Arizona Sets Impressive Record in Oklahoma State Win
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In just their second season in the league, the Arizona Wildcats have set a Big 12 record.
After their 84-47 dismantling of Oklahoma State, the #1-ranked Wildcats are now 23-0 on the season, which is the best start to a season in Big 12 history, surpassing the 1996-97 Kansas Jayhawks, who started 22-0.
The win also ties the 2019-20 Baylor team for the longest winning streak in Big 12 history. After making the move from the PAC-12 to the Big 12, the Wildcats haven’t missed a beat, and have actually taken things a step further.
What has made this Arizona team so uniquely good, is their mix of veteran leadership — such as Jaden Bradley, and Tobe Awaka — and standout freshmen in the form of Brayden Burries, Koa Peat, and Ivan Khrachenkov.
Lloyd’s thoughts
Head coach Tommy Lloyd commended his group for the work they’ve done this season, while also acknowledging that the job is far from finished.
“I know this team has great potential, I’m not going to make light of it,” Lloyd said. “But, I also know there’s a lot of work to be done. There’s a lot of challenges ahead, and I know that in opportune times, sometimes things don’t go your way. We’re not scared of what’s ahead of us, but by no means are we acting like we’ve been anointed. I know there’s some really good coaches in this conferences, and I know they’re licking their chops for a chance to play us. We’re going to have to tee it up, and we’re going to have to compete.”
“Let’s understand that there’s a gauntlet coming,” he added. “Some real challenges. And we’re going to have to answer the bell.”
Lloyd’s judgement of the Wildcats’ upcoming schedule isn’t hyperbole. Starting Monday, their remaining schedule is as follows: Away vs. #11 Kansas, home vs. #13 Texas Tech, home vs. #16 BYU, away vs. #8 Houston, away vs. Baylor, home vs. #11 Kansas, home vs. #7 Iowa State, and away vs. Colorado to close the season.
The Wildcats have been as close to perfect as a team can be so far this season, and they’ll need to keep up the pace in order to finish the season strong. With the NCAA Tournament still a month away, the Wildcats are essentially a shoo-in for a 1 seed at this point. Nonetheless, they’ll look to finish out the season strong and carry the momentum into the tournament as they go for their second national title in program history.
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Justin Backer brings a wealth of experience to his role as a college football and basketball general sports reporter On SI. Backer is a proud graduate of Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Studies, and has worked for such media companies as The Sporting News and the Palm Beach Post.