Responding to a question from longtime national college basketball reporter Seth Davis about the head coaching opening at North Carolina, Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd said the Wildcats are focused on the West Regional Semifinal Game against Arkansas on Thursday.
Lloyd provided Davis with an extensive answer, stating that he has one of the best jobs in the country and that he and the program are crushing this year and have the ability to have full focus and stay present in the moment. Lloyd continued by saying he is not delusional and knows Arizona can lose tomorrow.
The expectation is that Arizona has a chance to advance in tournament game-by-game, per Lloyd there is not one thing that is going to knock him off that path and he responded to the question from Davis that he is currently 100 percent focused on Arizona.
Responding to a question from another reporter, Lloyd is not deterred by the fact that the regional semifinals have been the recent ceiling for Arizona. Lloyd said Arizona is going to play "possession by possession, media timeout to media timeout, game by game, and and and you know, our opponents are formidable."
Tommy Lloyd after he was asked by Seth Davis about his name "bantied about" with the North Carolina job: pic.twitter.com/ZaJL4IldI5
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) March 25, 2026
Treating the NCAA Tournament normally
Lloyd mentioned about playing on three days rest ahead of playing Arkansas versus four days rest. The rest is what Arizona is used to during their Big XII schedule this season. The next question to Lloyd was about the freshmen performing at a high level.
Lloyd credited the success his counterpart, John Calipari, has had coaching freshmen during his career and credited Mike Krzyzewski and the success he had with freshmen-led teams during his Hall of Fame career. Lloyd then discussed the three Arizona freshmen starters and Darius Acuff of Arkansas.
Lloyd coached Acuff with USA Basketball during the summer of 2024. Per Lloyd, Acuff was the Most Valuable Player for him in 2024, who won the 2024 FIBA U18 Men's AmeriCup in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lloyd called Acuff quiet and a supreme competitor.
Arizona and Arkansas will tentatively tip off at 6:45 PM Mountain Standard Time on Thursday night on CBS. Brian Anderson is calling play-by-play, former Ohio State and NBA star Jim Jackson is the analyst and Allie LaForce is the sideline reporter.