How Wildcats Embracing Challenges of Big 12 Basketball

Being the No.1 basketball team in the country comes with its challenges, particularly in the expanded Big 12

Jan 10, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) and forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) celebrate during the second half against the TCU Horned Frogs at the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

No. 1 Arizona escaped a hostile environment against unranked TCU in Fort Worth on Saturday, but the Wildcats know it's just the beginning.

As the current No.1 team in the nation, Arizona has a target on its back during every game, and in the Big 12, even the "easier games" come with challenges and adversity. The Wildcats never trailed against TCU on Saturday and held a substantial lead for the majority of the contest. Yet, the Horned Frogs battled early and made things more difficult in the second half, giving Arizona a little taste of a true Big 12 road game. And it was exactly what head coach Tommy Lloyd wanted.

Jan 10, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd looks on during the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs at the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

"This is great. It's exactly what we needed," Lloyd told the media during the postgame press conference. "We don't have hubris. We understand these games are going to be hard. We don't expect to come in and have a 20-point lead and build it into a 40-point lead. That's just not how it goes."

The environment at TCU was an appropriate test for the current bunch, as it aims for a special and historic season. Over the years, Schollmaier Arena has been a bit of a thorn in the side of the Big 12's elite teams, regardless of how the Horned Frogs have performed that season.

Jan 10, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) drives to the basket past TCU Horned Frogs guard Jayden Pierre (1) and guard Jace Posey (00) during the second half at the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

But Arizona went into the belly of the beast in a deepening Big 12 basketball conference and emerged unscathed. It's a stronger statement than it looks on paper or than casual college basketball fans would believe. But again, it's just the start of a strenuous road through the conference.

The Big 12's Depth and Arizona's Upcoming Challenges

The Big 12 is a dangerously competitive conference every season, and this year, it's possibly the strongest it's been. The league currently boasts seven Top 25 teams, with four among the top 10 and another four that have joined the conference over the last three years due to the ongoing national expansion in college athletics.

Jan 10, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) brings the ball up court past TCU Horned Frogs guard Brock Harding (2) during the second half at the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Arizona is one of those teams that was subject to expansion and has increased the quality of play in what was already a pretty competitive basketball conference. However, it's been almost 30 years since the Wildcats last won a regular-season conference title (1997). Can they finally end that streak this season?

We'll find out over the next month and a half. Arizona will face ranked opponents seven times between now and the end of February, immediately followed by a potential top-3 matchup with fellow unbeaten Iowa State on March 2. There's no guarantee either team will still be in this position by the time that game comes up on the schedule. In fact, it's quite unlikely, but Arizona is approaching the situation with a "glass half-full" attitude.

Jan 10, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Dominick Nelson (11) beats the Oklahoma State Cowboys defense to the basket during the first half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

"We're realistic optimists," Lloyd added. "We're always optimistic [that] things are going to work out, but we know how tough it's going to be. We embrace the challenge. I wanted to make sure our guys understood that, and they've done a great job all season when they've been pushed and tested to respond."

With a 5-0 record against top 25 opponents already, Arizona has passed multiple tests. That's a promising sign for a team that consists mostly of sophomores and freshmen. Yet, the Wildcats will see the number of tests more than double as they continue through Big 12 play. It's usually the veteran squads that weather the storm when things get tough, so how will their young team respond to the grind of the season as the challenges pile up?