Arizona's Lloyd Looking to Improve in the Round of 32

The Arizona Wildcats are looking to continue their quest for a National Championship. Arizona took care of business in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament and handled their business like they wanted to and needed to.

That is because we have seen other No. 1 seeds struggle in their opening round games. But for Arizona, it was all about executing the right way and making the right plays to take down their opponents and move on to the next round.

Mar 2, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd looks towards his players during the first half of the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

With advancing to the next round, a new challenge is presented to the Wildcats. They are going to play a better opponent, and one that is looking to make their own run in this tournament.

The Wildcats are going to be the favorites still, but they know that does not mean anything, and they are going to have to go out there and prove why they still are going to be the favorites. This Arizona team wants to punch its ticket to the Sweet 16, but it is going to have to get through Utah State.

Mar 19, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd during a press conference ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Tommy Lloyd Looking for Improvement in Round of 32

Even with handling their game in the Round of 64, head coach Tommy Lloyd is still looking at ways his team has to improve. He wants his team to do the best they could and that is why they are learning from their first game heading into the second one.

Arizona has been like this all season long. Win or lose, their coaching staff is going to be watching that film and making sure they are fixing their mistakes and going into the next game with all the confidence in the world.

Mar 7, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd reacts in the first half against the Colorado Buffaloes at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Lloyd Is Always Learning

"Always, always when you're talking to a coach," said Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd. "The game is basketball is, it's a game of a lot of random things happening in succession. There are a lot of mistakes made. That's what makes it a beautiful game. There's always something to learn from. I feel like I'm learning every day, every week as a coach. I'm learning new things about the game of basketball. That's one of the things I love is the never-ending pursuit of learning."

Mar 20, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd reacts in the first half against the LIU Sharks during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The Wildcats are going to have to be on their toes on the defensive end. Utah State is a team that will hit its shots and is not afraid to attack you on the inside. They want to push the pace and make it an ugly game. For Arizona, they need to continue playing good offense, and making their threes is huge for them.