The Arizona Wildcats are looking to make a statement in these NCAAB stages. The team, led by Tommy Lloyd, defeated Texas Tech convincingly in the semifinals and now awaits the matchup against Houston. The coach knows his players have the necessary potential to achieve great things.

After his Wildcats’ 86-80 victory at the T-Mobile Center, the experienced coach spoke with the press, delivering a clear message about what his team can bring to the decisive stages of this competition.

“You beat Kansas in Kansas City, that says something. You beat a Texas Tech team that found a way to take second in the conference, that says something. Now we’ve got the champ,” Lloyd said via AZ Band Cat Sports on X, (formerly Twitter).

Led by a red-hot Caleb Love, who scored 27 points and grabbed five rebounds, Arizona dispatched Texas Tech and secured their spot in the Big 12 Championship final. Another key contributor to the victory was Trey Townsend, who recorded 12 points in the stats.

Caleb Love #1 of the Arizona Wildcats reacts after scoring during the semifinal game of the Big 12 men’s basketball tournament against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at T-Mobile Center on March 14, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.

In the decisive game, Lloyd’s team will face none other than the Houston Cougars, who secured their spot in the final after defeating BYU 74-54.

Lloyd’s confidence for the final game

It won’t be easy, that’s for sure. Especially if the game is against one of the top contenders like Houston, who have had an outstanding performance throughout the regular season. Nevertheless, the Wildcats’ coach remains confident in what his team can bring to the court.

“Listen, we will find out tomorrow. We could get our ass kicked tomorrow. I don’t know. So we gotta come out and play tomorrow. It’s great to come down and get two really good wins against two really good teams, he said.

The experienced coach knows they represent a great program in College Basketball and will be going after the victory. “If we have Arizona on our chest and we have the dudes we have, we’re playing to win. That’s how we roll,” he added.