Through most of the first half, No. 4 Arizona (24-13) was right there with top-seed Duke and had the game tied up at 42 all with under a minute left to play in the first half. But, in those 30 seconds, Blue Devil freshmen Kon Knueppel and star Cooper Flagg hit back-to-back 3-point daggers giving their team the 6-point lead before half.
The end of the first half leaded to momentum for Duke as it went on to go 14 of 17 from the field to start the second half. It was too much offensive fire power for Arizona to overcome despite a mid-half run as UA fell 100-93 to the Blue Devils ending the 2024-25 season.
Flagg has been one of the best players in the nation and he was all of that and more against Arizona as he gave the team problems all-game-long with his 30 points while going 9 of 19 from the field.
One of the strengths of Arizona this season was the paint and how it was able to dominate on the glass and at scoring in the low-post. Well, the Blue Devils changed that with their size as they won the battle of the boards 30 to 27 and dominated the paint 42 to 30 against the Wildcats.
Not only was Flagg a problem for Arizona but Knueppel hit clutch shots throughout the game and finished with 20 points while going 5 of 7 from the field. He made his money at the foul line going 8-for-9 helping seal the win for the Blue Devils.
Foul trouble limited forward Tobe Awaka and KJ Lewis as the two scored a combined eight points. Awaka had just one field goal and finished with just two rebounds for his worst rebounding game of the season.
Arizona trailed by as many as 19 points in a 70-51 game, put star guard Caleb Love helped guide the team back in the game hitting clutch shot, after clutch shot to climb back in the game. Love finished with 35 points on 11 of 21 shooting from the field and secured four rebounds.
At one point in the second half, Love scored 15-straight Arizona points as he put on a scoring clinic, like he has done some many times before against the Blue Devils.
Throughout his first four seasons, head coach Tommy Lloyd is the only Arizona coach to make the NCAA Tournament all four times in his first four seasons with the program. Plus, Lloyd has reached the Sweet Sixteen three of the four years.
Although Lloyd has been a very good coach, he has yet to make the Elite Eight and now the program hasn't been past the Sweet Sixteen since the 2014-15 season. And hasn't played in a Final Four game in since the 2000-01 season.
Throughout that time, Arizona has had talented team and players that have left for the NBA and UA fans searching for a Final Four run.
After starting the season 4-5 and looking down the barrel of a long Big 12 season ahead, Arizona was able to battle back, secure a 4-seed in the tournament and make a run to the Sweet Sixteen.
Overall it was an amazing coaching job by Lloyd and great season from the team. Now, can this year be the building blocks to getting back to a Final Four and being an elite program?
Only time will tell but right now, Arizona does seem to have some momentum on its side as it heads into the offseason in search for the missing piece, or piece to break through to the next level.
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