Arizona Faces Decisions After Sweet 16 Loss

The Arizona Wildcats’ season came to an abrupt end in the Sweet 16, as they fell to the Houston Cougars 72-60. The loss leaves the program with several key decisions to make in the offseason.

Roster Changes

Arizona will be losing three seniors in guard James Akinjo, forward Azuolas Tubelis, and center Oumar Ballo. Tubelis and Ballo were both All-Pac-12 selections this season, and Akinjo was a key part of the team’s backcourt.

“We’re going to miss those guys,” said head coach Tommy Lloyd. “They were all great players and great leaders for us. But we have a lot of young talent on this team, and I’m excited to see what they can do next year.”

Coaching Staff

Lloyd has been rumored to be a candidate for several head coaching openings around the country, including at Louisville and Maryland. However, he has said that he is committed to Arizona.

“I love Arizona,” said Lloyd. “This is a great school with a great basketball program. I’m not going anywhere.”

Recruiting

Arizona has a strong recruiting class coming in next season, led by five-star center Kylan Boswell. Boswell is considered one of the best players in the country, and he is expected to make an immediate impact for the Wildcats.

“Kylan is a special player,” said Lloyd. “He’s going to be a great addition to our program.”

Outlook

The Wildcats will be looking to bounce back from their Sweet 16 loss next season. They will have a young team, but they will also have a lot of talent. Lloyd is confident that Arizona can be a contender for the Pac-12 title and the NCAA Tournament.

“We’re going to be a different team next year,” said Lloyd. “But I’m just as excited about this team as I was about last year’s team.”