When Arizona took hold of the Big 12's life raft in 2023, jumping from the imploding Pac-12, it faced lesser competition in some nonrevenue sports, more travel, and mostly worse weather.
But there was always this upside, among others: Kansas would be forced to visit McKale Center for men’s basketball games.
Two-and-a-half years after UA accepted the invitation to play in the Big 12, it’s finally happening Saturday: The No. 14-ranked Jayhawks will visit McKale, the last of the current Big 12 teams to do so, since they were scheduled only to host Arizona last season.
Once a top rival of Arizona during the Lute Olson era, Kansas has not played at McKale since the 2008-09 season.
“We know everyone's been excited about this game for a long time,” UA coach Tommy Lloyd said.
Lloyd put some caution on it, saying “It’s one of 18 games in your conference schedule, you're playing at home on a Saturday afternoon, and you want to take advantage of that. I'm not going to make more of a game than that.”
Inside, Lloyd basically said he’s hoping that fans can make more of it. That they can make it the sort of electric environment that Iowa State and Kansas both hosted Arizona in last season, and the sort of crazed environment earlier this month that was the background for another Arizona loss.
Saying last season that he wasn’t indicting UA fans, Lloyd noted that “there’s a gap” between Iowa State and Kansas environments, and the one at McKale. Maybe it gets closed somewhat Saturday.
Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) reacts after scoring during the second half against Arizona, Feb. 9, in Lawrence, Kan.
“I hope our fans welcome Kansas and coach (Bill) Self like their fans welcomed me,” Lloyd said. “Nothing disrespectful, but they were there for it, and that would be great.
“Our fans need to know that there's a standard that's been set for fandom, and Kansas is pretty high up that list. So let’s compete.”
On the floor, the Wildcats have already been outpacing the Jayhawks despite their 82-78 loss to Kansas on Feb. 9 at Allen Fieldhouse. At 26-2 overall and 13-2 in the Big 12, No. 2 Arizona can clinch a tie for the conference title by avenging that Feb. 9 loss.
Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) is hugged by Kansas head coach Bill Self, right, as they celebrate after their team's upset over Arizona, Feb. 9, in Lawrence, Kan.
That’s not lost on Kansas coach Bill Self. The Jayhawks have won 17 Big 12 championships under Self, but the odds are against them for getting this one.
“It's Arizona's,” Self said Thursday, when asked how he saw the conference race “If it doesn’t fall our way on Saturday, I think you're looking at Arizona being the 90, 95% prohibitive favorite to go ahead and close it out.”
“Who knows? But I see everybody obviously needing a lot of help in order for Arizona not to get it done.”
It’s also not lost on Lloyd.
Even being a self-proclaimed day-by-day guy, Lloyd has had no problem speaking to the bigger picture as the title opportunity approaches. He even noted after UA beat Houston last Saturday to take sole possession of first place that the Wildcats had “put ourselves in position to be in position.”
When asked Thursday about his change in mentality, Lloyd said “because it’s closer to reality,” and elaborated further.
“Who cares what anybody says after three, five, seven, eight games,” Lloyd said. “But as you get to the end and you see an opportunity, I think you can acknowledge it's an opportunity.”
Houston guard Milos Uzan (7), forward Kalifa Sakho (14) and forward Chase McCarty (24) attempt to block a shot from Arizona forward Tobe Awaka (30) in the second half, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Houston.
It’s also an opportunity to get something particularly meaningful, Lloyd said. While reaching the Final Four takes only four high-level wins, a conference championship is decided over two months of nearly twice-weekly competition, something he said coaches take note of.
“Conference championships mean a lot, I know, to programs and coaches, maybe not the fan bases, because they get fixated on what they consider the final result,” Lloyd said. “But when you do what we do, anytime you're judged over a conference season against your competitors, and if you can come out on top, that says something about your program.
“We want to be a team competing for championships, and a Big 12 championship would be no different. It'd be something we'd be really proud to get done.
“But," he said. "Do it. We‘ve got to go do it now.”
