FORT WORTH, Texas — Motiejus Krivas has been around the Arizona men’s basketball program for nearly three years now, but in one sense he’s a rookie.
The Lithuanian junior has only played in three Big 12 games: He was a reserve center during the Wildcats’ final run through the Pac-12 in 2023-24, and sat out all of Big 12 play last season with a foot injury.
So, even after he collected 25 points and 12 rebounds against Kansas State on Wednesday, and even though he had at least a 4-inch advantage over every key player on the TCU roster Saturday, Krivas still had reason to find the Wildcats’ 86-73 win over TCU somewhat dizzying.
Arizona forward Koa Peat (10) shoots over TCU forward Micah Robinson, bottom left, as Arizona center Motiejus Krivas (13) looks on with TCU forwards David Punch (15) and Jace Posey (00) during the second half Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas.
While managing eight points and 10 rebounds Saturday, Krivas was double teamed by a physical Horned Frog defense that tried to compensate for its smaller height with physicality, something he’s likely to see more as the conference season goes on.
“It's good that we have these games in the first half of the (Big 12) season,” Krivas told the Star after Saturday’s game at Schollmaier Arena. “It’s my third game in Big 12 so I’m just getting used to it. I think it will benefit me a lot. I just have to learn from my mistakes and get better.”
Krivas has already learned a lot. He played under all-Pac-12 center Oumar Ballo as a freshman in 2023-24, and even though he stagnated last season with his injury, Krivas has become more productive as this season has progressed.
He had 10 points and eight rebounds in UA’s Nov. 14 win over UCLA, 10 rebounds at UConn, plus 14 points and 14 rebounds against Alabama, among other efforts.
But, then, this.
“We played a lot of good teams, but I think the Big 12 is the most physical league in the nation,” Krivas said. “It’s just part of the deal. You have to stay calm, don't think about the calls and just go through it.”
On Saturday, after drawing nine fouls and getting to the free-throw line 12 times against K-State, Krivas found himself on the opposite side of things. He picked up four fouls and took just four free throws against TCU but still managed to play 27 minutes and pick up his team-high 10 rebounds.
Meanwhile, forward Koa Peat collected 20 points and seven rebounds, guard Jaden Bradley scored all 17 of his points in the second half while playing only 22 total minutes because of foul trouble, and Anthony Dell’Orso added another 17 points off the bench in part by hitting 3 of 6 3-point shots.
"We're a versatile team," Bradley said. "We're just playing off each other and it makes it easy for each other. That’s the goal."
Peat was coming off a double-double against Kansas State on Wednesday during a game in which he also received a technical foul for taunting after a dunk.
Lloyd said on Wednesday that Peat immediately apologized — adding Saturday that “I've never dunked on anybody, so I don't know what I would do if I dunked on somebody" — and said he challenged Peat to produce at a high level in an away game.
“He's 100% always accountable for his actions. He’s a responsible, high character guy,” Lloyd said. “To come on the road in this environment and play the way he did, and in a physical game, it says something about him as a player.”
The Wildcats also received nine points and seven rebounds from backup post Tobe Awaka, who played only 20 minutes while picking up four fouls. In addition, Awaka left the court briefly after appearing to tweak his left ankle, though he soon returned to the game.
Arizona forward Tobe Awaka (30) shoots against TCU defenders Liutauras Lelevicius (3) and David Punch, center, during the first half Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas.
“Tobe's a warrior,” Lloyd said. “I don't know exactly what happened, but I know he was available to play, and he closed the game. He’s really valuable to us.”
But despite all that, and what was UA's 21-point lead after less than 14 minutes, the Wildcats were outscored during most of Saturday’s game, leading just 43-27 at halftime and by just single digits at two points in the second half.
Lloyd said he was not surprised, knowing the Frogs’ physical nature and the experience of TCU coach Jamie Dixon, who chaired the USA Basketball junior team committee that selected the Lloyd-coached U19 USA team that won the FIBA U19 World Cup gold medal last summer.
TCU head coach Jamie Dixon yells during the first half against Arizona Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas.
TCU is “a team that has a lot of fight in it, and they're well-coached,” Lloyd said. “They have a lot of pride as a program, they're playing at home, and we expected a response out of them. When things looked like they were going well for us, we knew that they were going to keep coming. And credit to them, they did.”
TCU cut it to 65-58 with seven minutes left when Tanner Toolson hit a 3-pointer but Dell’Orso responded with a 3-pointer of his own 32 seconds later and the Wildcats maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.
UA guard Brayden Burries put the Horned Frogs away when he stole the ball from TCU’s Brock Harding, then fed it to Peat for a dunk that gave UA an 86-67 lead with 90 seconds left.
Arizona guard Brayden Burries (5) celebrates a play with teammates forward Koa Peat (10) and guard Dwayne Aristode (2) during the first half against TCU Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas.
“I thought we could come out and disrupt a little bit with our defense, but we simply didn't,” Dixon said. “They were comfortable in half court, comfortable in the transition and comfortable on the offensive glass.”
More and more, Krivas is becoming one of those comfortable guys. Lloyd says he’s improving defensively and will continue working to get his shot off quicker, too.
Now it’s “just get back, watch film, see what I did wrong," Krivas said. "Be more on balance. Expect the contact and make the and-ones.
“I feel way better.”
