here<\/a>. Below is what Lloyd, Jaden Bradley, Koa Peat, Brayden Burries, Tobe Awaka, Ivan Kharchenkov and Motiejus Krivas said after the 2025-26 season came to a close:<\/p>\nLloyd on Michigan: \u201cThey were outstanding tonight. Really had us on our heels tonight. We never could get in a rhythm. So they get a ton of credit for that. No one\u2019s been able to do that to us all year. So it was an impressive performance by them.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the game not living up to the hype: \u201cMichigan gets all the credit today.I mean, it wasn\u2019t our night, and probably had a lot to do with them. They were just impressive. They were impressive how they came out and executed their game plan. And we got down a little bit, and we\u2019ve been down a few times this year, but not like that. Just probably got a little panicky and weren\u2019t able to settle back in. And they get credit. That\u2019s why if you can get off to a good start in games, it\u2019s usually pretty impactful. And that definitely was the case today.\u201d<\/p>\n
On if youth or experience mattered in this game: \u201cI don\u2019t think it was an inexperience thing today. We had a good couple of days of practice. We had a good shootaround today. I think we just came out and we played a team that was really well built. They have a great coach. They were able to take control of the game. And then really, they were like surgical at a point. So that\u2019s hard to do. So they get a ton of credit. We have had a great year. But even if you\u2019re a great team and you can\u2019t get in a rhythm, it\u2019s going to be a tough night. That\u2019s what we felt tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Michigan coach Dusty May calling Arizona \u2018Gonzaga on steroids:\u2019 \u201cThey did that to a few other people, not just Gonzaga this year. And this game could have went that way. Obviously they have the kryptonite right now. So that\u2019s going to be a fun thing for me to try to figure out this offseason. \u201cThey just did a great job. And their size really impacted the game. I felt that. I see they only have (Aday) Mara down for two blocks. There\u2019s no way. I could think of three that he tipped, you know what I mean, just right off the top of my head.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the difficulty of playing Michigan for the first time: \u201cI think they\u2019re one of those teams — I would say, like, Houston\u2019s like that, or even Iowa State\u2019s like that, teams we played. You have to play them a few times. And after you kind of get used to playing them a few times you get more comfortable. I think that\u2019s probably why you saw more closer games in the … Big Ten for them towards the end because teams probably got comfortable playing them and had a better plan. I mean I wish we had another crack at it, but we don\u2019t. And so they get a ton of credit.<\/p>\n
On this game being labeled an unofficial title game: \u201cObviously they\u2019re down to two teams left, and they\u2019ve got a good chance to win. Listen, I don\u2019t think anybody is going to count UConn out. So that\u2019s why when everybody was saying this is the national championship game; it\u2019s not the national championship game. Monday night the national championship game and you have to fight to get there. So, yeah, credit to Michigan. Really impressive tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
On measuring the disappointment of this game against the success of the season: \u201cIt will probably take a little time. I knew we could do this this year. And I thought we had a chance to win this 4-team tournament. But obviously Michigan had other thoughts today. So I\u2019m sure we\u2019ll get back home and take a breath. But I know, myself, no loss at the end of the season feels great. But I also think that it can be a great learning tool. So we\u2019re going to take a breath, probably try to figure out what our roster looks like next year, and like I\u2019ve always said, in this business, as a coach, you\u2019ve got to be tough enough to take disappointment and show back up. And we\u2019re going to show back up. And we\u2019re going to try to do this again but see if we can do it a little bit better.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Arizona\u2019s seniors: \u201cThey were just incredible young men. Not just really good basketball players, just great young men. We never had one issue with (any) of those guys. They showed up every day. They played when they were a little banged up. They put in the work. They were great teammates. They did an amazing job of helping us kind of continue to build our culture and kind of raise the standards of the program. So I\u2019ll always be thankful for those guys. I wish there was a fifth year of eligibility. I wish I could coach those guys again because they\u2019re awesome, awesome young men.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the team overall: \u201cThey were amazing this year, and it was an awesome, awesome journey. It was as much fun as I\u2019ve ever had coaching basketball.