It has been a tough start for Arizona, its five losses the most outside of league play since dropping six before the Pac-12 slate in 2009-10. None of the defeats have been bad one, as all five qualified as Quad 1 games and each opponent was in the Top 100 of KenPom, but there also hasn’t been a good win.
Wednesday’s 96-64 victory over Samford may prove to be the best of the preseason lot, as the Bulldogs are projected to win the Southern Conference. The last nonconference opponent, Central Michigan, won’t move the needle much, but Saturday’s final pre-Big 12 tuneup still has immense value for the Wildcats.
“I want to polish a win,” UA coach Tommy Lloyd said when asked if there was anything he’d like to polish up against Central Michigan. “That’s what I want to do. And so that’s going to be the focus.”
Still, Saturday’s game will provide the last time for Arizona to try new things—like it did against Samford when Anthony Dell’Orso made his first start—before Big 12 play opens Dec. 30 against TCU.
Here’s what to watch for when the Wildcats face the Chippewas:
More rotation shuffling
Lloyd said the decision to start Dell’Orso at the 3 on Wednesday was him “trying things” to see what else could work for Arizona. It resulted in the fourth different starting lineup for the Wildcats, tied for most in a season under Lloyd but the previous time in 2022-23 was due to letting some walk-ons start on Senior Day.
That same five could start against Central Michigan, but it’s how the reserves are used that is worth watching. Particularly where (and how much) Carter Bryant plays, as his role continues to come into focus.
“Today’s the first day we kind of played him some some minutes at the 4,” Lloyd said on Wednesday night. “Maybe I could have did that earlier. he 4 and the 3 in our system in the way we play, they’re just, it’s a little bit different movement patterns. And sometimes for a freshman it could be a lot. Carter, he’s had a steep learning curve, but he’s climbing that.I thought he really impacted the game and played well.”
The 6-foot-8 Bryant was often the biggest guy on the floor in high school and ended up playing a lot inside. With Arizona he was projected to be a 3, but early on his play in the halfcourt has been lacking. With Motiejus Krivas sidelined by injury, getting more inside the perimeter may end up being his sweet spot.
Central Michigan may also present an opportunity to give freshman Emmanuel Stephen more meaningful minutes after he made his collegiate debut with 2:38 left against Samford. The 7-footer had a basket—he botched a lob dunk but it still went in on the bounce—as well as a rebound but also two fouls in his time on the court.
“We’re going to see how it works, because we think he’s ready to contribute,” Lloyd said. “He probably needs another week or two of good practice, and then, so we kind of figure out some packages we can play with him in that makes sense for him. But hey, when you see him, your eyes are on him, right? There’s always something happening. I mean, he’s kind of a whirling dervish out there, which is exciting, because there’s so much potential.”
Passing is winning
Arizona had 23 assists on 32 made field goals against Samford, tied for the most assists this season and the 56th time in 118 games under Lloyd that it has dished out at least 20 dimes.
The UA is 55-1 in those games, the only loss coming last season to Purdue.
“We were connecting a few more passes, and that’s really important,” Lloyd said. “The way we play, passing the ball is so important, and quite frankly, just hasn’t been quite good enough up to this point. So hopefully we can keep making progress there.”
Arizona’s assist percentage this season is 53.8, which ranks 141st nationally and is way down from previous years. The Wildcats have been at 59.2 percent or better each of Lloyd’s first three seasons, finishing in the top five his first two years.
Central Michigan allowed 24 assists on 35 baskets in an 83-59 loss to Mississippi State in its last game.
A complete performance
In Arizona’s five wins this season it has averaged 99.4 points, shot 52.5 percent and averaged 10.8 turnovers. In the five losses it has scored 70 per game, shot 41.9 percent and turned it over 14.6 times per contest. That’s a pretty clear delineation between the good and the bad.
But in each of the losses there have been good stretches—Arizona was up 13 on UCLA midway through the second half, and the loss at Wisconsin saw it rally from down 18 to tie it with 14 minutes left—and in each victory there have been lulls. Against Samford the Wildcats had a span in the second half where they turned it over on five straight possessions.
“I still don’t think we’ve played a full 40 minutes,” wing Trey Townsend said after the Samford game.
Central Michigan, which is 5-5 with only two wins over Division I opponents, gives Arizona a chance to dominate from wire to wire and head into the holiday break with its first win streak since starting the season 2-0.