Arizona
Being concerned about this Arizona men's basketball season makes sense, writing it off as over doesn't
Men’s basketball was supposed to save us.
Ranked ninth heading into the season, Tommy Lloyd’s team was going to allow us to move on from a disaster of a football season and enjoy plenty of wins, big-time matchups and hopefully a deep tournament run.
Nine games into the season there have been few wins, no big-time victories and the tournament seems like anything but a guarantee.
The good news for Arizona is that despite its 4-5 non-conference record, one whose latest loss was a game the Wildcats coughed up in Phoenix against UCLA, there is still time to turn things around.
The bad news is that up to now the team has not shown much to make you think it is capable of righting the ship and rolling through the Big 12.
This is where Lloyd comes in. More specifically, this is where his abilities as a coach — to motivate, to tinker, to create — will be shown. Or not.
It’s clear this year’s Cats are lacking in some key areas. Their three-point shooting has been inconsistent at best and there is no true low-post scoring threat. Rim protection is tough to come by and the high-low game that has defined Arizona’s attack is unavailable at the moment.
What the team does have is a dynamic back court, athleticism and enough depth to in theory be able to find a lineup or lineups that work.
It’s on Lloyd and his staff to figure out how to use it.
The coach said as much after Saturday’s loss to the Bruins, especially in light of Mo Krivas’ latest injury troubles.
“Obviously with big Mo not playing we kind of are figuring out on the fly how this team is going to look going forward and trying to tweak some things,” he said. “Maybe see this team has some other strengths. So I just didn’t feel like we had a great, maybe not the players’ fault, but I just didn’t think we have a great understanding of how we wanted to attack and play today, pressure situations. Obviously, we gotta continue to work on that and build that certainty and that identity within the guys now that it looks like Mo is going to be out for a little bit.”
Certainty and identity, two things that every good team needs and both of which are lacking with this group. It is missing toughness, grit and the ability to close out games.
Arizona under Lloyd certainly had an identity the last three seasons. But now? Arizona’s offense is ranked 37th in KenPom. The Wildcats are struggling from the outside and are averaging just 15.4 assists per game, which is tied for 102nd in the country.
Something has not been working.
Known for offense over the last few years, if this season’s team is to reach its potential things will have to look different. For the first time since Lloyd arrived there is no dominant or consistent low-post scoring presence, and further there is no hybrid, Swiss Army Knife-wing like Pelle Larsson who could do anything and everything on the court.
What the team does have though is the reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year who, as a fifth-year senior Caleb Love has the kind of experience coaches dream of. It also has a point guard in Jaden Bradley who looks ready to be among the country’s best, a talented freshman in Carter Bryant and a bouncy wing in K.J. Lewis.
There’s also veterans Trey Townsend and Tobe Awaka, each of whom are in their first seasons with the program but have postseason experience. Anthony Dell’Orso has taken a step up in competition but has brought his 3-point shot with him and Henri Veesaar, in this third college season, and should finally be ready for minutes as a 7-footer who can step out to the 3-point line (and is not afraid to let it rip, as was seen against UCLA).
Is this as good a roster as last year’s or any of the two before it? So far the answer is a resounding no, but that comes with a catch.
It’s important to note that while Arizona is certainly not off to the start any of us wanted or expected, things may not be quite as bad as they appear. If you are a believer in analytics, as of Dec. 16th EvanMiya.com has the Cats as the 24th-best team in the country while Haslemetrics.com lists them at 19th.
EvanMiya shows Arizona to have both a top-25 offense and defense, which if that holds for the rest of the season should result in plenty more wins than losses.
Then again, things could go the other direction.
Lloyd said after the UCLA loss that it was important for the team to stick together and not splinter. With plenty of big games ahead and a path to the dance still very much in front of them, that probably won’t be an issue.
What could be a problem is if the coaches and players either can’t figure out how to maximize what they have and are or figure things out too late. A subpar nonconference performance does not end the season, but it does plenty to whittle down the margin for error.