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the message to Tucson and the fan base: \u201cThank you. I mean, thank you. Thank them for everything. Obviously we\u2019re disappointed we weren\u2019t able to get it over the top for them. But I think we all saw what\u2019s possible again. So now let\u2019s all roll up our sleeves and support each other and see if we can make this a normal thing. That would be awesome for me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou sit around and you dream as a coach or you think, and these narratives in the media all get created that you can\u2019t be in the big one, whatever. You get upset in the tournament. Well, I thought one day, man, I can\u2019t wait until we get to a Final Four, because I knew we would, but can\u2019t wait until we get there just so I could maybe just coach and I don\u2019t have to worry about any of your guys\u2019 narratives or anything.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut then the first thing that popped to my head was like, one Final Four? Why don\u2019t we go five times in 10 years? I mean, that\u2019s where my mind\u2019s at. You know, I\u2019m going to do it day by day. But that\u2019s my big dream. I mean, who knows? Maybe you guys will use that against me saying that some day, but I\u2019m going to dream big, and I\u2019m going to work my ass off to try to make it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Michigan being able to force turnovers: \u201cThey just did a great job being in the gaps. They were kind of mixing up their (defense), whether they\u2019re going over and under ball screens, and our guys, we didn\u2019t do a great job adjusting the level of our screen. And so we weren\u2019t getting the edge. And then we had a few guys over-penetrated. They\u2019re scrappy and handsy, and they got their hands on some balls. That was kind of the first thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I felt like there was at least, I don\u2019t know, four or five rebound situations on our end when we were on defense that we had the ball or could have had the ball and we just didn\u2019t secure it. That\u2019s tough when that happens right in front of the rim; they pick it up and lay it in. So the combination of those two things got them off to a really good start. Dusty is a really good coach. Once they get on a good start, he kind of really knows how to control the game. And when you\u2019re controlling the game and you\u2019re running your actions and you\u2019re getting some open shots or semi-open shots, you knock them down, it makes it really tough to come back, and that\u2019s what they were able to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bradley on his foul trouble: \u201c Definitely wanted to be out there with my guys. They did a great job of putting me in ball screens. I was trying to cheer my guys on on the bench. We\u2019ve got talented freshmen and other talented players. But Michigan just did a great job, and we weren\u2019t able to kind of catch up and tie it up.\u201d<\/p>\n
On his Arizona career: \u201cIt means a lot. I appreciate Coach Lloyd and the staff for taking me in and giving me, I\u2019d like to say, like a fresh start. I appreciate this team. We accomplished a lot this year. We definitely wanted to win this game, but Michigan was the better team tonight. Appreciate Tucson. Just love this group and cherish the last couple gatherings we have together before everybody goes their own ways. But just happy to be a part of this team.\u201d<\/p>\n
On his favorite moments from the season: \u201cI would say just, on and off the court, I feel like you really get to figure your teammates out, know what they\u2019re like, meet their families. Just stuff beyond basketball. I felt like it brings you closer on the court, and I feel like we did a lot of stuff like that this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Peat on the difference between this game and the Elite Eight vs. Purdue: \u201cI just think it wasn\u2019t our day, honestly. A lot of shots went in and out. Halftime, Coach told us the same thing, just to stay together, go out there, play our brand of basketball. And I\u2019m just proud of the guys. We fought. Just didn\u2019t come out on top. But I\u2019m super thankful for these guys. I love these guys, and I cherish every moment we had together. And just really grateful for everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Aday Mara: \u201cHe\u2019s just a good player, really unique. He had a really good game tonight. So props to him.\u201d<\/p>\n
On being called Mr. Arizona: \u201cIt means everything to me. Being a kid from Arizona, putting on this jersey, having Arizona across my chest. Like I said in the beginning of the season, when I put Arizona across my chest, I\u2019m going to go 110 percent every game and leave no regrets. I\u2019m just really thankful for the brand and the program for everything they did for me, and these teammates right here. I\u2019m just super blessed. And it was a special year, and I\u2019m just really thankful for everybody in Tucson, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the first time in his career ending a season with a loss: \u201cI mean, it\u2019s tough for me to process this right now. I really haven\u2019t fully processed it. Just learn from it. You\u2019re not going to be perfect every night. But just knowing that I gave this team all I had, I could put my head on a pillow at night and be able to sleep. Super thankful. And these two right here, I love these guys. We\u2019re going