Arizona’s 104-84 win over Cal Poly was the kind of result Tommy Lloyd wanted to see early in the 2026-27 season: a clean response, a higher offensive ceiling and a reminder that the group is still finding its rhythm. After opening the season with a loss to UCLA, Arizona returned to Tucson and finally got back in the win column.
That does not mean everything is settled. Lloyd was careful not to overstate the performance, but he did describe the victory as a step forward for a team that is still trying to put the pieces together. In his view, the result mattered because Arizona needed to show that the opening-night setback was not going to define its start.
Lloyd: Arizona are still figuring it out
Lloyd said the win should be respected, even if it came against a Cal Poly team that gave Arizona more to think about than the final score might suggest.
“Obviously we’re happy to get the win, and we don’t make light of any win,” Lloyd said. He added that Cal Poly “presented a lot of challenges with the relentlessness they played with,” and praised the effort they received from number 10, who “had a heck of a game.”
The bigger point, though, was about Arizona’s own process. Lloyd said the team is “still a team trying to figure it out a little bit,” which is a fair assessment this early in the season. Arizona have the talent to score heavily, but Lloyd wants more consistency in how that talent is connected across the floor.
Why the rebound work matters
One of the main themes from Lloyd was the importance of rebounds and loose balls. He said those are priorities because they lead to stops and extra possessions, and that is exactly the kind of detail that matters when a team is trying to establish itself after an early loss.
Lloyd also pointed to the need for better leadership and preparation before the UCLA game, saying he had been on the players consistently but that he still “wasn’t good enough” in leading up to that defeat. It was a direct admission that Arizona had not yet reached the standard he expects.
He also made clear that losses still sting, admitting, “Losses suck, and I didn’t sleep good in Lithuania after a loss.” That line summed up the competitive edge behind his comments: Arizona may have moved on from the defeat, but the frustration has not disappeared.
Two big scoring nights, but more to build on
Offensively, Arizona had enough firepower to take control, with two players producing the biggest scoring numbers in the win. The 104 points were a strong response after the UCLA opener, and the result gave Arizona something to build on rather than a second straight game of concern.
Still, Lloyd’s tone suggested this was about progress, not perfection. Arizona’s first win since the Elite Eight victory over Purdue in March gives them a base to work from, but the next step is turning that into a more complete team performance.
For now, the message is simple: Arizona got the result they needed, and Lloyd believes the win over Cal Poly can help them move forward. The question now is how quickly the rhythm, consistency and collective understanding come together as the 2026-27 season develops.