As of now there are four top-25 teams left on Arizona’s schedule, with another three who received votes in the latest AP Poll. That group makes up 10 of the 20 Big 12 conference games, and while the rankings are sure to change over the next handful of weeks the fact is despite how it may feel, the season is far from over and opportunity to make this a good one still very much exists.
Arizona
Arizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
The Arizona Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Tuesday, March 3, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers
07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers
2-0-8
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Fantasy 5 numbers
02-05-18-27-41
Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Triple Twist numbers
11-14-17-19-23-24
Check Triple Twist payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news and results
What time is the Powerball drawing?
Powerball drawings are at 7:59 p.m. Arizona time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
How much is a Powerball lottery ticket today?
In Arizona, Powerball tickets cost $2 per game, according to the Arizona Lottery.
How to play the Powerball
To play, select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball.
You can choose your lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.
To win, match one of the 9 Ways to Win:
- 5 white balls + 1 red Powerball = Grand prize.
- 5 white balls = $1 million.
- 4 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $50,000.
- 4 white balls = $100.
- 3 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $100.
- 3 white balls = $7.
- 2 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $7.
- 1 white ball + 1 red Powerball = $4.
- 1 red Powerball = $4.
There’s a chance to have your winnings increased two, three, four, five and 10 times through the Power Play for an additional $1 per play. Players can multiply non-jackpot wins up to 10 times when the jackpot is $150 million or less.
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Arizona Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $100 and may redeem winnings up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Arizona Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket and a copy of a government-issued ID to P.O. Box 2913, Phoenix, AZ 85062.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID to any of these locations:
Phoenix Arizona Lottery Office: 4740 E. University Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4400. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Tucson Arizona Lottery Office: 2955 E. Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85716, 520-628-5107. Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Phoenix Sky Harbor Lottery Office: Terminal 4 Baggage Claim, 3400 E. Sky Harbor Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85034, 480-921-4424. Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.
Kingman Arizona Lottery Office: Inside Walmart, 3396 Stockton Hill Road, Kingman, AZ 86409, 928-753-8808. Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed holidays. This office can cash prizes up to $49,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://www.arizonalottery.com/.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arizona Republic editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Arizona
Autopsies show Arizona teens were both shot in the head while camping
Man arrested in connection to teens’ shooting deaths appears in court
Thomas Brown, who was arrested in connection to the shooting deaths of Evan Clark and Pandora Kjolsrud, appeared in court on Oct. 3, 2025.
A 17-year-old boy who was fatally shot while camping with a female classmate northeast of Phoenix died from gunshot wounds to the head, according to the first page of his autopsy report.
Evan Clark, 17, and Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, were camping just off State Route 87 near Mount Ord when the two were shot and killed. Investigators discovered their bodies, which had been moved into nearby brush to conceal them, on May 26, 2025.
The first page of Clark’s autopsy report, which The Arizona Republic obtained March 3, found that his death was a homicide with multiple gunshot wounds to the head. The first page of Kjolsrud’s autopsy report also ruled her death a homicide with her cause of death being gunshot wounds to the head and upper body.
Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office detectives ultimately arrested Thomas Brown, 31, of Chandler on Oct. 2, 2025, in connection with their deaths. Brown was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder and remained in jail on a $2 million cash-only bond.
Detectives found Brown’s DNA on gloves inside Clark’s SUV that had Kjolsrud’s blood on them as well, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Partial autopsy reports made available following legal fight
While The Republic has obtained the first pages of both Clark’s and Kjolsrud’s autopsy reports, the remaining pages appeared to remain sealed as of March 3 since Simone Kjolsrud, Pandora’s mother, petitioned to have the autopsy reports sealed or redacted. Simone Kjolsrud argued that various details about her daughter and aspects of her personal life, potentially included in such documents, should remain private and outweigh the public’s right to know.