to have a relationship for the rest of our lives. And Coach too. Coach brought me in. I can\u2019t thank Coach enough for how much he trusted and believed in me, and I\u2019m just really thankful for him and this program and everybody, honestly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Burries on Lloyd\u2019s halftime speech: \u201cThe halftime speech was the same (as Purdue), no matter how much we were down by, it was the same. Coach Murph came in and told each other everybody get up, dap each other up. And we watched the clips. And then, Coach Lloyd came in gave us the pep talk we needed. Then we went out there and we just couldn\u2019t get it done. Michigan, they were making a lot of shots and they played great. And I\u2019m just thankful, though, for the experience I had with these guys. Very blessed. Learned a lot about not only myself but one another.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the turnovers: \u201cThey had a great defensive plan. They were pretty bigger. But I feel like most of our shots were just, like, in and out. Like, it was in the rim and then out. And sometimes it\u2019s just not your day, and today just wasn\u2019t our day, honestly.\u201d<\/p>\n
On his favorite moment from the season: \u201cI couldn\u2019t even pick, but it honestly would be just being around the guys, probably just in the locker room, or just, like, practice, going and competing against one another. And just being around the guys, honestly, it\u2019s unexplanatory. It\u2019s just a blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Awaka on the season: \u201cIt was super special, obviously, 25 years since the last Final Four and obviously wanted more. But I think that we can look back and say that we put our best foot forward. We had a great group, a great team put together. You know it\u2019s going to sting, because when you know you\u2019re so close to a championship and it slips to your fingers a little bit, it can be tough. But I think we\u2019ll look back and say this is a great basketball experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
On if the UNC rumors with Lloyd bled into the locker room: \u201cHe didn\u2019t mention it, not once. You wouldn\u2019t even think it was even happening, to be honest. Honestly, I wasn\u2019t even on social media. Most of the guys weren\u2019t on social media just to lock in for the time being. Obviously, we heard chirpings of it, but it wasn\u2019t really anything serious. Honestly, I didn\u2019t really get brought up to me until media told us that he had re-signed and we got asked about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kharchenkov on the UA fans: \u201cIt\u2019s been great. They picked me up really good, really quick. I love Tucson.\u201d<\/p>\n
On his favorite part of the season: \u201cThe journey. From the beginning of the preseason, being new, getting to know everything, everything looks new for myself, and then just going throughout the season, learning more stuff, new stuff, playing in big arenas with sold out crowds and with teammates, and going through adversity with my now family.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Michigan\u2019s defense: \u201cThey were really gappy. They definitely looked at our film. They were definitely there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Krivas on what didn\u2019t work: \u201cMichigan is just a great team. They had a really great defensive plan, I think we couldn\u2019t figure out how to score. And then on defense, we started really bad. We couldn\u2019t get the rebounds, loose balls. We kind of came back a little bit, but we couldn\u2019t hold them. They made a bunch of great plays, great shots, all credit to them. They deserve this one.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the season overall: \u201cBefore the season, every team wants to be remembered as a champion. And now it sucks, it hurts, but I think as the time will go through, we will all understand what we did and that we led Arizona to (the) Final Four, which is a huge deal, and it will a be great opportunity to learn from mistakes and come here again next year.\u201d<\/p>\n
On when he\u2019ll decide about his future: \u201cAll I\u2019m thinking about is this game, what we could have done better. Just need to settle down and get back and just relax.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"INDIANAPOLIS\u2014Arizona\u2019s first trip to the Final Four in 25 years didn\u2019t go well, its 18-point loss to Michigan…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":699169,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3724],"tags":[9763,7],"class_list":{"0":"post-699168","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-basketball","8":"tag-arizona-basketball","9":"tag-basketball"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116350585790555465","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/699168","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=699168"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/699168\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/699169"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=699168"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=699168"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=699168"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}