At the outset of Tommy Lloyd’s first season coaching Arizona he began the year outside the Associated Press Top 25. It wasn’t until starting 5-0 that his Wildcats got ranked, and it’s remained that way ever since.
The UA slipped seven spots to 24th in the latest AP poll, its lowest ranking since being outside the Top 25 in mid-November 2021.
Arizona (2-2) is riding its first losing streak of the Lloyd era, with both losses coming to ranked opponents including Friday’s 69-55 home setback to Duke, which is No. 11. The other loss was at Wisconsin, which is 15th after beginning the season unranked.
It’s the 61st consecutive week Arizona has been ranked, the fourth-longest active streak in college basketball and fifth-longest streak in school history.
The Big 12 Conference again has six ranked teams, including three in the Top 10. Kansas remains No. 1, with Iowa State at No. 5 and Houston at No. 6, followed by No. 16 Cincinnati and No. 17 Baylor.
The Wildcats could face a ranked opponent this week at the Battle4Atlantis in Nassau, Bahams, depending on how the tournament plays out. They open Wednesday against Davidson, then will face either Oklahoma or Providence on Thursday, and Friday’s finale could be against No. 3 Gonzaga or No. 14 Indiana.