Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd made it clear after his team’s hard-fought victory over Texas Tech that the Wildcats aren’t satisfied just yet. Following their 86-80 win in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals, Lloyd sent a message that should have Arizona fans fired up for the championship game against top-seeded Houston.
“You beat Kansas in Kansas City, that says something. You beat a Texas Tech team that found a way to take second in the conference, that says something. Now we’ve got the champ,” Lloyd said via AZ Band Cat Sports on X, formerly Twitter.
The Wildcats, who entered the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the Big 12, continued their impressive run by holding off a resilient Texas Tech squad. Caleb Love led the way with a game-high 27 points and five rebounds, while Trey Townsend added 12 points and five boards. Arizona shot an impressive 50% from beyond the arc compared to Texas Tech’s 33.3%, which proved to be a key factor in the outcome.
Tommy Lloyd, Arizona look towards Houston in Big 12 Tournament championship
Texas Tech, despite missing key players Darrion Williams and Chance McMillan, fought valiantly behind Christian Anderson’s 19 points, but Arizona’s ability to answer every push from the Red Raiders kept them in control down the stretch. The Wildcats never allowed Texas Tech to close the gap to less than two possessions in the final minutes, showing their poise under pressure.
Now, Arizona (22-11) turns its attention to Houston in the Big 12 Tournament championship game. The Cougars punched their ticket to the final with a dominant 74-54 win over BYU earlier in the day. Arizona will look to cap off its remarkable tournament run with a statement victory over the conference’s top team.
Lloyd acknowledged the challenge ahead but remained confident in his team’s ability to compete. “Listen, we will find out tomorrow. We could get our ass kicked tomorrow. I don’t know. So we gotta come out and play tomorrow. It’s great to come down and get two really good wins against two really good teams,” he said.
Arizona’s offensive prowess has been on full display throughout the tournament. The Wildcats led the Big 12 in scoring during conference play with 80.0 points per game, a mark not reached by a team in the league since Baylor in 2020-21. Love, a finalist for the Jerry West Award, has been the catalyst for Arizona’s success, averaging 16.4 points per game entering Friday’s semifinal.
Despite the quick turnaround, Lloyd emphasized that the team’s mindset remains the same. “If we have Arizona on our chest and we have the dudes we have, we’re playing to win. That’s how we roll,” he said.
With momentum on their side, Arizona has a chance to claim its first Big 12 Tournament title in what has already been a memorable postseason run. The championship game against Houston tips off at 3 p.m. (Arizona time) on ESPN, with the Wildcats eager to prove they belong at the top of the conference.
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