Arizona finished second in a poll of Big XII coaches about what the best job in the conference is, per the website, Field of 68. Kansas received all 18 first-place votes and 288 points as the best job in the Big XII. Arizona received 268 points.
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd has re-elevated the Wildcats among the elite programs nationally. The Wildcats are currently number one for the fifth consecutive week and have started the 2025-26 season with 17 straight wins.
Beginning with Lute Olson's second season in 1984-85, 2025-26 will be the 42nd consecutive year Arizona finishes with a winning record. Arizona has only missed four NCAA Tournaments in the years that they were held since 1984-85.
Arizona finished 18th nationally and third in the Big XII, averaging 14,058 in attendance per game during the 2024-25 season. Kansas led the Big XII, averaging 15,300 per game and Iowa State was second with 14,062.
🔥 BIG 12 JOB RANKINGS 🔥
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) January 15, 2026
We anonymously polled coaches and asked them to rank every job in the league! 👀
RANKINGS HERE ⬇️https://t.co/gJsJvRt2Vp pic.twitter.com/ffc1p7EmDu
"WHAT MAKES ARIZONA NO. 2?Anonymous Big XII coach via Field of 68
All that matters in Tucson is Arizona basketball. Lute Olson built it, and Tommy Lloyd has proven you don’t really even need to sell the program. They have incredible fan support, McKale is tough to win at and there’s so many resources. Tommy can also sell all the pros that have come through"
Arizona has continually recruited at a high level nationally. Lloyd and his staff signed the second-ranked 2025 class. Freshman Dwayne Aristode, Brayden Burries, Ivan Karchenkov and Koa Peat make up half of the eight-man Arizona rotation in 2025-26.
The fan support has made McKale Center one of the most difficult places to play and iconic venues in college basketball. Arizona had a 71-game winning streak that began at the beginning of the 1986-87 season and lasted midway through 1991-92.
Arizona has currently won 12 consecutive games at home. The Wildcats went 13-3 at home during the 2024-25 season. Arizona only lost home games to BYU, Duke and Houston during the 2024-25 season. All three of those teams advanced to the 2026 NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinals.
With Lloyd as the head coach, Arizona remains in position to continue to be the second-best job in the Big XII and one of the best ones nationally. With older coaches like Bill Self of Kansas and Kelvin Sampson of Houston in the league, Lloyd could become the top Big XII coach within the next five years.