During both of their first two seasons under Tommy Lloyd, the Arizona Wildcats were among the top five teams nationally in assist-to-field goal ratio.
Pass-happy, defined.
But while the Wildcats met that standard easily Monday, in a 94-65 exhibition win over New Mexico Highlands at McKale Center, they also found that things can go a little too far sometimes.
Arizona set up 28 of 34 field goals with an assist, well beyond the 64.7% ratio they posted to rank fifth last season, but also turned the ball over 24 times. Three Wildcats had four turnovers each β guards Caleb Love, Jaden Bradley and Kylan Boswell β though Love led the Wildcats with 19 points, four rebounds and three assists.
βWe've just got to make the easy play,β Love said. βWe were just a little too careless today.β
Even if, maybe, their hearts were in the right place. Freshman guard KJ Lewis led the Wildcats in assists with five but had three turnovers while he and his teammates.
Arizona Wildcats guard KJ Lewis (5) eyes the basket as heβs defended by Rodney Mason II of New Mexico in the first half during an exhibition game at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on October 30, 2023.
βYou have times when you can be too unselfish, where guys have open shots that we should be taking,β Lewis said. βCoach Lloyd has no problem with us taking them. We just gotta breathe a little bit more, slow down and read what the defense is giving us.β
Both Lewis and Love said the Wildcats would clean up that sort of thing in time for their regular-season opener on Nov. 6 against Morgan State, so it figured that was a topic of conversation in the post-game locker room.
Certainly it was in Lloydβs postgame press conference. While Lloyd complimented several things about a team that set up all those baskets and put five guys into double figures, he wasnβt wild about those 24 turnovers, which included 18 steals New Mexico Highlands picked off.
βWe pride ourselves in being a team that shares the ball and plays the right way,β Lloyd said. βI thought we actually played selfish in stretches today and maybe a little bit careless combined with that. I mean, turning the ball over that much β¦ New Mexico Highlands is gonna be a really good team in their conference, but we shouldnβt be doing that.β
At the same time, Lloyd said he was glad it happened now, giving him another video to teach with in the days leading up to the season opener and a date at Duke on Nov. 10.
The Wildcats can also spend the time working big men Oumar Ballo and Motiejus Krivas further back in the lineup, who returned Monday after missing UAβs first exhibition on Oct. 20 with unspecified minor injuries, and they may soon return senior wing Pelle Larsson (ankle/foot).
Arizona Wildcats forward Henri Veesaar (13) walks off the court following the end of an exhibition game at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on October 30, 2023. Arizona beat New Mexico Highlands, 94-65.
However, Arizona lost sophomore forward Henri Veesaar for at least the early part of the regular season after he injured his right elbow during a golf event last weekend.
UA did not specify the injury or a timetable for Veesaarβs return and Lloyd offered little when asked after the game if Veesaar was hurt by a golf cart.
βYeah, Iβm not going to comment on any of the specifics of it,β Lloyd said. βBut, yeah, it was kind of an unfortunate thing off the court and luckily, it turned out that itβs gonna be OK.β
Veesaar watched the game with a sling around his right elbow, while he joined Larsson in wearing sweats to the event.
For most of the game, especially early, Veesaar and Larsson watched their teammates roll over the Cowboys. In the first half, the Cowboys shot just 22.9% while hitting only 3 of their 18 3-pointers in the first half, when Love had 10 points.
After UA took a 47-25 halftime lead, New Mexico Highlands shot 40% in the second half but never threatened the Wildcats, who had eight players score seven or more points. UA wound up shooting 48.6% from the field in the game, kept New Mexico Highlands to 30% shooting and outrebounded it 55-29.
While Love scored his 19 points on 8-for-13 shooting, adding four rebounds and three assists for Arizona, Keshad Johnson added 10 points and seven rebounds in 19 minutes while Lloyd played all 11 of his healthy scholarship players.
Filip Borovicanin, Paulius Murauskas and Lewis all added another 10 points each. Ballo had seven points and five rebounds in his return while Krivas added seven points and three rebounds.
Arizona Basketball Press Conference, Tommy Lloyd, Oct. 30, 2023 after exhibition win over New Mexico Highlands (Arizona Athletics YouTube)
Photos: No. 12 Arizona men's basketball rolls over New Mexico Highlands
Arizona Wildcats forward Keshad Johnson (16) looks to make a pass as heβs defended by New Mexico players in the first half during an exhibition game at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on October 30, 2023.
Arizona Wildcats forward Keshad Johnson (16) is defended by New Mexicoβs Eric Sonnenberg in the first half during an exhibition game at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on October 30, 2023.
Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (14) is defended by New Mexicoβs Rodney Mason II in the first half during an exhibition game at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on October 30, 2023.
Members of the UA pep band perform with costumes for Halloween during an exhibition game at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on October 30, 2023.
Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love (2) eyes the basket in the first half during an exhibition game against New Mexico Highlands at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on October 30, 2023.
Arizona Wildcats forward Filip Borovicanin (1) is defended by Kenard Richardson and AC Curry of New Mexico in the first half during an exhibition game at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on October 30, 2023.
Arizona Wildcats guard KJ Lewis (5) is defended by Messiah Turner of New Mexico in the first half during an exhibition game at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on October 30, 2023.
Arizona Wildcats guard KJ Lewis (5) eyes the basket as heβs defended by Rodney Mason II of New Mexico in the first half during an exhibition game at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on October 30, 2023.
Messiah Turner of New Mexico and Arizona Wildcats guard KJ Lewis (5) reach for the rebound in the first half during an exhibition game at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on October 30, 2023.
Arizona Wildcats forward Paulius Murauskas (23) looks to make a pass as New Mexico defenders watch in the second half during an exhibition game at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on October 30, 2023. Arizona won 94-65.
Arizona Wildcats forward Henri Veesaar (13) walks off the court following the end of an exhibition game at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. on October 30, 2023. Arizona beat New Mexico Highlands, 94-65.
