Seen and heard at Gill Coliseum: Tommy Lloyd's Kelso crew shows up and Cats go retro in runaway win

Notes from UA's game at Oregon State on Sunday, including a visit from the Lloyd family and a Cactus logo sighting

Kelso crew

Six relatives of UA coach Tommy Lloyd made the two-hour trip from their hometown of Kelso, Washington, to take in Sunday’s Arizona-Oregon State game, including Lloyd’s mother, father and brother.

But other than wearing plenty of UA gear, they kept the same sort of low-key presence that Lloyd has carried as the Wildcats’ head coach. Sitting in the corner of Gill Coliseum a few rows behind the Wildcats’ bench, Lloyd’s mother, Jackie, said the group was hoping to see Tommy after the game but that they “didn’t want to distract him” beforehand.

Vaxxed up

Unlike McKale Center, where fans only need to wear a mask to enter McKale Center, OSU won’t let fans into Gill Coliseum without showing proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test plus proof of identification, thanks to Oregon state mandate.

Fans were also required to wear masks inside Gill Coliseum except when eating or drinking — as they are at McKale Center — and roughly two-thirds of them did. Signs outside the arena and handheld signs inside reminded them to.

“Please wear your mask. Just like Benny,” said the handheld signs several usher held around the arena, showing the Beaver mascot wearing a black Beaver mask.

Retro look

On their trip to Las Vegas last month and this weekend to Oregon, the Wildcats wore sweatsuits and other gear with the classic Arizona “cactus” logo that became familiar during the Lute Olson era.

UA equipment manager Brian Brigger said the Wildcats first broke out the cactus gear for the 2020 Pac-12 Tournament, but that event lasted only one day because of coronavirus concerns.

But the Wildcats don’t want to overdo use of the cactus, Brigger said, and are continuing to use their “block A” primarily.

“That’s our brand,” Brigger said. “We want to make sure it’s out there.”

Heads up

Partially renovated before the 2018-19 season, with gigantic video boards over center court, Gill Coliseum has largely looked the same outside since its construction in 1949.

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But its neighbor across the street, Reser Stadium, is blowing up.

Literally.

The bare-bones metal stands on the West side of Reser are scheduled for a Jan. 7 implosion as part of a $153 million renovation. According to the Oregonian, it was determined that imploding the old grandstands by a licensed contractor was safer than demolishing it in pieces.

Still, everyone nearby will be on alert for the 7 a.m. hour on Jan. 7, when the implosion is scheduled for. All structures within 500 feet of the West side stands will be vacated while occupants in buildings within 1,000 feet are being asked to stay indoors and away from windows and patios.

The stands are scheduled to implode vertically to the ground following two seconds’ worth of explosions. It will be livestreamed, of course.

Bad break

Like Arizona’s Pelle Larsson, OSU forward Rodrigue Andela suffered a broken foot in practice last week that is expected to keep him out two to three months.

But Larsson broke his while training with the Swedish national team in August and therefore was recovered in time for the Wildcats’ Nov. 9 season opener. Andela probably won’t return until late in the season or possibly just before the Pac-12 Tournament, and it will be tough to get his timing back at that point.

A juco transfer in 2020-21 who is originally from Cameroon, Andela was averaging 4.6 points and 2.9 rebounds while starting four of seven games.

“He had been playing better and they were really playing through him in the post,” said UA associate head coach Jack Murphy, who scouted the Beavers.

Advice from 'The Dream'

Born in Nigeria and then moving to Houston at age 3, OSU forward Warith Alatishe has a special bond with a certain Nigerian-American who became a basketball star at the University of Houston and with the Houston Rockets.

Turns out, Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon knows Alatishe’s father and gave advice to Warith as he was growing up. Alatish even called the Dream for some pointers before the Beavers’ Elite 8 run in the NCAA Tournament last season, too.

“He just told me when I’m out there, don’t let the lights get too bright, just be confident and just play my game,” Alatishe said during Pac-12 preseason media day. “And he said, `Don’t foul out.’ ”

— Bruce Pascoe