The first time an Arizona player was T’d-up this fall, it was ultimately harmless to the Wildcats.
Point Loma did wind up with an extra four made free throws after Anthony Dell’Orso’s personal and technical fouls on Oct. 28, but it was an exhibition game. And UA won by 49 points anyway.
Dell'Orso said, "there wouldn't be much more of that" in the regular season, when technicals could become much more costly and, already, UA coach Tommy Lloyd was fretting over what could happen if a real game was on the line.
Extra free throws for the opponent, loss of possession, loss of momentum.
Maybe even loss of game.
“We’ve got to learn — I think we can — to take a deep breath in those situations and not hurt ourselves,” Lloyd said after the Oct. 28 exhibition.
They haven't yet. While playing a rugged November schedule that kept their emotions predictably high, Wildcat players picked up four technical fouls.
There's a case to be made that three of them cost the Wildcats significant momentum — if not the game outright — in losses to Wisconsin, Duke and Oklahoma.
Guard Caleb Love picked up a T against Wisconsin for lightly shoving a player, while guard KJ Lewis was called for technicals against Duke and Oklahoma for essentially taunting after made baskets.
“It was, again, so disappointing,” Lloyd said after the Oklahoma game. “KJ has got to do better. Now, I love him. I'm going to hang with him. He's an emotional guy, but you just don't do that to your team. You just don't put your team in that position over and over again…
“We've talked about it but unfortunately, some of these old habits die hard, and we're going to continue to have conversations about it. And if it gets to the point where I have to start disciplining, I will.”
Arizona guard KJ Lewis (5), shown after sinking a bucket in the second half of the Wildcats’ 69-55 loss to Duke on Nov. 22. Lewis let his emotional play slip into two technical fouls last month.
The next day, Lloyd kept Lewis out of the starting lineup against West Virginia. The Wildcats did not commit a technical, which helped them stay in the tight game, but they lost to the Mountaineers in overtime.
Arizona finished November at 3-4, after never losing a single game in three previous Novembers under Lloyd.
Here’s how UA's techs have played a role:
Oct. 28 at McKale Center (exhibition): Arizona 113, Point Loma 64
What happened: Dell’Orso fouled Point Loma’s Zack Paulsen outside the 3-point arc with five minutes left in the first half, then was called for a Class A Technical when he stared Paulsen down.
The score: Arizona was leading 51-34, but Dell’Orso’s fouls put Paulsen at the free-throw line for five shots — and he made four to cut Arizona’s lead to just 51-38.
End result: Point Loma went on to cut Arizona’s lead to just 10 points just over a minute later, but trailed 59-45 at halftime and the Wildcats pulled further away in the second half.
Nov. 4 at McKale Center: Arizona 93, Canisius 64
What happened: With just over five minutes left in Arizona's regular-season opener, Canisius’ Jasman Sangha appeared to yank UA forward Henri Veesaar on a drive to the basket. Officials reviewed the sequence, then ejected Sangha for a Flagrant 2 foul but also handed Veesaar a Class A technical for his reaction to Sangha.
Arizona Wildcats forward Tobe Awaka holds back forward Henri Veesaar after he was fouled in the second half of the game against Canisius at McKale Center, Nov. 4, 2024.
Lloyd expressed concern that Sangha's actions didn’t draw an immediate whistle, which might have prevented Veesaar from retaliating, but didn’t criticize the officiating directly.
The score: Arizona led 84-57 at the time of the dustup and Veesaar made 1 of 2 free throws resulting from the personal foul to put the Wildcats up by 28. But the Wildcats didn't get to shoot technical free throws because of the offsetting Ts.
End result: The Wildcats coasted the rest of the way, putting walk-ons in about a minute later.
Nov. 14 at Madison, Wis: Wisconsin 103, Arizona 88
What happened: Rather than an excessive celebration foul, Love was called for one that appeared to be out of frustration. He was first called for a foul trying to defend Wisconsin’s John Blackwell near the basket, and then, when the two players began animatedly discussing the matter, Love extended his right arm toward Blackwell for a light shove.
The score: Blackwell hit the two personal free throws, and Wisconsin’s Max Klesmit made the two technical free throws, moving the Badgers’ lead from 9-8 to 13-8.
End result: While the Wildcats did manage to tie the game briefly in the second half, the Badgers never trailed — and, maybe most important, Love was never the same. The Wildcats' preseason all-American finished with just six points in 25 minutes before he fouled out with five minutes left.
“Caleb can’t put himself in a position where early in the game he gets a technical foul,” Lloyd said at his postgame news conference. “He can’t get baited into anything.”
Nov. 22 at McKale Center: Duke 69, Arizona 55
What: With 8:48 left in the game, Lewis drove inside in transition for a contested layup, then flexed in some form at Duke’s Sion James, who had been contesting the layup along with Tyrese Proctor. Camera angles left it unclear if there were words involved but a non-verbal stare down is enough, as Dell'Orso also found out.
The score: The Wildcats did not suffer an immediate penalty, with Proctor missing both ensuing free throws and leaving the Blue Devils with a 50-43 lead.
End result: After a timeout, Duke’s Cooper Flagg hit a 3-pointer, and the Wildcats never cut the Blue Devils’ lead under six points from there.
Nov. 28 at Paradise Island, Bahamas: Oklahoma 82, Arizona 77
What happened: With 14:07 to go, Lewis stepped back for a 3-pointer at the top of the key, then pointed at the Oklahoma bench as he backpedaled to get on defense. The gesture earned him another Class A Technical.
The score: Lewis’ 3 cut Oklahoma’s lead to 46-42, but Jeremiah Fears hit both of the ensuing technical free throws to put the Sooners up by six.
End result: Love stole the ball on Oklahoma’s next possession, leading to a jumper from Dell’Orso, but Arizona never cut it to less than three points the rest of the way.
“You don't celebrate against the other team. That's not winning,” Lloyd said of Lewis' gesture afterward. “Winning is celebrating together.”
Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd expresses disbelief over a referee call in the second half during a game at McKale Center on Nov. 22, 2024. Duke won 69-55.
