The No. 13 Arizona Wildcats began their season by taking down No. 3 Florida 93-87 in Las Vegas. Here’s what Head Coach Tommy Lloyd, guard Jaden Bradley, and freshman Koa Peat had to say after extending the program’s impressive season-opening streak.
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Lloyd focused on the competition, the atmosphere, and specific player performances.
- Mindset on the Win: Lloyd admitted he “wasn’t really worried about winning or losing today,” emphasizing he just wanted the team to “come out and compete and get a feel for it.” He acknowledged there is “a lot of things we can clean up from this game.”
- The Vegas Atmosphere: He credited the Arizona fans for reminding the team “why we do this,” calling the atmosphere “pretty special” for the opener against a “formidable opponent.”
- Praise for Jaden Bradley: Lloyd strongly dismissed the guard’s omission from preseason watch lists, declaring Bradley “doesn’t need anything extra” and is a “get it done type of guy.” He stated, “if there’s any way this guy’s not one of the top two or three point guards in the country… they don’t make them much better than this. He was amazing today.”
- Koa Peat’s Debut: He called Peat’s performance a “coming out party,” noting the freshman “more than held his own” against a first-team All-American.
- Offensive Strategy (Low 3s): On shooting only five three-pointers, Lloyd pointed out that attempting 38 free throws puts immense pressure on a defense. While he prefers more threes, he emphasized there are “lots of ways to win a game.”
- Area for Improvement: Lloyd quickly identified the need to work on closing out games, saying, “we got to work on our end-of-game stuff a little bit,” after nearly giving the lead away.
Freshman Forward Koa Peat
Peat credited his summer experience with Coach Lloyd for helping him adapt quickly.
- Adapting to the System: He noted playing under Lloyd during Team USA action made the transition to the U of A offense easier.
- The Importance of Practice: Peat was grateful for his preparation, stating, “We practiced really hard throughout the week,” and singled out Bradley, saying, “He just makes my game so easy.”
Guard Jaden Bradley
Bradley reflected on the team’s composure after trailing early.
- Handling the Deficit: “We tried not to panic when we got down. We trusted in each other, trusted in the system,” he said, leading to them eventually taking the lead.
- The Season Ahead: He kept the focus balanced, advising the team to “don’t get too high, don’t get too low” and prepare for the next practice.
