Arizona basketball has 3 big questions to answer in exhibition opener vs. San Francisco

Tommy Lloyd and the Arizona Wildcats are bringing the San Francisco Dons of the West Coast Conference to the McKale Center for an exhibition game on Tuesday, the first of three for Arizona before the 2026-27 college basketball season begins officially on Nov. 2.

Tuesday will give fans a chance to see Arizona’s new-look roster against another D1 opponent, while Lloyd and his staff have an opportunity to see how the work they’ve been doing this offseason is coming along against a USF program that won 20+ games eight full seasons in a row before multiple injuries contributed to last year’s disappointing 17-16 finish.

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Arizona is expected to be without freshman forward Endi Aiyamenkhue, who is dealing with a leg injury, and won’t have Clemson transfer RJ Godfrey, who remains ineligible while his battle with the NCAA rages on.

Below is a look at three things to watch as Arizona takes the floor Tuesday, starting at 7:00 PM MST on ESPN+.

1. Can Caleb Holt deliver offensively?

Mar 30, 2026; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Caleb Holt (3) during the McDonalds All American Jam Fest at Millennium High School. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Caleb Holt has big shoes to fill for Arizona, following the departure of star freshman Brayden Burries at the two guard spot. Holt is a McDonald’s All-American from Prolific Prep who is widely considered a candidate to go top three in the 2027 NBA draft, thanks to his positional size and strength, defensive instincts, and scoring ability.

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However, the scoring has been a tad suspect so far through Arizona’s foreign tour and at the Red-Blue Showcase.

It would be great to see Holt shine against the Dons, making good decisions with the basketball, hitting outside shots, and not settling for long midrange jumpers. A version of Holt that is relentlessly attacking the rim and drilling threes is what will get Arizona back to the Final Four – and fans would love to see that player on Tuesday.

2. Who has the edge in Arizona’s point guard battle?

Feb 2, 2026;…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/arizona-basketball-3-big-questions-231213522.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-12 23:12:00

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