On Saturday night, the Alabama Crimson Tide will face one of college basketball’s top teams, the Arizona Wildcats.
A team Alabama has seen many times in recent years, the most recent of which came back in 2023, the Crimson Tide and Wildcats have been two of college basketball’s premier programs since 2020 under head coaches Nate Oats and Tommy Lloyd.
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That has continued into this season also, with both the Crimson Tide and Wildcats ranked among the nation’s top teams entering this latest matchup, one that is set to take place Saturday, Dec. 13 in Birmingham, Alabama for the annual C.M. Newton Classic. Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Following is everything you need to know about Alabama’s opponent, the Arizona Wildcats, ahead of Saturday’s matchup in Birmingham.
Arizona Wildcats 2025-26 team overview
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Arena: McKale Center, Tucson, Arizona
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Record: 8-0 overall (0-0 Big 12)
Arizona comes into Saturday’s matchup undefeated at 8-0 overall this season with a resume headlined by wins over UConn, Florida, and Auburn. The undefeated Wildcats also currently rank as the nation’s No. 2 overall team, per the latest USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll.
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Arizona Wildcats 2025-26 coaching staff
Dec 6, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd yells out towards his bench during the first half of the game against the Auburn Tigers at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images
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Associate Head Coach: Jack Murphy
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Assistant Coach: TJ Benson
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Assistant Coach: Brandon Chappell
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Assistant Coach: Ken Nakagawa
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Assistant Coach: Evan Manning
The Wildcats are in the fifth season under head coach Tommy Lloyd, who has been at the helm of the program since the 2021-22 campaign. Under Lloyd, Arizona owns a combined 120-33 overall record, and the Wildcats have made the NCAA Tournament every season, as well as the Sweet 16 in three of those years.
Arizona Wildcats 2025-26 stats
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Points Per Game: 88.5 (No. 29 in NCAA)
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Points Per Game Allowed: 67.1 (No. 62 in NCAA)
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Rebounds Per Game: 42.3 (No. 26 in NCAA)
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Assists Per Game: 19.5 (No. 13 in NCAA)
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Steals Per Game: 8.4 (No. 87 in NCAA)
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Blocks Per Game: 4.4 (No. 75 in NCAA)
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Field Goal Percentage: 53.1% (No. 3 in NCAA)
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Three-Point Percentage: 37.5% (No. 44 in NCAA)
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Free Throw Percentage: 72.1% (No. 162 in NCAA)
Arizona comes into Saturday’s game averaging 88.5 points per game offensively, while also allowing 67.1 on defense themselves. The Wildcats are also one of the nation’s top teams when it comes to field goal percentage at 53.1% as a team, a number which ranks No. 3 nationally.
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Arizona Wildcats 2025-26 players to know
Nov 3, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) celebrates a play against the Florida Gators in the first half of the Hall of Fame Series game at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images
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Koa Peat, Forward, Freshman
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Jaden Bradley, Guard, Senior
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Brayden Burries, Guard, Freshman
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Tobe Awaka, Forward, Senior
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Motiejus Krivas, Center, Junior
Arizona’s roster is headlined by one of the nation’s top freshmen duos in Koa Peat and Brayden Burries, the former of which is leading the Wildcats with an average of 15.9 points per game on 56.3% shooting from the field. Former Alabama transfer Jaden Bradley is also one of Arizona’s top players, as is another name familiar to the Crimson Tide in former Tennessee forward Tobe Awaka.
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama basketball vs. Arizona Wildcats team, roster preview
