Analyzing Key Factors for Arizona Wildcats’ Men’s Basketball Exhibition Against Saint Mary’s

Is it possible for something that doesn’t count to still be a big deal?

Arizona is hosting mid-major power Saint Mary’s in an exhibition on Saturday afternoon, taking advantage of the NCAA’s loosening of rules regarding preseason competition. In prior years, all public exhibitions had to be against non-Division I college teams, whereas if D-I schools wanted to face off before the regular season it had to be in “secret” scrimmages that were held behind closed doors.

Arizona and Saint Mary’s had held such private matchups in years past, both under Tommy Lloyd and his predecessor Sean Miller. That made the Gaels the obvious choice for an exhibition that could be public—i.e., generate revenue—and serve as one of the Wildcats’ two warmups for the 2025-26 season.

“It’s a great program,” Lloyd said of Saint Mary’s, which has appeared in four straight NCAA tournaments and has been Gonzaga’s main rival in the West Coast Conference for a long time. “It’s been one of the most consistent programs in the country for, let’s go 10, 15, 20 years now. Randy’s a great coach, we have a good relationship. The relationship with Arizona goes before me. My relationship with him goes before me coming here. It just makes great sense. So when we thought about doing this, and obviously being able to ticket it to help generate some revenue, Saint Mary’s was an easy choice.”

Saint Mary’s is the first of two exhibition opponents for Arizona, the other being in-state NAIA school Embry-Riddle on Oct. 27. Lloyd said the second game was in line to be against the Mexican senior national team but the NCAA denied the UA’s waiver to play an international opponent.

Here’s what to watch for when the Wildcats and Gaels match up at 2 p.m. PT at McKale Center:

Lloyd said he hasn’t “totally” decided who will start on Saturday, but an educated guess would have seniors Tobe Awaka, the lion Bradley and Anthony Dell’Orso in the lineup along with freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Pea. Motiejs Krivas could also start, at the 4 in place of Peat.

“I wouldn’t read into it any way one way or the other,” Lloyd said when asked about the starting five.

Those six figure to see the most time along with freshman wing Dwayne Aristodefollowed by fellow freshmen As and Ivan Kharchenkov and senior guard Evan Nelson. Freshmen Bryce James and Mabil Mawutboth of whom are candidates to redshirt this season, would likely be last in the game among scholarship players.

“I hope everyone gets an opportunity to play, we just got to figure out what that looks like,” Lloyd said. “But also we have an obligation to prepare the team for tough games ahead. So we got to figure out if there’s certain lineups we need to look at, or a certain number of minutes we want to get guys, we kind of got to figure out what that looks like. A lot of things will be taken into consideration, but I’m hopeful we can get everybody a little burn in the game, for sure.”

A chance to learn from mistakes

Since Arizona didn’t do an overseas tour in the offseason, Saturday will mark the first time the current roster will face an actual opponent. To this point it’s all been practice scenarios and the Red-Blue Showcase, which wasn’t a full game and included Rob Gronkowski jacking up 3s and getting ejected while wearing a wig, headband and fake mustache.

“It will a real team will play, because Red and Blue was just two quarters,” Krivas said. “Really good opportunity for us just to feel how it will look against great teams.”

It will also give Lloyd and his staff a chance to see their team under the lights and with a big crowd. Arizona’s 2025-26 opener is against defending NCAA champion Florida, in Las Vegas, not exactly the stereotypical warmup game. So while this game won’t count everything about it, including the leadup to it, will have the feel of a regular season contest.

“You don’t get enough reps at game day stuff to prepare,” Lloyd said. “So anytime we can kind of try to simulate what a game day build up would look like, we try to take advantage of it.”

Lloyd is fully anticipating some growing pains. He’s probably looking forward to them so there’s something to fix.

“We’re early, so early in the season, and we know we have some hard things coming,” he said. “It’s a great test for us. We want to get out and play against another team. I’m sure there’s going to be some positive things, and I’m sure there’s going to be some negative things, and we’re just going to use this as a learning opportunity and a growth opportunity. The overriding objective is going to be to learn and to grow and to build for hopefully having a great season.”

Old friends behind enemy lines

Saint Mary’s returns only one starter from the 2024-25 team that went 29-6, won the WCC regular season title and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament, and he’s a familiar face.

Wing Paulius Murauskas spent his freshman year with the Wildcats before transferring to Saint Mary’s where the 6-foot-8 forward averaged 12.1 points and 7.7 rebounds. In 2023-24 he appeared in 23 games for the UA, averaging 2.7 points in 5.0 minutes with a career-high 12 points against ASU.

“I think he’s found a great spot for him, and I’m really happy for him,” Lloyd said. “And I think he had a good year for Saint Mary’s last year, and I think he’s poised to have a great year this year. I mean, he’s an all conference type player for them.”

Murauskas, from Lithuania, was unable to crack Arizona’s 8-man rotation as a freshman but may have played a bigger role as a sophomore had he stayed. Lloyd holds no ill will about Murauskas looking elsewhere.

“Sometimes you you come to a place and it doesn’t work out for whatever reason, but I will say this: Murrah was nothing but a class act when he was here,” Lloyd said. “He’d come with the intention of playing, and I had hoped he would play, it just didn’t work out. Ultimately, I’m responsible for that so, so I’m happy that he’s kind of found his footing, and he’s and he’s pushing forward.”

