Through two exhibitions and an exhibition-like season opener, the Arizona Wildcats reveled in luxury. They displayed a rotation that can go up to 10 players deep, with different sizes and styles to mix and match depending on the opponent.
They also won every game easily.
Yet with one more home-court date to go before UA will play at Wisconsin on Nov. 15, — Saturday against Old Dominion — UA coach Tommy Lloyd exited his postgame interview with an almost mid-season level of concern.
He had a lot to sort through. While Lloyd has developed tight seven- or eight-player rotations over his first three seasons with a number of NBA talents, suddenly he has more ways to go this time.
Does he play 7-footers Motiejus Krivas and Henri Veesaar together often, and without sacrificing the rebounding that Trey Townsend and Tobe Awaka can provide? What group is best to mix in the multiple skills of freshman Carter Bryant or, when he’s on, the shooting touch of Anthony Dell’Orso?
Wildcats forward Carter Bryant jumps to block Golden Griffins guard Paul McMillan IV's shot during the season opening game at McKale Center, Nov. 4, 2024.
“We’re definitely in a different place, with different guys, different players,” point guard Jaden Bradley said. “We’re all just trying to get used to playing with each other in different lineups. We’ve got so many lineups we can go with.”
And, by the way, who is best to put on the ball if Bradley is resting, especially if he picks up early fouls?
Those, and many more, are questions that could be bouncing around Lloyd’s head.
“Here’s the deal: I’ve got to figure out a way to mesh the lineups so they’re not so glaringly different,” Lloyd said. “I’ve got to spend some time on it and figure it out and then who we play against Old Dominion might not be who we play on the road at Wisconsin. That’s a decision I’ve got to make.”
Even choices that might seem easy aren’t. For one, backup point guard Conrad Martinez has mostly held his own, though he matched his three assists with three turnovers in an Oct. 28 exhibition against Point Loma.
And Dell’Orso, whose 1-for-9 shooting in Monday’s opener against Canisius might have suggested a downgrade in the rotation, hit half of his 16 3-pointers taken during two exhibition games and the Oct. 4 Red-Blue Showcase scrimmage.
“It’s early,” Lloyd said. “Conrad’s done OK. It’s not like he’s struggled. And Delly’s been great.”
Besides, Lloyd said, it’s hard to read too much into the first game of the season when players new to the program might be on edge or trying too hard to make an impression.
As it turned out, while Arizona’s veterans kept the Wildcats out of trouble Monday, all of their newcomers struggled at times: Townsend had just two points on 1-for-4 shooting, Awaka had nine rebounds but shot 1 for 3, Dell’Orso had a wildly inefficient seven points while Bryant missed all three 3-pointers he took and had two turnovers.
Arizona forward Trey Townsend jumps to gain possession of a loose ball during the game against Canisius on Nov. 4, 2024.
“I just want to make sure that we’re playing as a connected team and I think for the most part, we did” against Canisius, Lloyd said. “But you also have to have a little grace on some of these guys. It was the first game, even a little different than an exhibition game, and the guys know it. Maybe some guys didn’t respond well enough to a missed shot or a turnover or things like that. I think they’ll get a little bit more comfortable.”
Lloyd also took some of the blame for throwing a lot of different schemes at the Wildcats, such as the trapping defense they deployed. Lloyd had them test it against the Griffins, and it didn’t always go as well as he’d hoped.
Within that defensive scheme, Lloyd said, there were complications such as making sure guys get matched up correctly if an opponent gets the ball past half-court.
“I’m hoping that it’s something we can utilize over the course of the year,” Lloyd said. “I think we could have been a little bit more aggressive and opportunistic…. But I’ve probably been installing too many things intentionally, and maybe we’re a little bit watered down.”
Still, with all the schemes and personnel to test out, one thing is clear: That Arizona is better off having Jaden Bradley, Caleb Love and KJ Lewis play as much as possible.
The three perimeter starters totaled 46 points, 14 assists and just one rebound against Canisius while each had a plus-minus ranging between plus-23 and plus-29.
As a whole, the Wildcats built a 10-0 lead at the beginning of the game with their starters and made it 20-2 lead while Veesaar subbed in for Awaka over nearly the next four minutes.
But when four starters combined with Dell’Orso, who had subbed for Love over the final four minutes of the first half, Arizona and Canisius each scored 10 points.
Love’s value was shown by his team-high 17 points, six rebounds and no assists — but also maybe by the Wildcats’ lesser efficiency when he rested.
“I just want Caleb making great basketball plays over and over and over again,” Lloyd said. “I love the way he played under control and on balance and the role he played alongside Jaden and KJ felt really good. The pieces fit together.”
