PHOENIX — Even before Saturday’s UA-UCLA game began Saturday, the Wildcats’ future appeared a little dimmer.
That’s because center Motiejus Krivas was back on the sidelines in a boot, nursing a left foot injury that appeared connected in some form to the left foot discomfort that cost him the bulk of the preseason.
Arizona center Motiejus Krivas sits on the sideline wearing a boot on his left foot before the start of the game against the UCLA Bruins at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Dec. 14, 2024.
UA coach Tommy Lloyd stopped short of saying Krivas was suffering from an extension or continuance of the same injury, but said it was possible Krivas could be out weeks or even all season.
“It’s a lower foot injury in the same foot,” Lloyd said. “We don’t have a final diagnosis as to what the full extent of everything is.”
Arizona has received production at center with Tennessee transfer Tobe Awaka and 7-foot redshirt sophomore Henri Veesaar, but any loss of Krivas is a blow to the Wildcats. A projected first-round NBA pick, Krivas was a big reason why UA could breathe easier after all-Pac-12 center Oumar Ballo left for Indiana last spring.
Krivas has said he began experiencing pain in his left ankle area after two weeks of practice in Tucson late last summer that followed a busy offseason in which he played for the Lithuanian U20 team.
Krivas returned in time for Arizona’s season opener and has played in all eight of Arizona’s games so far, averaging 7.6 points and 4.9 rebounds. He started Arizona’s Nov. 22 loss to Duke but has otherwise played behind Awaka at center while averaging 15.7 minutes a game.
Time is short
Because he had stepped down as the Cleveland Guardians’ manager at the end of the 2023 major-league season, UA baseball legend and Tucson resident Terry Francona became a regular at Wildcat basketball games last season.
But because Francona hopped back in the game by becoming the Cincinnati Reds’ manager last October, that’s no longer possible. Off soon to Goodyear for spring training, Francona did manage an appearance at the Footprint Center on Saturday.
Other honored guests
Suns coach Mike Budenholzer and Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo were also among those taking in the game, with Budenholzer wearing a gray Wildcats T-shirt on the floor at midcourse.
Other notables in attendance included former Wildcat standout guard Mike Bibby, former UA wing Brendon Lavender, Diamondbacks outfielders Alek Thomas and Pavin Smith, plus D-backs pitcher Kevin Ginkel.
Bloodlines
In between two UCLA baskets from forward Tyler Bilodeau in the second half, the Footprint Center video board featured back-in-the-day poses from his parents, Brent Bilodeau and Cass Bauer-Bilodeau.
Brent was shown in a Montreal Canadiens hockey uniform, having been a 1991 first-round NHL pick, while Cass was shown in a WNBA uniform during her seven-year pro basketball career.
Both parents were then shown live watching the game at the Footprint Center, and Brent broke out into a wide grin when alerted to the sideboard.
Shouldering the change
While two of the West Coast’s premier college basketball programs were going at it Saturday, their uniforms also signaled how they have been absorbed into cultures from other regions.
UCLA wore a “Big Ten” patch on their left shoulders, while the Wildcats wore a Big 12 patch underneath an American flag.
The big number
22: Arizona turnovers against UCLA on Saturday.
Quotable
“The restaurants are better here.” — UCLA coach Mick Cronin, when asked about the difference between playing Saturday’s game in Phoenix instead of at McKale Center.
