In the minds of many college basketball fans, guard Caleb Love will always be frozen in time. On April 2, 2022, he knocked down a dagger three-pointer in North Carolina's legendary Final Four victory over Duke—one of the most memorable shots in the sport's history.
But leaving Love there would be a disservice to his vibrant second life since leaving the Tar Heels. Moving to Arizona via a transfer before the 2024 season, Love was the Pac-12 Player of the Year for the Wildcats last year and an All-Big 12 performer in 2025.
As Love prepares for another tournament showdown with the Blue Devils on Thursday, coach Tommy Lloyd insisted to Fox and NBC's John Fanta that the game should be viewed through the lens of the present rather than that of the past.
"I've learned a lot watching what he's gone through, and I respect him as a person," Lloyd said, alluding to criticism of Love's occasional streaky play. "I love being his coach. We're not trying to make this a Duke-(North) Carolina thing."
"We're not trying to make this a Duke/Carolina thing. This is a Duke/Arizona thing. Whatever happened at Carolina, whatever?"
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) March 26, 2025
— Tommy Lloyd shared thoughts on Caleb Love to me, including how he’s fought through criticism. Great stuff here: pic.twitter.com/BwCyUFfwAI
Indeed, the Tar Heels are long gone, having lost to Ole Miss in the first round on Friday. Love, on the other hand, has a golden opportunity to get back to the Final Four.
"This is a Duke-Arizona thing. Caleb Love plays for Arizona," Lloyd said. "Whatever happened at Carolina, whatever. To me, that don't mean you-know-what."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arizona's Tommy Lloyd Addresses History Between Caleb Love, Duke.
