Tommy Lloyd Voices Trust in the Wildcats' Rotation Entering the Postseason

No. 2 Arizona finished out the regular season with a come-from-behind road win over Colorado on Saturday, finishing the year with a program-best 29-2 record, cementing a case for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The Wildcats have done so by playing the same group of guys all season, and despite it being a thinner rotation than some of the other elite teams across the nation, it has gelled well together, and head coach Tommy Lloyd expects that to continue, even after a slow start against the Buffaloes.

"We've rode hard with these eight guys," Lloyd said postgame. "They're really good players. I think our energy's really good right now. Once we got it figured out in that game, we were pretty good."

Mar 2, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd looks out to fans after they defeat the Iowa State Cyclones at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Fighting Through the Struggle

Arizona's lineup has not struggled often. It plays the brand of basketball for which the program is known to near-perfection, with three-point shooting being the biggest question, not necessarily because the Wildcats can't make shots from behind the arc, but because they don't really take that many to begin with.

Since 2020, teams have gone 5-72 against AP Top 3 teams when they've made three or fewer 3s in the game 👀

This year's @ArizonaMBB owns THREE of those five wins 🤯

(per @MattNorlander + @CBSSportsCBB) pic.twitter.com/j69t1nGLo6
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 21, 2026

But throughout the season, especially down the stretch and into March, there are games in which teams play out of character. Saturday was a prime example for Arizona as it found itself trailing by 11 points in the first half against a team that lost 14 games. It just goes to show that the elite teams are going to get everyone's best shot, no matter the stakes.

"I think it's important for us to understand that you're going to have games like that, playing against a team that's playing their a** off and playing really good," Lloyd added. "Maybe your energy's not quite where you want it to be, but you've got to dig down deep and respond. I was really proud of our guys' effort, and hopefully this was a lesson learned because it'd be great if we could keep playing for a long time."

Opportunities to Grow in a Non-Pressure Situation

THIS IS ARIZONA BASKETBALL 🐻⬇️ pic.twitter.com/kkanW9k3L1
— PHNX Wildcats (@PHNX_Wildcats) February 28, 2026

With the Big 12 title already wrapped up thanks to wins over No.14 Kansas and No. 6 Iowa State in the past week, the Colorado game would've been a prime opportunity for Lloyd to get some of his seldom-used players chances to contribute, but once the game started, it became a learning opportunity for the primary guys going into the postseason.

Arizona has faced very little adversity outside of its two losses, and this was a rare and unforeseen chance for the Wildcats to harness it in a low-pressure situation.

arizona benc — Mar 7, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Arizona Wildcats bench reacts in the second half against the Colorado Buffaloes at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

"I had been bouncing around a few plans to change our rotation and play more guys," Lloyd said. "Then, when I saw the way we came out -- a little bit flat, not great energy -- I thought it was more important that we figure out how to get back in the game and be able to draw on that rather than maybe play some other guys."

That will only help Arizona as it navigates March. The rest of the month will not only include the Big 12 Tournament, which will likely put some high-level rematches in the Wildcats' path, but also the NCAA Tournament, where Arizona will have to battle through the top contenders in conferences all over the country in hopes of returning to the Final Four for the first time in 21 years and possibly even winning a national championship.

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

But the harder it gets, the better start Arizona needs. That's why using a low-pressure situation to practice what needs to be done is so critical. It helped the Wildcats figure out how to get the job done, and they came through. They'll eventually have to do the same, just against stronger competition.

Those teams may be deeper on paper, but Lloyd trusts his current playing group to get it done.