The No. 3-ranked Arizona Wildcats are riding a six-game winning streak and now turn their focus to the Oregon schools, with a contest against the Oregon State Beavers slated for Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at McKale Center.Β
OSU (3-20) is 1-12 in Pac-12 play and last in the conference standings, while the 22-2 Wildcats hold a three-game lead for first place.Β
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd and point guard Kerr Kriisa, who revealed he's nursing a left hand injury, held a news conference on Wednesday previewing the upcoming week; here's what they said:Β
Kriisa handling thumb injury
βIt hurts when I play. It hurts when I eat. It hurts.β β Kerr Kriisa on his left thumb injury pic.twitter.com/LF7QbSK30H
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) February 16, 2022
Not overlooking OSU
Will Arizona overlook last-place Oregon State on Thursday? βThey better not,β says Tommy Lloyd. pic.twitter.com/VMUx2FCGZx
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) February 16, 2022
Overcoming sluggish starts
Tommy Lloyd on how Arizona has responded to slow starts over the last few games: pic.twitter.com/dsbg2ky7fV
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) February 16, 2022
Beavers' fall after Elite Eight run in 2021
Last season, Oregon State was in the Elite Eight. Now, the Beavers are in last place of the Pac-12 standings. So, what happened? βI donβt know specifically what happened, but Iβm preparing for them to play their best game tomorrow.β β Tommy Lloyd pic.twitter.com/hKfJsNlJsF
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) February 16, 2022
Handling national attention
βItβs not even a blip on my radar.β β Tommy Lloyd on receiving National Coach of the Year attention pic.twitter.com/J9YsAbooqw
— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster) February 17, 2022
Staying in the moment
Tommy Lloyd had no idea the Arizona-USC make-up game on March 1 started at 9 p.m. β@BrucePascoe, youβre breaking news to me.β pic.twitter.com/8mcmqvo59X
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) February 17, 2022
Expectations for Cats before/during the season
βThere were a lot of haters. Now theyβre fans, I guess. Welcome to the fan club.β β @KerrKriisa on Arizonaβs preseason expectations and how itβs changed throughout the season pic.twitter.com/JXkLxKI1EZ
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) February 16, 2022
Learning about College GameDay
Kerr Kriisa had no idea what @CollegeGameDay was until Arizona teammate Jordan Mains explained it to him. pic.twitter.com/nyL8wVjEjG
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) February 16, 2022
Lloyd's connection to OSU head coach Wayne Tinkle
Tommy Lloyd and Oregon State head coach Wayne Tinkle both come from the same neighborhood in Spokane. Tinkleβs sister was also the fourth-grade teacher of Lloydβs kids. pic.twitter.com/gBCL928cRH
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) February 16, 2022