In Capital Letters, Lloyd Says Wildcats ‘Not’ Overlooking Anyone

Here's the unique reason Arizona focused on one-game-at-time mentality.

Feb 21, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd reacts while coaching against the Houston Cougars in the first half at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Wildcats are coming off another win that took place this past Tuesday. It was against a Baylor team that is not having the best of seasons that we are used to seeing from them. They still came out and played Arizona tough, and it was a great game to watch and see how Arizona would come out of it, after the Wildcats got one of the biggest wins of the season over the weekend against Houston. Baylor battled them to the end, but Arizona came out on top and picked up an important win.

It is always an interesting thing to see how teams come out in the next game after they have come off a huge win. Arizona was in that position, and in a game they should have handled business, they did, but not in a way many were expecting. Still, this is the Big 12, and it is never easy to win a game in conference play. Every team is going to give you their best shot, especially when you are a top team and a team that is at the top of the standings. That is what Arizona got, and they passed the test.

Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self greets Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd before the game inside Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 9, 2026. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Battle every night

It was not a game the Wildcats over looked, but one that they knew was going to be a battle. Head coach Tom Lloyd made sure to make that clear and not to take anything away from what his team is doing right now, and they are doing it short-handed.

"Great basketball game," Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd said. "We knew it was going to be tough coming in here. We've been on the road for what feels like a week now, and obviously, we had a big, gritty win on Saturday.

Feb 7, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd yells out to players during the first half of the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Too much respect for Bears

"We had to follow it up with a game people probably thought we were overlooking, and there's no way we were overlooking this game. I have way too much respect for Scott and for Baylor. I know how much talent they have. They just had a tough year, but you could see when they put it together how good they really are. They seemed like they had an answer for everything today."

"I am super proud of our guys for hanging in there," he said. "That was a hang with it game. It took incredible toughness and fortitude from our guys. I don't know what narrative people have about our program, but if it doesn't start with toughness, they're not doing their homework."

Jan 31, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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