What to watch for when Arizona men’s basketball visits Colorado in regular season finale

It was a big celebration on the court at McKale Center on Monday night when Arizona locked up its first Big 12 title. Tommy Lloyd spoke to the sellout crowd, then said a little about each of his seniors before they also said some words to the fans. Then UA players and coaches hoisted the Big 12 championship trophy and cut down the nets.

It was a great time for all, but the work isn’t over. Starting March out with a title was nice, but it wants to be heading into April still seeking another (and maybe pick up one in the middle, at the Big 12 Conference Tournament). And there’s still another game left in the regular season.

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No. 2 Arizona finishes the regular season Saturday at Colorado, a 9 p.m. MT tip that will come five full days after the win over No. 6 Iowa State. Nothing about that finale will impact Arizona’s seed in the conference tourney, and likely not to its NCAA Tournament seed, but there’s still plenty at stake.

“We get a ring, we get to cut nets down, we get to do it on our home floor, but don’t get drunk off the feeling,” senior forward Tobe Awaka said. “You still want the big one, but this is one of the milestones you’ve been looking forward to since the beginning of the season.”

A win in Boulder would be the 29th for Arizona, most in school history during the regular season. Tommy Lloyd’s first team, in 2021-22, won 28 as did back-to-back squads under Sean Miller in 2013-14 and 2014-15 and Lute Olson’s first Final Four team in 1987-88.

Here’s what to watch for when the UA and Colorado meet to wrap up the regular season:

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Lighter workloads?

Arizona has been very fortunate to have not worn out any of its rotation players this season, as Jaden Bradley is the only one averaging 30 minutes per game and just barely (30.1). Brayden Burries is at 29.5 per game, Ivan Kharchenkov 27.4, Koa Peat 26.9 and Motiejus Krivas 25.0.

Tobe Awaka and Anthony Dell’Orso are both averaging just over 21 minutes per game, while Dwayne…

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Publish date : 2026-03-06 23:30:00

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