Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd is laser-focused on the significance of clinching the Big XII regular-season championship for the Wildcats. In a recent conversation with reporters, Lloyd emphasized the importance of this achievement for the program.
Currently, Arizona sits atop the Big XII standings with a 13-2 record, with three crucial games remaining. Trailing closely behind are Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, and Texas Tech, each with an 11-4 record. The Wildcats are set to face Kansas on Saturday and Iowa State on Monday, two pivotal matchups that could determine their fate.
The season finale will see Arizona travel to Colorado on March 7. Securing two wins in their final three games would crown Arizona as the outright Big XII regular-season champion-a first in any sport for the university.
Arizona's only setbacks this season came in February, with losses to Kansas and Texas Tech, bringing their impressive record to 26-2. Despite these hiccups, they hold the second spot in both the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today Coaches polls.
Coach Lloyd made it clear: “By no means...should it be bestowed upon us... We're going to have to go get it...
This team's done a good job hanging with it all year and putting ourselves in position... Let's see what happens Saturday and see if we can inch closer to getting there...
It'd be a great accomplishment.... Conference...regular season...championships mean a lot...to programs and to the coaches. maybe not the fan bases...as much because they...get fixated on what they consider the final result...when you do what we do...anytime you're...judged over a conference season against...your competitors and if you can come out on top, that says something about your program....
We want to be a team competing for championships."
To secure the Big XII title, Arizona must navigate a challenging path. Kansas holds the 14th spot in national polls, while Iowa State is ranked fourth in the AP Top 25 and fifth in the USA Today Coaches poll. With Iowa State facing Texas Tech on Saturday, an Arizona victory against them would bolster their resume with another top-five win.
Reflecting on past performances, Arizona ended the 2024-25 season with a 23-14 record and tied for third in the Big XII. They previously claimed the 2023-24 Pac-12 regular season championship with a 27-9 record. A win this year would mark their 30th conference championship in basketball history.
According to the ESPN Basketball Power Index, Arizona boasts a 99.5 percent chance of clinching the Big XII title, with Houston, Iowa State, and Kansas trailing behind. Winning against Kansas, Iowa State, or Colorado would secure at least a share of the title, but victories over Kansas and Iowa State are crucial for top seeding in the Big XII Tournament. Both teams hold potential tiebreakers over Arizona, adding extra weight to these final matchups.