Wildcats HC Tommy Lloyd makes major admission after losing the Big 12 Championship Game

It wasn’t an easy night for the Arizona Wildcats, yet their dream of winning the Big 12 Championship remained intact. However, a solid team like the Houston Cougars put a stop to that, and Tommy Lloyd‘s squad ended up empty-handed.

After the game, the Wildcats’ HC spoke with the press and, far from making excuses for the unfavorable result, made it clear that their opponent was superior and praised the work done by Kelvin Sampson.

“Obviously, they’ve had a great season and they’ve had a couple of great seasons,” Lloyd said of Houston. “Coach Sampson deserves a ton of credit. They got us twice this year, and they won the conference by four or five games and then they win the conference tournament. At this moment, they’re the king of the Big 12. Nothing but respect for them.”

Although the game was extremely close until the final minutes, it was there that the Wildcats missed key shots, which ended up turning into turnovers, allowing the Cougars to extend the lead even further.

Houston Cougars players celebrate after the Cougars defeated the Arizona Wildcats 72-64 to win the championship game of the Big 12 men’s basketball tournament at T-Mobile Center on March 15, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri.

“We gave ourselves a chance. We just didn’t get it done,” Lloyd said. “Hopefully, we will learn from it. Obviously, we’re at the time of the year where there’s no margin for error, and we’re excited to take the next step into the NCAA Tournament.”

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There are no excuses for Lloyd

Houston was superior to Arizona, yes. Even though the Wildcats had their chances to close out the game, failing those attempts gave their opponent the opportunity to take the lead. Despite the good play shown by his team, Coach Lloyd knows there are no excuses, and they must get back on the winning track.

“We’re right there, but it doesn’t matter. Doesn’t matter if you close the gap or not. You gotta get it done,” the experienced head coach firmly stated to the press. “We’re Arizona basketball. We’re used to winning championships, too, and we know that’s where we belong and that’s where we want to get. Right now, Houston is above us, and we’re going to do what we can to close that gap.”

He also added: “They’re literally isolating you and targeting you, and it’s obvious they’re doing it. Step up and get it done,” he said. “That was disappointing to me in the second half. We got isolated and targeted a little bit, and we didn’t get stops.”

What’s next for the Wildcats?

Despite the tough loss suffered on Saturday night against Houston, Tommy Lloyd’s squad has already set their sights on the NCAA Tournament, an event that, according to the HC’s own words, fills them with pride to be a part of.

“The moment we shower and leave this locker room, it’s on to the next thing,” Lloyd said. “We’re excited to be participating in the NCAA Tournament. It’s an honor. It’s something you should never take for granted. It’s really hard to do.” Arizona was projected as a No. 4 seed before the game, and while their seeding could be impacted, Lloyd isn’t concerned.

“I don’t live in hypotheticals. I have no idea,” he said. “Put us in as a 13-seed, we’ll be fine. We can’t wait till Thursday. … I will let you speculate on that. Whatever they give us, I’m ready.”