Arizona men’s basketball kicks off Lithuania summer tour with cultural ties, new roster

Arizona men’s basketball arrived in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, on Friday and has begun practicing ahead of three exhibition games this week.

The Wildcats are on an 11-day foreign tour spanning Aug. 13-23.

The trip marks a critical bonding opportunity for head coach Tommy Lloyd’s squad, which returns just two rotation players from last season in big man Motiejus Krivas and small forward Ivan Kharchenkov.

“I think the number one goal is to kickstart your culture and spend time together, and kind of our journey starts now,” Lloyd told reporters after a practice at the end of July.

“Every team has its own journey, and making sure that’s clear. Last year has nothing to do with this year, and the year in the future has nothing to do with what we’re trying to do this year. So just kind of understanding that and start this group’s experience. We want to have a great experience as a group and we’re excited. We’re open-minded heading over to Europe.”

Arizona was granted 10 additional practices under NCAA rules to prepare for the exhibition swing. Under a new NCAA rule change starting this spring, programs are permitted to take international tours annually rather than once every four years. The Wildcats last traveled abroad in August 2023 for a tour of Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

“If we could do this annually, that’s something I think that would be really cool, but we’re not quite there yet,” Lloyd added. “If it works out in our schedule and I have the endurance to do it, and we have the team to do it, we’d love to go to as many cool places in the world as we can.”

The trip carries special significance for Arizona and its deep Lithuanian ties. Krivas and forward Ugnius Jarusevicius both played in Kaunas prior to moving to the United States for college. Additionally, Montenegrin wing Maksim Brnović spent last season playing for Lithuanian pro club Žalgiris’ developmental squad.

For Krivas, who experienced the 2023 tour prior to his freshman campaign, the off-court camaraderie is just as crucial as the game action.

“I was on the trip to Israel a few years ago and that really helped everyone learn more about each other,” Krivas said. “That was so valuable to me as a young player at the time, so I know this will help all of us since we have so many new players on the team this year.”

“Not every player, especially European players, can say that they are going back to their country to play against their national team,” Krivas added. “It’s going to be really fun.”

 

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In Lithuania, where basketball is deeply woven into the country’s identity, the Wildcats expect strong local crowds.

“Most people in Lithuania say that basketball is their second religion,” Krivas said. “When the national team plays, the streets are empty and everybody is watching the game. So it means a lot.”

“I think people from here would be shocked to know how many people in Lithuania know what the University of Arizona is and how good University of Arizona basketball is,” Lloyd said. “Anytime we can go out and kind of broadcast that message to the world, it’s a really cool thing.”

For Jarusevicius, the tour concludes with a homecoming in Alytus, where the Wildcats close out their slate against Lithuania’s senior team.

“To me, it’s amazing and almost like a full circle moment,” Jarusevicius said. “My parents never guessed that I would be playing in the United States for a college team and they would get the chance to see me play back home in my hometown. It’s a great opportunity and it’s definitely a blessing.”

The national teams for Lithuania and Ukraine are utilizing the exhibition slate as preparation for FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifying.

Lithuania is expected to play without NBA standouts Domantas Sabonis, Jonas Valanciunas, Matas Buzelis and Kasparas Jakucionis. Sabonis was previously recruited and coached by Lloyd during his time as an assistant at Gonzaga.

“It’s a little disappointing,” Jarusevicius said. “I was looking forward to playing against Valanciunas and all of the big names. But I know they have to do what’s best for them and we understand that.”

The tour finale in Alytus will feature a familiar face on the opposing sideline in former Arizona standout Azuolas Tubelis, who headlined the Wildcats’ frontcourt under Lloyd for two seasons after playing his freshman year under Sean Miller.

How to watch the Arizona Wildcats games in Lithuania 

All three games will be streamed live on YouTube. Fans can also follow along with player-written blog posts throughout the trip on Arizona Athletics’ official site.

Wednesday, Aug. 19: vs. Lithuania “B” Team (Jonava) – 9:30 a.m. MST
Thursday, Aug. 20: vs. Ukraine Senior National Team (Kėdainiai) – 7 a.m. MST
Saturday, Aug. 22: vs. Lithuania Senior National Team (Alytus) – 9:30 a.m. MST

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