University of Arizona vs Oregon State, men's basketball

Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd encourages his offense as they come up the floor against the Oregon State Beavers in the second half of their Pac 12 game at McKale Center, Tucson, Ariz., February 17, 2022.

 Kelly Presnell, Arizona Daily Star

Arizona's Tommy Lloyd was one of 15 coaches named to the late-season watch list for the Naismith Coach of the Year award.

The Wildcats are 23-2 and ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll so far in Lloyd's first season as the Wildcats' coach after a 20-year stint as an assistant at Gonzaga.

Lloyd's former boss at Gonzaga, Mark Few, won the award last season and is also on the late-season watch list this season.

Other coaches named included: Mark Adams of Texas Tech, John Calipari of Kentucky, Ed Cooley of Providence, Scott Drew of Baylor, Steve Forbes of Wake Forest, Greg Gard of Wisconsin, Jeff Linder of Wyoming, Bob McKillop of Davidson, Matt McMahon of Murray State, Bruce Pearl of Auburn, Kelvin Sampson of Houston, Shaka Smart of Marquette and Brad Underwood of Illinois.

As part of a UA contract that pays Lloyd a guaranteed $2.9 million this season, he will receive an additional $20,000 if he is named the Pac-12's coach of the year and $40,000 if he is named national coach of the year by either the Atlanta Tipoff Club (Naismith), NABC or AP.

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