For at least the third time this season, Tommy Lloyd entered the McKale Center postgame interview room and began by saying: โDidnโt expect that.โ
Itโs getting to be a matter of routine, the Wildcats blowing away seven of their first eight opponents this season.
On Wednesday, it didnโt even matter that Wyoming has one of the slowest adjusted tempos in college basketball, nor that the Cowboys hit 7 of 13 3-pointers in the second half.
Arizona's 94-65 win over Wyoming was over early. Maybe because, Lloyd indicated, they didnโt get ahead of anything.
โIโm really proud of the guys; they came out with tremendous effort, they played with effort and fire and great intelligence,โ Lloyd said.
โIt's one of those deals we talked about, going 1 for 1 -- you get one opportunity to do something and you don't want to go 0 for 1. And these guys are going 1 for 1, whether that's possession by possession or assignment by assignment or game by game. So I'm incredibly proud of them.โ
Azuolas Tubelis said taking advantage of shooting opportunities that popped up when the Cowboys went under ball screens helped the Wildcats control the pace. Also helping: A 42-27 rebounding advantage.
โTo play fast, you have to rebound,โ Lloyd said. โYou canโt run if you donโt have the ball, so itโs an everyday thing. Thereโs no end.
But Lloyd said the Wildcats also did some specific things for Wyoming to help on the glass.
โWe worked on a few different scenarios today because they do a great job isolating good players โฆ but lot of it just comes down to will," he said. "I mean, don't put too much of it on coaching. That's just guys that are hungry to go get the ball.โ
Last season, when a player didnโt show up in an arena and there was not a stated reason why, that often meant the player was out for a positive COVID-19 test or contact tracing.
On Wednesday, Kim Aiken didnโt show up and UA said only that it was for โpersonal reasons,โ which doesnโt really narrow anything out except injury.
Asked if it was COVID-related, Lloyd said he couldnโt say what it was about.
โHeโs got a personal issue, and thatโs whatโs going on,โ Lloyd said. โYou need to respect his deal.โ
Whatever it is, Lloyd said he didnโt know if Aiken would be available on Saturday at Illinois.
โHe's working through it,โ Lloyd said. โAt some point, I'd love to have him back with us and the sooner the better for me. But again, itโs a Kim Aiken personal issue that I really don't have any influence on.โ
Both Kerr Kriisa and Pelle Larsson went to the locker room briefly in the first half with what appeared to be left ankle sprains (Lloyd said he thought they looked like ankle injuries but wasnโt sure โ โI just ask if they can play,โ he said.)
Larsson missed two months of the preseason with a broken foot but Lloyd said he couldnโt remember if his broken foot was also on the left side or not.
While both players returned to the game Wednesday, thereโs always a chance of swelling or other issues in the following days โฆ and UA will be traveling to play Illinois on Saturday.
โWe'll see,โ Lloyd said. โI mean, you're always worried the next day. But Justin (Kokoskie, athletic trainer) seems to have a magic touch with that stuff. So you tape it up and you play if you can and not cause further injury -- and Justin's great at that. So I'm trusting him.โ