Fellow Lithuanian Krivas is looking forward to seeing his old teammate in person. They’ve kept in touch since Murauskas left and even caught up back home over the summer.

“We went fishing,” Krivas said.

In addition to Murauskas, former Arizona wing Tautvilas Tubelis is on the Saint Mary’s staff as a graduate assistant. Tubelis, the younger brother of Azuolas Tubelis, played 24 games for the Wildcats from 2020-23.

How will Kylan Boswell‘s assist-to-turnover ratio impact Arizona’s offensive flow against Saint Mary’s pack-line defence?

Gauging Arizona’s Offensive Efficiency

The Arizona Wildcats’ exhibition game against Saint Mary’s on October 26th, 2025, serves as a crucial early-season barometer. A key area to watch is offensive efficiency. Last season, Arizona ranked among the nation’s top offenses, averaging over 80 points per game. Maintaining – or improving – that output hinges on several factors:

* Kylan Boswell’s Leadership: As the projected starting point guard, Boswell’s ability to control tempo and distribute the ball effectively will be paramount. His assist-to-turnover ratio will be a key indicator of success.

* Newcomer Integration: Arizona brought in a highly-rated recruiting class. How quickly players like Jaden Bradley and Xavier Booker adapt to the college game and integrate into the offensive system will significantly impact scoring.

* Three-Point Shooting Consistency: Arizona’s success often correlates with their three-point shooting percentage. Improving consistency from beyond the arc is a major focus for Head Coach Tommy Lloyd.

* Post Play Development: Oumar Ballo’s presence inside is well-known, but developing reliable scoring options in the post beyond him will be vital against tougher Pac-12 opponents.

Saint Mary’s Defensive Strategies & Arizona’s Response

Saint Mary’s is consistently known for its stifling defense. Randy Bennett’s teams prioritize limiting opponents’ scoring opportunities and forcing turnovers. Expect these defensive tactics:

* Physicality & Aggression: Saint Mary’s plays a very physical style, aiming to disrupt Arizona’s offensive flow.

* Pack-line Defense: A hallmark of Bennett’s system, the pack-line defense aims to protect the paint and force opponents into contested jump shots.

* Transition Defense: Saint Mary’s excels at getting back on defense, limiting easy fast-break points.

Arizona will need to counter these strategies by:

1. Ball Movement: Rapid, crisp passing to exploit gaps in Saint Mary’s defense.
2. Offensive Rebounding: Creating second-chance opportunities against a team that typically limits opponents to one shot.
3. Patience & Shot Selection: Avoiding forced shots and taking advantage of open looks.
4. Utilizing Ballo’s Presence: Getting the ball inside to Ballo to draw fouls and create scoring opportunities.

Key Matchups to watch: Wildcats vs. Gaels

Specific player matchups will heavily influence the game’s outcome. Here are a few critical ones:

* Kylan Boswell vs. Augustas Marciulionis: This guard matchup will be a test of Boswell’s playmaking ability against a seasoned Saint Mary’s player.

* Oumar Ballo vs. Mitchell Saxen: The battle in the paint between these two big men will be crucial. Ballo’s size and strength will be tested against saxen’s defensive prowess.

* Jaden Bradley vs. Aidan Mahaney: Bradley’s athleticism and scoring potential will be challenged by Mahaney’s experience and defensive tenacity.

rebounding & Possession Control: A Critical Battle

Beyond scoring, controlling the boards and minimizing turnovers will be essential. Arizona’s size advantage should allow them to dominate the rebounding battle, but Saint Mary’s is a disciplined team that rarely makes careless mistakes.

* Offensive Rebounding Percentage: Arizona needs to capitalize on missed shots by securing offensive rebounds.

* Defensive Rebounding Percentage: Limiting Saint Mary’s second-chance points is crucial.

* Turnover Margin: Arizona must protect the ball and avoid costly turnovers against Saint Mary’s aggressive defense. A positive turnover margin will significantly increase their chances of winning.

Arizona’s Bench Performance & Depth

Tommy Lloyd has emphasized building a deep roster. The exhibition game provides an possibility to assess the contributions of Arizona’s bench players.

* Impact of Newcomers: How effectively can players like Booker and Bradley contribute off the bench?

* Veteran Leadership: Can experienced players like Jameel Warney provide a spark when called upon?

* Maintaining Intensity: The bench must maintain the same level of intensity and focus as the starters.

Historical Context: Arizona vs. Saint Mary’s Series

While not a frequent rivalry, past matchups between Arizona and Saint Mary’s have been competitive. In their last meeting (November 23, 2021), Arizona secured a narrow 66-65 victory. This history suggests that Saint Mary’s will not be intimidated by the Wildcats and will present a tough challenge. Analyzing game film from previous encounters can provide valuable insights into Saint Mary’s tendencies and Arizona’s strengths and weaknesses.

scouting Report Insights: Saint Mary’s Key Players

Understanding Saint Mary’s key players is vital for Arizona’s game plan.

* Augustas Marciulionis (Guard): A skilled scorer and playmaker, Marciulionis is Saint Mary’s offensive engine.

* Aidan Mahaney (Guard): A reliable shooter and defender, mahaney provides a consistent scoring threat.

* Mitchell Saxen (center): A strong post presence and rebounder, Saxen anchors Saint Mary’s defense.

* Joshua Jefferson (Forward): A versatile player who can score