What Tommy Lloyd Said About Kansas, Allen Fieldhouse Ahead of Big Monday

After both teams came away with comfortable victories on Saturday, Kansas and Arizona are looking ahead to Monday's matchup in Lawrence. The undefeated Wildcats have a target on their back that Bill Self and the Jayhawks will be looking to take advantage of.

Arizona defeated Oklahoma State in a dominant 37-point blowout yesterday, and following the game, head coach Tommy Lloyd met with the media. During his press conference, he acknowledged the upcoming matchup with KU and sang his utmost praise for the Jayhawks, particularly the environment inside Allen Fieldhouse.

"We're going in there with nothing but respect for Kansas and Coach Self," Lloyd said. "We played there last year, and I'll be honest, I played a lot of places. I came away from there thinking, alright, it is different. But nothing but positive thoughts for them as a program, and it's going to be an honor to compete against them."

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

Last season, the Wildcats fell to Kansas on Senior Day inside the Phog in Lloyd's first time coaching there. The win was highlighted by Hunter Dickinson's 33-point outing and a strong offensive performance from the Jayhawks.

This year, KU is a far better team, but so is Arizona. The Wildcats have yet to lose a game and rank No. 1 in nearly every major metric across the country, including defensive rating.

"We know it's going to be an incredible game. It's going to be an awesome atmosphere. And I just have a feeling those Jayhawk fans are going to be out for blood," Lloyd continued. "So you know what? We're here for it. We're here for it, and that's no promise of which way the game is going to go, but we're excited for the opportunity to compete on such a big stage in such a special game."

RELATED: Top 5 Most Important Games for Kansas Basketball’s Remainder of the Season

Jaden Bradley, a Wildcats guard who played in the building last year, also spoke about the environment his team will face. He admitted that it is one of the loudest places he has ever played.

"It's crazy in there. It's hard to hear yourself, and their fans are crazy. Kansas is a great program, they have a great team this year, so it's going to be a tough atmosphere. But I feel like we're gonna go out there and handle business, for sure."

In that contest, Bradley finished with a team-high 21 points on 7-for-11 shooting, showing he has already enjoyed success in Lawrence before. He is having an even better season this year, averaging 13.8 points and 4.5 assists as one of the Wildcats' most important contributors.

While the Allen Fieldhouse atmosphere may be the best in college basketball, the Jayhawks will need to play a near-flawless game to take down this Arizona group. The program has never defeated an AP Poll No. 1 team at home, meaning it will take more than just a raucuous crowd to upset the Wildcats.

Regardless, both Lloyd and Bradley clearly have immense respect for KU and the historic environment they will be walking into on Monday night.