NCAA Tournament notebook: Arizona’s scoring inside, at the line, remains unique but effective
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 22: The Arizona Wildcats huddle together during a game against the Utah State Aggies during the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 22, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images SAN JOSE—On the opening possession of its Sweet 16 matchup with Arkansas, Arizona went into the normal halfcourt set that it runs at the start of nearly every game. Brayden Burries eventually drove to the rim and scored with ease, something that would happen a lot in the 109-88 win.
The Wildcats had 60 points in the paint, tying its season high, and added another 30 at the foul line. According to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello , they’re the first team since as least 2000 with those numbers in an NCAA Tournament game. This kind of production is nothing new for Arizona.
Or, for that matter, the school where Tommy Lloyd learned that style of play. “I’m playing the same exact style we learned at Gonzaga that I brought to Arizona,” Lloyd said. “I’m doubling down on it.
I’m not worried about trends. I never look at trends. I’m like, what do I think is the most effective way to my team play, and what are my strengths as a coach?
You gotta play into that. Why would I try to reinvent myself as a coach when this has been pretty effective. ” On a night when the eight Sweet 16 participants combined to take 199 3-point field goals, hitting on 69, only one team made more than they missed.
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