Arizona basketball has 3 big questions to answer in exhibition opener vs. San Francisco

Tommy Lloyd and the Arizona Wildcats are bringing the San Francisco Dons of the West Coast Conference to the McKale Center for an exhibition game on Tuesday, the first of three for Arizona before the 2026-27 college basketball season begins officially on Nov. 2.

Tuesday will give fans a chance to see Arizona's new-look roster against another D1 opponent, while Lloyd and his staff have an opportunity to see how the work they've been doing this offseason is coming along against a USF program that won 20+ games eight full seasons in a row before multiple injuries contributed to last year's disappointing 17-16 finish.

Arizona is expected to be without freshman forward Endi Aiyamenkhue, who is dealing with a leg injury, and won't have Clemson transfer RJ Godfrey, who remains ineligible while his battle with the NCAA rages on.

Below is a look at three things to watch as Arizona takes the floor Tuesday, starting at 7:00 PM MST on ESPN+.

1. Can Caleb Holt deliver offensively?

Caleb Holt has big shoes to fill for Arizona, following the departure of star freshman Brayden Burries at the two guard spot. Holt is a McDonald's All-American from Prolific Prep who is widely considered a candidate to go top three in the 2027 NBA draft, thanks to his positional size and strength, defensive instincts, and scoring ability.

However, the scoring has been a tad suspect so far through Arizona's foreign tour and at the Red-Blue Showcase.

It would be great to see Holt shine against the Dons, making good decisions with the basketball, hitting outside shots, and not settling for long midrange jumpers. A version of Holt that is relentlessly attacking the rim and drilling threes is what will get Arizona back to the Final Four - and fans would love to see that player on Tuesday.

2. Who has the edge in Arizona's point guard battle?

Feb 2, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Derek Dixon (3) on the free throw line in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Arizona effectively replaced Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley with two transfer point guards - Derek Dixon from North Carolina and JJ Mandaquit from Washington.

Most believe Dixon - who averaged 6.5 points and 2.7 assists in 22.3 minutes per game last year - will start, thanks to his elite ball security and outside shooting (39.7% from three).

But Mandaquit is also a very good facilitator, who played for Lloyd last summer at the FIBA U19 World Cup. He's not as strong of a shooter as Dixon, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see these guys splitting time on Tuesday - and potentially into the season as well.

3. Which newcomer will emerge in Arizona's frontcourt?

Jan 2, 2026; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Ugnius Jarusevicius (13) warms up before the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Pinnacle Bank Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

No Aiyamenkhue or Godfrey means Arizona's frontcourt depth will be tested on Tuesday evening. Mo Krivas is the obvious starting five, while Ivan Kharchenkov could slide up and take minutes at the four while Godfrey remains ineligible.

After that, the Wildcats will rely on a bevy of newcomers - including Nebraska transfer Ugnius Jarusevicius, Idaho State transfer Evan Otten, and Lithuanian big man Maxsim Brnovic.

Those three are competing for what could end up being a relatively small number of minutes this season if/when Godfrey is cleared, but Tuesday represents a real chance for someone to move to the top of the pecking order before the games get underway in less than three weeks.

Arizona and USF will tip at 7:00 PM MST on Tuesday, Oct. 13. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

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