Tommy Lloyd will have to wait to see packed McKale Center

When Tommy Lloyd accompanied Gonzaga into McKale Center for a top-10 showdown seven years ago, an over-capacity crowd of 14,655 stood and yelled giddily as an airballed Zags free throw helped the Wildcats hang on to a grind-it-out 66-63 win.

Five years after that, a McKale sellout crowd of 14,644 tried to boost a less-heralded Arizona team led by freshmen Nico Mannion, Josh Green and Zeke Nnaji against Gonzaga. The UA shot poorly and suffered a four-point loss to the sixth-ranked Bulldogs.

Both times, Lloyd took it all in as a Gonzaga assistant coach.

“That’s what I remember McKale as,” Lloyd said Wednesday.

He hasn’t seen that McKale so far in four home games as the Wildcats’ coach this season, despite Arizona’s 6-0 start, No. 11 national ranking and a fan-friendly style of play that features a fast pace and unselfishness.

There are many possible reasons, of course. Some affect nearly every college team, such as declines in attendance and the inability of fans to get to know players who usually leave after a year or two.

At Arizona, there are a few more possibilities: A still-pending NCAA infractions case that includes five Level I charges, resulting in a self-imposed postseason ban last season and possibly more penalties in the future; a home nonconference schedule that lacks a single high-major opponent, and maybe even ticket prices that start at $26 for upper-level seats behind the basket.

Bad timing hasn’t helped either. In the first game since the Wildcats jumped into the AP Top 25 poll following big wins over Wichita State and Michigan, Arizona tipped off against low-major Sacramento State last Saturday … moments after the UA football team finished up the Territorial Cup football game at ASU.

Arizona announced 11,733 fans for that game, its smallest crowd of the season so far.

Then there’s the cloud that has affected everyone over the past two years: The pandemic, which resulted in fans being prohibited from McKale Center last season and may be keeping some away by choice so far this season.

Athletic director Dave Heeke said in October that the program still had a 95% renewal rate for season tickets, though he acknowledged that some fans were “choosing not to come back because of the pandemic right now.”

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Since then, UA has announced average crowds of 12,019 fans over their four regular-season home games, but the in-seat averages have appeared closer to 10,000, with empty seats dotting the lower sections and in swaths throughout the upper sections.

Whatever the exact numbers, Lloyd indicated it’s a different feel than he’s experienced at McKale Center in the past.

“Listen: We’ve got a great fan base, but to be honest with you, I haven’t felt it,” Lloyd said. “I mean, these games don’t feel any crazier to me. I’m looking up in the stands and there’s a lot of empty seats. It just seems to me everybody’s got an excuse why there’s people not at the game, and I get that COVID’s a legit excuse. I get that.”

At the same time, though, Lloyd indicated he is not complaining. He’s got the Wildcats at 6-0, and he’s left plenty of spots still on the bandwagon.

He’ll have to wait a bit longer. Thursday’s game against Washington has been postponed because of COVID-19 protocols with Washington’s program. The Wildcats will play at Oregon State on Sunday, then return home Wednesday for a nonconference game vs. Wyoming.

Thursday’s game was to be a rare early December conference game.

“I’m excited to feel what McKale was like,” Lloyd said Wednesday afternoon, before the UW-UA game was postponed. “Obviously, people are waiting to see what we’re doing, and we’ve got to earn the fan support. That’s the way I’m approaching it.

“We’re not going to beg for it. We’re going to go out and put the best product we can out there. We’re going to play our hearts out, and if they choose to come watch us, we’ll be excited.”

Koloko OK after sprain

Center Christian Koloko has returned to practice after spraining an ankle against Sacramento State last Saturday.

Koloko left Saturday’s game four minutes into the second half and did not return. Lloyd said Koloko did not have any setbacks this week.

“He’s been good,” Lloyd said. “Christian’s fine. He’s a tough kid. He’s obviously having a great year and he’s been practicing.”