Though the front of Caleb Love’s jersey bears a different name, he’s back in a place he knows well. Less than a year after he was abandoned in the woods, love has guided Arizona to the Sweet 16. His new club is advancing, but he was the focal point of a North Carolina team that faltered and missed the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
Love was a vital member of North Carolina’s 2022 national runner-up squad. He finished the season as the second-leading scorer for the Tar Heels (15.9 points per game), who fell three points shy of a national championship. In that final game, Kansas won 72-69, and North Carolina was the clear favorite to win the championship heading into the 2022–23 campaign. Not everything went as expected.
Last season, North Carolina was a huge disappointment, even with Love leading the way. The Tar Heels missed the NCAA Tournament after finishing the season with a 20-13 record (11-9 in the ACC). They also turned down a request to see the NIT. With his prominent position and frequent ball possession, Love came under heavy criticism for North Carolina’s disappointing season. When he took the decision to use the transfer portal to look for greener pastures.
Love initially committed to Michigan as a transfer, but wound up re-opening his recruitment after an admissions issue. Considering how the Wolverines 2023-24 season unfolded, he may have dodged a bullet. Then he found a home in Tucson.
There was no denying Arizona’s allure. Steve Robinson was Love’s main recruiter at North Carolina when he committed to Roy Williams. Robinson started working with Arizona under Tommy Lloyd in September 2021. It appeared like the ideal fit, with the guard-friendly, fast-paced Wildcats system complementing Love’s abilities.
This season, the senior has led Arizona from the front. With a career-high 18.1 points per game and career-bests in field goal percentage (41.8) and three-point percentage (34.8), Love is leading the club. In the early stages of the NCAA Tournament, he has also demonstrated leadership.
Arizona defeated Long Beach State 85–65 in the First Round. Love finished with 18 points, a season-high 11 rebounds, five assists, a steal, and a block. Love led the Wildcats with 19 points in Saturday’s easy 78-68 victory over Dayton, the No. 7 seed, but he also filled up the box score. Along with three rebounds, two steals, a block, and five assists. He has consistently shot a lot, and this tournament hasn’t made him any different. After two rounds, Love is 12-of-32 from the field and 6-of-20 from three-point range. He hasn’t shot well, but he’s been reliable while handling the ball. Love has only committed four crimes in his 69 minutes of play. turnovers.
Above all, Love gives Arizona a leader who has experienced a deep run in the competition. Lloyd has been the head coach for three regular seasons, and while his teams have been extremely successful, they have not advanced past the Sweet 16. The Wildcats have returned there in 2024 and are capable of making it to the Final Four, which will take place in Arizona.
After a turbulent junior season, Love’s career took a turn for the worst. He is back marching through the NCAA Tournament after finding a new place to live.