Arizona Athletics
11/4/2026
The Arizona men's basketball team welcomes Cal Poly to McKale Center at ALKEME Arena for the home opener Thursday night, where the Wildcats will look to come out victorious in the home opener for the 19th straight season.
Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. MST on TruTV and streaming on HBO Max, with Brandon Gaudin, Ronny Thompson on the call and Andy Katz as the sideline reporter. Fans can listen to Brian Jeffries and Ryan Hansen on the radio call via Wildcats Radio 1290AM.
For more news and notes on the game, continue below.
Arizona Notes & Numbers
> Arizona dropped its season opener to No. 22 UCLA on Monday, 84-75. It ended a 19-game winning streak in season openers, dating back to a 93-90 loss at Virginia on Nov. 12, 2006.
> The Wildcats have won their last 18 home openers, with the last loss in a home opener coming Nov. 17, 2007 against Virginia, 75-72.
> Sophomore Ivan Kharchenkov had one of the most prolific games in program history, finishing with 38 points and 10 rebounds. The list of Wildcats to reach those numbers in a game prior to Kharchenkov include:
- Al Fleming vs. Detroit (Jan. 10, 1976 - 41 points, 11 rebounds)
- Bob Elliott vs. Utah (Feb. 15, 1975 - 39 points, 12 rebounds)
- Bob Elliott vs. California (Dec. 27, 1974 - 38 points, 11 rebounds)
- Al Fleming vs. San Diego State (Dec. 7, 1974 - 39 points, 17 rebounds)
- Bob Elliott vs. Arizona State (Feb. 2, 1974 - 38 points, 25 rebounds)
- Coniel Norman vs. BYU (Feb. 24, 1973 - 38 points, 10 rebounds)
> Kharchenkov became the second DI player in the last 30 years to have at least 35 points and 10 rebounds against an AP Top 25 team in a season opener. The other was Tennessee-Martin’s Lester Hudson at No. 3 Memphis to start 2007-08 (35, 10).
> Motiejus Krivas showed how he impacts the game at both ends of the court against UCLA, finishing with eight points while drawing double- and triple-teams, and adding nine rebounds and six blocked shots. The six blocks tied his career high. Since 1996-97, only Krivas, Jordan Hill, Channing Frye and Loren Woods have posted that stat line in a game.
> It was a tale of two halves for Derek Dixon in his Arizona debut. He went 0-of-5 from the floor and 0-of-3 from the 3-point line in the first half vs. UCLA. In the second half, he was 5-of-12 overall and 4-of-9 from long distance on his way to 18 points.
> Sophomore transfer JJ Mandaquit had six assists and zero turnovers in 32 minutes against UCLA. It was the second time in 23 career games that he has had six assists without a turnover (Nov. 28, 2025 vs. Colorado; 6 assists, 0 turnovers)
> Mandaquit has 17 assists and one turnover through the three exhibition games and the regular season opener.
> Freshman Caleb Holt was the co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American game and has been named to the Jerry West Award Watch List. Against UCLA, he battled foul trouble but ended up with seven points and seven rebounds in 26 minutes.
NEW FACES IN NEW PLACES
> Derek Dixon appeared in 33 games as a freshman last year for North Carolina, averaging 6.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and shooting 39.7% from the 3-point line.
> Ugnius Jarusevicius appeared in one game last year at Nebraska due to a back injury. Prior to that, he averaged 16.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and shot 53.7% from the floor at Central Michigan in 2024-25. He spent his first two seasons of college at Cal State Bakersfield.
> JJ Mandaquit played his freshman season at Washington last year, appearing in 22 games before a foot injury ended his season in February. He averaged 5.2 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists and had a 2.5 assist-to-turnover ratio.
> RJ Godfrey played in 35 games last year, making 32 starts, at Clemson and averaged 12.0 points and 5.3 rebounds. He spent the 2024-25 season at Georgia and playing his first two seasons at Clemson. As of Oct. 30, Godfrey is not eligible to compete in games, but has been practicing with the team since the summer.
LEARN ABOUT LLOYD
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd is in his sixth season as the head coach at Arizona and has a record of 148-37 (.800). It’s the second-best winning percentage among active D-1 head coaches that are in at least their fifth season at the Division I level (Mark Few - Gonzaga).
Under Lloyd, Arizona is 35-17 against Top 25 opponents, the best winning percentage in the country. Arizona’s 14-2 (.875) record vs. ranked teams last season were the most by any team in the country.
