Arizona Hits New Low in Tommy Lloyd Era After They Are Unranked in Week 5 of AP Poll
Is anyone panicking in Tucson about the state of Arizona's basketball program yet?
Once viewed as a top 10 team in the preseason after Caleb Love announced his decision to return and rising stars KJ Lewis and Jaden Bradley also pulled their names out of the NBA draft pool, things have not gone smoothly for the Wildcats since.
After playing two tune-up contests before their tough stretch of play, Arizona was given a major wake-up call when they got bludgeoned by Wisconsin on the road and couldn't do enough to beat Duke in subsequent games.
Nobody was ready to hit the panick button, though.
Arizona needed time to gel, others were taking on increased roles, and the transfers needed an adjustment period into the program.
They could turn the page and get ready for the Battle 4 Atlantis holiday event in the Bahamas.
But a 1-2 record in the tournament where they lost against eventual champions Oklahoma and West Virginia in overtime has now caused the Wildcats to a hit a new low under head coach Tommy Lloyd.
For the first time since the early stages of the 2021-22 campaign, Arizona is not ranked in the AP Poll top 25.
POLL ALERT: Kansas holds off Auburn for No. 1 in AP Top 25 as SEC grabs 3 of top 4 spots; 2-time defending champion UConn nearly out of poll.
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) December 2, 2024
Full poll: https://t.co/ZJG5mgWrsa pic.twitter.com/rENB6Z8P7s
This doesn't come as a shock.
Arizona was barely holding on when they traveled to the Bahamas, so their two losses was assuredly going to knock them out of a top 25 ranking.
However, it does highlight just how strange thing have been for the Wildcats this year.
Sitting with a 3-4 record, it's the first time this program has been under .500 since 2010.
Love has taken a step back after winning Pac-12 Player of the Year honors last season, and while Lewis and Bradley have improved, the inconsistent play of the roster has made it hard for Arizona to score and defend at the rate that's needed.
For what it's worth, nobody inside the program is panicking.
That is also for good reason.
After Lloyd was hired ahead of the 2021-22 season, it only took him three weeks for this program to become a consistent name listed in the top 25 of the AP Poll, and so even though the early part of this campaign hasn't gone as planned, that doesn't mean they can't turn things around.
Arizona will be back in action on Dec. 7 against Southern Utah with tip off set for 12 p.m. MST.
The game will be broadcasted on ESPN+.
