LAS VEGAS – This Arizona basketball season should come with a warning: Beware at every turn and, well, every dribble.
It’s going to be a hazy and crazy ride. And it all began with Arizona’s 93-87 win over No. 3 Florida, the defending national champion.
No. 13 Arizona had a double-digit deficit. A near double-digit lead. A slight meltdown at the end. Foul trouble. And, yet Arizona found a win in November.
Arizona has long been Masters of the Month … historically. Lute was the wizard; Tommy Lloyd has become the apprentice.
Monday was no different. It was what coach Tommy Lloyd said was “a great night for Arizona basketball.”
Arizona went into the game as a 4-point underdog but as is the case – or at least has been for years, decades in fact, tell Arizona it can’t and it does … especially in November. Seemingly it is always November.
Hey, it beats the alternative. Let’s remember that Arizona two years ago went to Duke and knocked off the Blue Devils in a great season opener. Tommy Lloyd said it was a great win, but nothing really is won in November.
Well, here we are again.
“We’re in a great spot,” Lloyd said, downplaying the comparison. “I like where we are at.”
A couple of games are ahead and a big game with UCLA looms.
Temper everything knowing it was one game. One game that will have people talking and thinking about what can be or what might be.
But it’s a long road ahead. Every game is a season with ups and downs. This was the up. Day 1, Game 1.
“There’s so many battles to be had,” Lloyd said. “You know what’s really cool as I’m getting more experienced as a coach? Just enjoy it. Enjoy the battles. Don’t get too worked up; don’t get too stressed out. Just try to figure out what you’ve got to do to win the game.
But this is a lot of fun.”
That sound bite came about six minutes after saying, he’s “never played a game on November third that counted.”
That said Monday night’s game was surely impressive. And wasn’t Koa Peat as good as advertised? He didn’t really show much in Arizona’s two exhibition games, but when the bright lights were on and the popcorn sold and the fans showed up, he was record setting with 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Per ESPN Research, Arizona's Koa Peat is the first player in Big 12 history to have 30 points and 5 assists in their career debut.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) November 4, 2025
And how about those back-to-back dunks that wowed the crowd? Yikes.
According to the Associated Press, Peat became the second Big 12 freshman to debut with 30 or more points, joining Kansas State‘s Michael Beasley, who had 32 in his debut in 2007.
Hitting locally, not since Mike Bibby has Arizona felt the impact of a freshman in a big game. Remember that Bibby – without Miles Simon in the lineup – had 22 points, five assists, three steals and two rebounds in a big game against North Carolina.
“It was a coming out party for him,” Lloyd said. “Everyone has known about him, but no one really studied him or watched him. He’s such a player. The way he came out and played against a first-team All-American … the kids a heck of a player. He more than held his own.”
Peat, a five-star recruit, was built for this. Body of a tight end and the court sense of a player beyond his years. He said playing for Lloyd this summer helped him get ready as did the practices leading up to Monday.
“I’m just excited for the season,” Peat said. “I’m just really happy to be coached by coach Lloyd.”
Midway through the second half, Lloyd found his inner Zen, with Arizona down 24-12 about 10 minutes in. But you knew Arizona would recover. It always does – in these November moments.
“The guys kind of settled in and made some adjustments,” Lloyd said. “I told our guys, these games are crazy and they’re emotional but they’re long, so take a breath. You can’t get down; you can’t get up.”
Arizona was able to pull it off without a great game from Tobe Awaka, who had seven points and freshman starter Brayden Burries, who had just three points before fouling out.
But they got a sensational game from senior point guard Jayden Bradley, who finished with a career-high 27 points and 11 of the team’s final 18 points.
It was enough to have Lloyd wax poetic on his guard after he was snubbed by Hall of Fame list for best college guards.
“How in the world do they not have Jaden Bradley as one of the top 20 point guards in the country? Lloyd asked. “… he’s just a get-it-done type of guy. … I’ve been doing this (coaching) for awhile and they don’t make them much better than this. He was amazing.”
Arizona also won the game by hitting only two 3-pointers on five attempts. Ivan Kharchenkov hit both of them.
“That’s totally not the game plan,” Lloyd said. “… but if you shoot five 3s you can attempt 38 free throws … that puts a lot of pressure on their defense. You know what happens when you shoot a free throw? They fouled you and you go deeper in your bench. … There’s a lot of ways to win a game.”
And Arizona found a way – again in November. Oh, by the way, Arizona hadn’t lose an opener since 2006. Imagine that.
