lloyd isn’t wavering.
“Hang with it,” he said. “What you do is really hard.
I love Delly. I love how he’s handling this and I have a real strong belief that we’re going to get the best from Delly when we need it.
Not that you don’t want it or need it every night, but he is going to deliver. So I’m going to hang with him.
I’m not going to change anything.”
That kind of trust can go a long way. And if Dell’Orso can find his rhythm again, it gives Arizona yet another weapon off the bench heading into the heart of conference play.
The 3-Point Equation
Arizona isn’t living and dying by the three, and so far, it hasn’t needed to. But it’s worth noting: the Wildcats are shooting just 31% from beyond the arc in Big 12 action (27-for-87), which ranks 12th out of 16 teams in the conference. They hit seven threes apiece at Utah and TCU, but over the last three games, they’ve gone a combined 10-for-37.
Brayden Burries leads the team in both attempts and makes from deep, but he’s also a 59% shooter on twos-so he’s not exactly hunting threes. And that’s the thing: this Arizona team doesn’t have a volume shooter from deep like Caleb Love last season. As a result, they rank near the bottom nationally in 3-point attempt rate.
That said, it hasn’t hurt them-yet. Arizona is getting nearly 58% of its points inside the arc and another 20% at the free-throw line.
Against Cincinnati, they scored 48 points in the paint and went 20-of-28 from the stripe. They’ve outscored every opponent in the paint this season and have only been out-free-throwed (made, not attempted) in six games.
Lloyd isn’t panicking about the perimeter numbers.
“I’m gonna let it play out,” he said. “It’s a figure-it-out-as-it-goes deal, and it’s a game-by-game deal.
I would have to see how a team is going to defend us just to force us to shoot a bunch of threes. When our guys are standing in the gym by themselves, they make threes.
So are you not going to guard the whole team?”
Translation: Arizona isn’t forcing threes just to tick a box. They’re playing to their strengths, and unless a defense forces their hand, they’re going to keep pounding the paint and getting to the line.
Slowing Things Down vs. West Virginia
Saturday’s matchup with West Virginia could be a grind. Arizona played at a season-low 65 possessions against Cincinnati-only UConn and San Diego State had slower games.
And West Virginia? They’re even more deliberate.
Their adjusted tempo ranks eighth-slowest in the country, and their fastest Big 12 game so far was a 67-possession affair against Kansas.
“They try to get you in a possession game,” Lloyd said.
The Mountaineers are led by Ross Hodge, their fourth head coach in as many seasons. Hodge came over from North Texas, where he was promoted after Grant McCasland left for Texas Tech. His teams have long been known for their defensive identity, and this year’s group is no different.
West Virginia is allowing just 40.3% shooting and 62.1 points per game overall. That number has crept up to 70.6 in Big 12 play, but the Mountaineers are still making life tough for opponents. They play slow, they defend hard, and they usually have a couple of shooters who can punish you if you overcommit.
“Ross is one of these guys who’s been around in the game,” Lloyd said. “He knows how to win basketball games, and his teams always have a real identity on the defensive end of the floor.”
So while Arizona has the firepower to run teams out of the gym, don’t be surprised if this one turns into a chess match. The Wildcats will need to be patient, efficient, and ready to grind out possessions against a team that wants to take the air out of the ball.
But if recent history is any indication, Arizona’s more than capable of adjusting. Whether it’s a track meet or a half-court battle, this team has shown it can find a way to win. And as the wins keep piling up, the Wildcats are proving they’re not just chasing history-they’re shaping it.