Arizona gets one more chance to settle things down before the schedule turns serious.
The Wildcats are back at McKale Center on Tuesday night for a matchup with Northern Arizona, their third game of the 2026-27 regular season and the last tune-up before a brutal stretch that includes Auburn on Friday, Nov. 13, and UConn next Wednesday, Nov. 18.
Tommy Lloyd’s team is 1-1 after an uneven start. Arizona was out of sync in the first half against UCLA last Monday and ended up on the wrong side of an 84-75 loss, then answered with a much cleaner 104-84 win over Cal Poly on Thursday. Now comes a home game against a local opponent that should give the Wildcats a chance to keep building rhythm and sorting out roles.
The biggest storyline hanging over Tuesday is RJ Godfrey. The Clemson transfer is still trying to get on the floor for Arizona while pursuing legal action against the Arizona Board of Regents, seeking a TRO and preliminary injunction that would clear the way for him to play. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday in Pima County, and if the judge rules quickly enough, Godfrey could be available that same night against Northern Arizona.
That matters because Arizona has been piecing things together at power forward without him. Ivan Kharchenkov has had to play out of position at times, while newcomers Maksim Brnovic, Ugnius Jarusevicius, and Evan Otten have all been part of the mix.
If Godfrey does get the green light, Arizona would be adding a proven presence. He averaged 12.0 points and 5.3 rebounds last season at Clemson, and his physical style would fit alongside Mo Krivas and Kharchenkov in the frontcourt. The comparison to Tobe Awaka last year is an easy one to make.
Northern Arizona enters at 0-2 and sits No. 296 in KenPom, which opens the door for Arizona’s younger players to see meaningful minutes. Cameron Holmes, Bryce James, and Maksim Brnovic should all get chances to show what they can bring as the season develops.
Arizona’s record against the spread is 0-2, while Northern Arizona is 1-1.
Game time is 7:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on Tuesday, Nov.
- Odds are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
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