Lloyd Explains Arizona's Long-Term Momentum from Massive Win

The Wildcats earned a highly impressive victory over Houston

Feb 18, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd watches during the first half of the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

The Arizona Wildcats have picked up several impressive wins this season, but perhaps no win was more impressive than their latest against Houston.

After a week that saw the Wildcats drop games to Kansas and Texas Tech to end their undefeated start to the season, many wondered just how would Arizona respond to their first bit of adversity all season. 

They did so by taking down BYU at home, and then following it up with a very impressive road victory against then-#2 Houston. Arizona and Houston have been battling for the top spot in the Big 12 standings all season, and Arizona came out on top despite battling through some added adversity as well.

Feb 21, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) and teammates react after walking on the floor after Houston Cougars timeout in the second half at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Shorthanded Wildcats 

The Wildcats defeated the Cougars on the road despite being without Koa Peat, who is 2nd on the team in points per game (13.8), and a future first round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Additionally, leading scorer Brayden Burries played through the game with an illness, and wasn’t his usual self, scoring just 7 points on 1-5 shooting in 31 minutes of action. 

The win was their 8th against a ranked opponent this season, and their 11th quad 1 victory. They’ve built up a strong resume for March, and should be in position to earn a top seed in the tournament. 

Anthony Dell’Orso, and Ivan Kharchenkov came through for the Wildcats against Houston, scoring 22, and 16 points, respectively. With the regular season nearing a close, the win over Houston might just be their most impressive win yet given the circumstances. 

Feb 7, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Anthony Dell’Orso (3) celebrates a three pointer he made during the second half of the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Lloyd’s thoughts

After the game, head coach Tommy Lloyd spoke about the lasting effect that this win could have on the rest of their season with the NCAA Tournament inching closer. 

“I don’t think there’s any doubt,” Lloyd said. “There’s a lot of ways that a game like this gives you a boost. Number one is just confidence and belief, and a will to find a way. It keeps you in the hunt for a conference championship, which is obviously important. I’m sure this win doesn’t look bad on our resume when it comes down to seeding. By no means, does this win guarantee anything, but it probably doesn’t help your prospects moving forward.”

Feb 21, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) dribbles against Houston Cougars guard Milos Uzan (7) in the first half at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

They’ll look to finish the regular season on a high note as they try to cap off one of the best seasons in program history with their first national title since 1997. 

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