After sweeping the Big 12 regular season championship and tournament titles, Arizona has won six conference championships - regular season and tournament - in five seasons under Lloyd. (2022, 2024, 2026 seasons; 2022, 2023, 2026 tournaments).
Lloyd was named Big 12 Coach of the Year, Naismith Coach of the Year and The Sporting News Coach of the Year last season.
A LOOK BACK AT HISTORIC 2025-26 SEASON:
> The Wildcats advanced to the Final Four for the fifth time in program history (1988, 1994, 1997, 2001, 2026).
> Arizona finished with a 36-3 record, setting a school record for wins. The previous record was 35 wins in 1987-88.
> The Wildcats won 14 games against AP Top 25 teams, the most in the country and the most by a team in a season since the AP Poll started in 1949-50.
> Below is a look at where the historic 2025-26 season ranks statistically in the Arizona record book:
- Total Points - 1st - 3,360
- Free Throws Made - 1st - 765
- Free Throw Attempts - 1st - 1,042
- Field Goals Made - 1st - 1,183
- Total Rebounds - 2nd - 1,663
- Rebound Margin - 2nd - +10.9
- Points/Game - 7th - 86.2ppg
- Scoring Margin - 7th - 16.8 points
- Assists - 7th - 639
- FG Percentage - 9th - .499
> The 765 free throws made were a school record and the most by any DI team since Cal State Northridge (765) in 2013-14.
> Jaden Bradley was named Big 12 Player of the Year, the third Wildcat under Lloyd to be named conference player of the year (Mathurin, Love). Arizona is the only school in the country with three conference POY’s over the last five seasons.
Seasons with 30 wins (Arizona History)
Year - Total Wins
2025-26 - 36
1987-88 - 35
2014-15 - 34
2021-22 - 33
2013-14 - 33
2010-11 - 30
2004-05 - 30
1997-98 - 30
MOST WINS IN FIRST 5 SEASONS (NCAA History)
1) Tommy Lloyd (Arizona): 148-36 (.804)
2) Brad Stevens (Butler): 139-40 (.777)
3) Everett Case (NC State): 137-29 (.825)
Shaka Smart (VCU): 137-46 (.749)
5) Mark Few (Gonzaga): 133-32 (.806)
6) Roy Williams (Kansas): 132-37 (.781)
Jamie Dixon (Pitt): 132-40 (.767)
MOST WINS IN FIRST 6 SEASONS (NCAA History)
1) Brad Stevens (Butler): 166-49
2) Jamie Dixon (Pitt): 163-45
Shaka Smart (VCU): 163-56
4) Everett Case (NC State): 161-39
5) Roy Williams (Kansas): 159-45
Mark Few (Gonzaga): 159-37
Dave Rose (BYU): 159-37
8) Eric Musselman (Nevada, Arkansas): 155-53
9) Steve Prohm (Murray St, Iowa St.): 151-52
Brian Dutcher (San Diego St.): 151-47
- Tommy Lloyd (Arizona): 148-35
NCAA WINNINGEST ACTIVE COACHES
(Min. five years as D1 head coach; includes record at four-year U.S. colleges only)
1) Mark Few (Gonzaga): 772-156 (.832)
2) Tommy Lloyd (Arizona): 148-36 (.804)
3) Josh Schertz (Saint Louis): 451-130 (.776)
4) Bill Self (Kansas): 840-272 (.755)
5) John Calipari (Arkansas): 863-284 (.752)
Current Wildcats on NBA Rosters (as of 1¼/26)
- Tobe Awaka, Chicago Bulls (2-way)
- Deandre Ayton, Washington Wizards
- Jaden Bradley, Toronto Raptors
- Carter Bryant, San Antonio Spurs
- Brayden Burries, Milwaukee Bucks
- Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets
- Josh Green, Utah Jazz
- Keshad Johnson, Miami Heat (2-way)
- Pelle Larsson, Miami Heat
- Caleb Love, Philadelphia 76ers
- Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
- Bennedict Mathurin, New Orleans Pelicans
- T.J. McConnell, Indiana Pacers
- Zeke Nnaji, Denver Nuggets
- Koa Peat, Phoenix Suns
- Dalen Terry, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Brandon Williams, Golden State Warriors
- Steve Kerr - head coach, Golden State Warriors
