TUCSON, Arizona — Courtney Ramey and Cedric Henderson Jr. are Arizona's only two scholarship seniors, and they've only been here for one season. Head coach Tommy Lloyd brought them to Tucson out of necessity when Dalen Terry left for the NBA.
"We were kind of stuck in a bind recruiting-wise, and things weren't coming easy," said Lloyd. "To be able to pull Courtney Ramey and Cedric Henderson out of the transfer portal, I'm really thankful for those guys.
After missing the first three games due to an eligibility issue, Ramey has started every game since then, and he leads the Wildcats by shooting 41.5% from 3-point range.
Meanwhile, Henderson Jr. began the season as the team's sixth man.
"I've started everywhere I've been in college so it was more difficult for me to adjust coming off the bench and still having the same energy," said Henderson Jr.
In midseason, Lloyd inserted Henderson Jr. into the starting lineup, and Arizona has won eight of its nine games since that time.
"Cedric is a good player," said Lloyd. "I'm so proud of the way he's played for us. I'm so lucky to have him. I think I'm probably pretty hard on him in my head, but overall I think he has played so well."
Ramey and Henderson Jr benefit from the consensus National Coach of the Year, who needed him just as much as he needed them.
"I just want to make sure I put that out there that I'm thankful for Courtney and Cedric for believing in us and giving Arizona a chance, because they've really helped us."
