Wildcats Receive Major Honor Beyond Court

The Arizona Wildcats are being immortalized in Tucson forever, as the Arizona House of Representatives and Senate honored the men’s basketball team with “Arizona Wildcats Day” earlier this week.

The team was honored for its spectacular 2025-26 season that saw the Wildcats win a program-high 36 games, good for a program-record .923 winning percentage for a full season, on their way to their first Final Four appearance in 25 years. Ultimately, they fell just shy of a national championship after losing to Michigan in the Final Four.

Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd talks with a referee Saturday, April 4, 2026, during a Final Four game against the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona’s Resume

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) goes to the basket against Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) in the second half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The team started out on a torrid pace, going 23-0 to begin the year. They carried that success into the regular season finale, finishing with a 29-2 record and taking home the Big 12 regular-season and conference tournament titles.

Arizona spent nine straight weeks atop the AP Poll in the middle of the season, and remained in the top five of several metrics, including KenPom and the NET rankings for the majority of the season, firmly cementing their status as one of the top teams in the country, and helping them earn a 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament.

Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat (10) cries Saturday, April 4, 2026, after the team’s 91-73 loss to the Michigan Wolverines during the Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Led by the freshmen trio of Brayden Burries, Koa Peat, and Ivan Kharchenkov, as well as veterans Jaden Bradley and Tobe Awaka, the Wildcats had one of the best seasons that they’ve ever had in the program's history, and their best season to date since Tommy Lloyd took over as head coach.

As such, they are now being honored in Arizona for the impact they’ve had not just on the university but on the entire Tucson community as well.

Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) guards Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) on Saturday, April 4, 2026, during a Final Four game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tommy Lloyd offered some sentiments to the Arizona faithful as they were honored before the state legislature, thanking them for their support of the men’s basketball program.

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd before a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Lloyd’s Thoughts

“We want to thank you guys, because to be honest with you, the government is our biggest supporter,” Lloyd said. “We're a state institution, and the investment you make in the University of Arizona allows us to do what we do. So we're thankful for everyone that gets behind our program and supports it and helps us continue to build on this tradition and legacy.”

The Wildcats will look to carry on this year’s team's legacy as they build upon a significant season in Tucson. Arizona has turned itself into a basketball powerhouse over the last few seasons, and the growing sense around the program is that things are just getting started in terms of winning.