A Sept. 25, 2025, motion that sought to block the report’s release argued the report could contain information law enforcement hasn’t yet shared and could impair the ongoing criminal investigation.
“Simone Kjolsrud fears that, if released, her daughter’s Medical Examiner’s Report may end up on the internet or be broadcast on the news, which would undoubtedly cause additional trauma and even jeopardize her constitutional right to justice in this case,” the motion stated.
Kjolsrud asked that Clark’s autopsy be sealed as well, arguing that it would likely contain details similar to her daughter’s.
Matthew Kelley, an attorney representing The Republic and other Arizona media outlets, previously objected to the autopsies being sealed and asked that the temporary protective order be vacated.
“To be sure, these killings are particularly traumatic for a surviving family member,” Kelley wrote in his objection. “But the pain felt by a family member cannot override the public’s right to inspect public records reflecting the performance of law enforcement and other public agencies entrusted with investigating such crimes. A veil of secrecy only raises unnecessary speculation about such public performance.”
It was not immediately clear whether Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Fish, who initially ordered the autopsies remain sealed as he reviewed their contents, would unseal additional pages in their entirety or with redactions.
Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at perry.vandell@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-2474. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @PerryVandell.
Arizona
No. 2 Arizona tops Iowa State to win outright Big 12 title
TUCSON, Ariz. — Jaden Bradley scored 17 points, Motiejus Krivas had 13 and No. 2 Arizona clinched the outright Big 12 regular-season title with a 73-57 win over No. 6 Iowa State on Monday night.
The Wildcats (28-2, 15-2) secured at least a share of the conference crown by using big runs in each half to beat No. 14 Kansas 84-61 on Saturday.
Arizona earned it outright by smothering Iowa State defensively to give Tommy Lloyd his 140th victory, most in NCAA history in a coach’s first five seasons.
“The Big 12 is the best basketball conference in the country,” Lloyd said while addressing the home crowd after the game, “and to win it by a couple of games, it’s pretty impressive. So take your hats off to these guys right here.”
Coming off their first home loss of the season, the Cyclones (24-6, 11-6) labored against Arizona’s physical defense, shooting 29% from the field, including 7-of-30 from 3-point range.
During his postgame news conference, Lloyd called out the narrative surrounding his team when discussing the Wildcats’ toughness and physicality.
“I think the narrative that we were soft is lazy. I mean, look at our stats, look at our analytics — we’ve always been a great rebounding team, we’ve always pounded the paint,” Lloyd said. “If you want to just be lazy and not pay attention and say we’re soft because we’re on the West Coast, be lazy, and I’d love to play against you.”
Tamin Lipsey led Iowa State with 17 points, but leading scorer Milan Momcilovic was held to five points on 2-of-8 shooting. The nation’s best 3-point shooter at 51%, Momcilovic went 1-for-5 from beyond the arc.
Neither team could make much of anything, due to good defense and poor shooting.
Iowa State shot 9-of-33 from the field and 4-of-20 from 3 in the first half.
Arizona labored most of the half as the Cyclones focused on defending the paint before the Wildcats closed on a 15-3 run to lead 37-25 at halftime.
It only got worse for Iowa State to start the second half. The Cyclones missed their first eight shots as Arizona stretched the lead to 16.
Iowa State briefly found an offensive rhythm, using a 10-1 run to pull to within 44-37, but didn’t hit a field goal for more than five minutes as Arizona stretched the lead back to 15.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
-
World7 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts1 week agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Denver, CO7 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Louisiana1 week agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Florida3 days agoFlorida man rescued after being stuck in shoulder-deep mud for days
-
Wisconsin3 days agoSetting sail on iceboats across a frozen lake in Wisconsin
-
Maryland4 days agoAM showers Sunday in Maryland
-
Oregon5 days ago2026 OSAA Oregon Wrestling State Championship Results And Brackets – FloWrestling