Arizona’s basketball team defeated Auburn 80-69 on Friday, but notably Bryce James remained on the sidelines for the contest. The son of NBA player LeBron James had been a consistent presence in the Wildcats’ rotation through the first three games of the season and during the program’s Lithuanian tour earlier in the offseason.
Coach Tommy Lloyd addressed James’s absence following the victory, characterizing their interaction positively. Lloyd indicated that his decision to keep James out of the game stemmed from tactical choices rather than performance concerns. The coach explained that he opted for a three-guard starting lineup featuring JJ Mandaquit and ultimately chose to stick with the players who had helped establish Arizona’s lead rather than make substitutions late in a closely contested matchup.
The Wildcats’ rotation has been operating with limited depth during the early portion of the season, as Arizona used only eight total players against Auburn. Lloyd noted that pending eligibility issues for Clemson transfer RJ Godfrey have contributed to the rotation’s fluidity. The coach emphasized that the victory against Auburn represented an important step for his team’s development, describing it as a valuable win for establishing the program’s identity and building confidence.
James was part of Arizona’s high-profile 2025 recruiting class that helped the Wildcats reach the Final Four for the first time since 2001. He redshirted during his freshman season and was expected to contribute off the bench during the current campaign. Arizona’s next significant test comes later this week with a matchup against No. 4 UConn on Wednesday.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI