Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd said he expected freshman forward Dwayne Aristode to participate in practice on Thursday. Lloyd provided the update during a press conference on Thursday. Aristode has missed the last four Arizona games with an undisclosed illness.
Aristode is averaging 4.7 points and 2.0 rebounds, while shooting 48.1 percent from the field, 43.9 percent on three-point attempts and 58.8 percent from the free throw line with a 63.6 eFG percentage through 24 games while missing four during the 2025-26 season.
Lloyd has primarily played a six-man rotation with Aristode out in the last four games and freshman starting forward Koa Peat out in the last 3.5. Peat has been out with a lower-body injury. Aristode averages 15.6 minutes per game as the last man in the eight-man Arizona rotation.
Guard Evan Nelson and freshman center Sidi Gueye have received playing time with Aristode and Peat out. Expect Lloyd to return to the eight-man rotation once Aristode and Peat return for Arizona at full strength. Arizona hosts Kansas on Saturday, Iowa State on Monday and finishes the regular season at Colorado on March 7.
Dwayne Aristode gives Arizona flexibility
At 6'8 and 220 pounds with the ability to stretch the defense with his three-point shooting, Aristode provides Lloyd with lineup flexibility. Aristode is in the 89th percentile nationally in two-point field goal percentage, the 95th in three-point field goal percentage and the 83rd in offensive rebounds per 40 minutes.
Getting Aristode and Peat back for the remainder of the season provides Arizona and Lloyd with more lineup flexibility and takes a lot of pressure off the six Wildcats who have had to play heavy minutes in the past four games.
Lloyd stated after the win at Baylor on Tuesday that "we hopefully have some reinforcements coming soon." Lloyd added he had nothing confirmed but that Aristode and Peat were "hopefully...nearing the point where he'll be able to play soon."