Tommy Lloyd’s Arizona Wildcats Are Rolling - And It’s Time We Start Talking About Him Differently
Tommy Lloyd isn’t just winning games - he’s building something special in Tucson. And according to Bruce Pearl, it’s time the rest of the country caught up.
During TNT Sports’ college basketball pregame show, Pearl - who knows a thing or two about March runs, having taken Auburn to the Final Four in 2019 - didn’t hold back in his praise: “Tommy Lloyd right now is the best coach in America that gets the least amount of talk.” That’s a bold statement, but it’s getting harder to argue with.
Arizona’s Dominant Start
Let’s start with the numbers. Arizona is 22-0.
That’s not just a hot streak - it’s a program record. It also ties the 1996-97 Kansas squad for the best start in Big XII history.
In a conference that’s consistently one of the toughest in college basketball, that’s elite company.
The Wildcats are sitting atop both the AP Top 25 and the USA Today Coaches Poll - unanimously. They’re also No. 1 in the NCAA’s NET rankings and have been trading places with Michigan for the top spot in KenPom over the past week. Every metric that matters says the same thing: Arizona is the best team in the country right now.
And they’re doing it with balance. In Saturday’s 87-74 win over rival Arizona State, Koa Peat led the way with 21 points, showcasing the kind of depth and firepower that makes this team a nightmare to prepare for.
Meanwhile, former Wildcat K.J. Lewis helped Georgetown take down Butler earlier in the day - a reminder of the talent pipeline Lloyd has helped cultivate.
The Resume That’s Been Overlooked
Here’s the thing: Lloyd’s résumé is already impressive. In each of his first three full seasons, Arizona has made it to the NCAA Tournament’s second weekend.
That’s consistency most programs would dream of. But because the Wildcats haven’t yet broken through to the Elite Eight or beyond under Lloyd - despite being seeded No. 1 once, No. 2 twice, and No. 4 once - his name hasn’t cracked the top tier of coaching conversations.
That could change soon.
“This year,” Pearl said, “he will [make that run], and when he does, we’re going to start talking about Tommy Lloyd like we do all the other Hall of Fame coaches.”
High praise, but it tracks. Lloyd has kept Arizona humming at a high level since taking over in 2021-22. The program’s long been a national force, and Lloyd hasn’t missed a beat - if anything, he’s elevated the pace.
Coach of the Year Buzz - And What’s Still to Prove
With the Wildcats on track for a No. 1 seed in March, Lloyd is the clear front-runner for Big XII Coach of the Year. National Coach of the Year, though?
That race is more crowded. Michigan’s Dustin May and Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg are both putting together strong cases of their own.
But if Arizona keeps winning - and especially if they make that long-awaited deep tournament run - Lloyd’s name is going to be impossible to ignore. This year’s group might be his best yet, and that’s saying something considering how strong his debut team was in 2021-22.
What Comes Next
There’s still a lot of basketball to be played. But what Lloyd has already done this season is historic.
Twenty-two straight wins. No. 1 across the board.
A team that’s not just beating opponents - they’re handling them.
The only box left unchecked? That deep March run. And if Arizona can finally break through to the Elite Eight or beyond, the conversation around Tommy Lloyd will shift - from “underrated” to “elite.”
Bruce Pearl might be ahead of the curve here. But if Lloyd keeps this up, the rest of the college basketball world won’t be far behind.