As the Arizona Wildcats gear up for their clash with Baylor, the Big XII's Game Day update has put a spotlight on key players Anthony Dell'Orso and Koa Peat, both listed as game-time decisions. Dell'Orso is nursing an ankle sprain from Saturday's showdown at Houston, while Peat has been sidelined for the last two and a half games due to a lower body injury.
Adding to the Wildcats' challenges, reserve forward Dwayne Aristode remains out, grappling with an unspecified illness that's kept him off the court for three games. This leaves Arizona with just five healthy players in their usual eight-man rotation.
Guards Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries, forward Ivan Kharchenkov, and center Motiejus Krivas have been the constants in Arizona’s lineup this season. With Peat's absence, forward Tobe Awaka has stepped up to fill the starting role.
Dell'Orso has embraced the sixth man position, especially with Aristode and Peat unavailable. Over the past two games, he's been a scoring dynamo, racking up a team-high of 22 points. If Dell'Orso and Peat can't suit up, the Wildcats will lean on guard Evan Nelson and center Sidi Gueye to provide depth off the bench.
In their recent 73-66 victory over Houston, Bradley, Burries, Dell'Orso, and Kharchenkov each logged over 30 minutes. Awaka and Krivas contributed 11 points and 11 rebounds combined but had to navigate foul trouble, which saw them spend significant time on the bench.
Arizona's head coach, Tommy Lloyd, showcased his strategic acumen against Houston, adjusting lineups creatively amid the roster challenges. Kharchenkov's stint at power forward was a testament to the team's adaptability.
As they face Baylor, keeping Awaka and Krivas out of foul trouble will be crucial, especially since Baylor's bench doesn't run deep, with only five players averaging over five minutes per game. Lloyd might need to rely heavily on his core group, adopting an "ironman" strategy to secure a win before they get a breather until their next game against Kansas on Saturday.