Zona’s Lloyd desires tight Delta Center nets ‘fixed’

• Josh Weinfuss, ESPN Personnel WriterMar 22, 2024, 05:58 PM ET Close Josh Weinfuss is a staff writer who covers the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL at ESPN. Josh has actually covered the Cardinals since 2012, joining ESPN in 2013. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and a graduate of Indiana University. You can follow him through Twitter @joshweinfuss.

SALT LAKE CITY– Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd thinks there’s a simple solution to repair the issues with the tight webs at the Delta Center: Just swap them out with broken-in nets.

“I don’t believe it’s hard to find webs where the ball goes through,” Lloyd said Friday ahead of the Wildcats’ second-round game versus the Dayton Flyers. “So, go up to the University of Utah, take the webs off the basket, since they’re most likely not stopping there, and bring them here. It’s not made complex.”

The internet at the Delta Center were a problem throughout all four first-round games on Thursday. They were too tight, triggering the ball to either get stuck in them or be postponed going through them.It got to a point where a team from the arena attempted to extend the internet on at least three celebrations: After Arizona beat Long Beach State in the first game Thursday, at halftime of the McNeese-Gonzaga game and before the final game of the day, Samford-Kansas.

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1 Related “I hope they have the wherewithal to make that modification,” Lloyd stated. “I suggest, I do not understand. If they stretch them and can extend them good enough and prove to themselves they’re not going to stick, that’s fine.”

Where the tight webs affected teams most was when they wished to enter into a transition game off makes. It caused groups to decrease.

“We’re constructed to play great deals of different styles, and, generally, if you wish to be a team that’s playing in transition, you better be an excellent defensive team so you’re not taking the ball out of the web, particularly these webs, because the ball doesn’t come out of them,” Lloyd said. “Just stays in there. Speak about stopping a fast break. Jeesh. Ideally they have that fixed by [Saturday]”

But Lloyd wasn’t done.He also had several concerns with the basketballs– made by Wilson– utilized in the NCAA competition, however said it’s something college basketball has been handling “permanently.” Lloyd called for there to be a universal ball throughout college basketball.

“These are new basketballs,” he said. “And I know they’ll probably throw, ‘Well, the shooting percentages do not alter.’ There were more mishandles for both groups in our game the other day. The basketball is new, pumped up a little various, different than what the guys are comfy with every day.

“It begs the concern in college basketball: How do we not have a standardized basketball? How can you have fun with an Adidas ball one game, Nike ball the next game, the Rock in the next tournament, a Spalding in the next tournament? If you’re [in the] Hall of Popularity Classic, you’re playing with a Spalding. If you’re in the NCAA competition, you’re playing with Wilson. Come on. I believe we can standardize the game a little bit. I believe it’s common sense.”

A fired-up Lloyd stated he likewise understands the other factors in play: cash. Schools play with the ball of the company that sponsors. For example, Arizona is a Nike school and has fun with a Nike ball in your home.

“But, hi, I know it’s likewise a business,” Lloyd said. “I’m simply a coach, so I’m going to get back in my lane.”