Tommy Lloyd and Bobby Hurley exchanged friendly greetings at midcourt before their game, but the atmosphere turned contentious as the match progressed. The tension came to a head during the Arizona Wildcats’ 81-72 victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils on Saturday. Hurley found himself frustrated with the relentless banter from the Wildcats, ultimately directing his players off the court to prevent further confrontation.
Hurley criticized the behavior of a few Arizona players for their persistent chatter, stating that it went unchecked by officials. He felt that while celebrating a win is expected, the manner in which it was expressed lacked class. Despite the competitive nature of the Territorial Cup rivalry, which had remained mostly respectful since Lloyd took over at Arizona in 2021, emotions ran high during this particular match, especially after a technical foul was called on Arizona’s Jaden Bradley in the first half for an inappropriate gesture.
As the scoreboard favored Arizona, the game took a turn for the worse. The tension peaked with thirty seconds left when Arizona State’s B.J. Freeman headbutted Arizona’s Caleb Love, prompting Love to retaliate verbally while being restrained by a teammate. Following a review of the incident, both players were ejected, escalating the situation on the court.
Lloyd expressed disappointment over the escalation, emphasizing that his program aims to respond with class, even during intense moments like this game. He acknowledged the emotional stakes but maintained respect for his counterpart, Hurley, and the Sun Devils.
On the other hand, Hurley was less willing to extend camaraderie in the heat of the moment. As the game drew to a close, he directed his players up the tunnel towards their locker room instead of allowing them to shake hands. His intentions to remove the team from possible conflicts were clear, as he intercepted Arizona associate head coach Jack Murphy, appearing to refuse any exchange of pleasantries.
In his postgame remarks, Hurley added fuel to the fire by mentioning his voting rights for the all-Big 12, hinting at his disapproval of Caleb Love, sparking speculation among reporters. The rivals will meet again on March 4 in Tucson, promising another electrifying matchup.
The tension surrounding this rivalry game illustrates the intense emotions that college basketball elicits, making fans eager for the next encounter.
