Caleb Love trotted back, his head down, shoulders slumped after the latest of his missed 3-pointers clanged the back rim. This was not his night, until it was.

Tommy Lloyd is a straight shooter. In fact, LeBron James used those exact words when he was asked why his son, Bryce James, committed to the Arizona Wildcats.

How social media reacted to Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love's game-tying shot from beyond half court in college basketball game vs Iowa State.

Love has had a solid college career. He was the second leading scorer on the UNC team that made a surprise run to the Final Four in 2022 and was the best player on an Arizona team that reached the Sweet 16 last year. He might never have had a more highlight-packed game than what he did on Monday night, though.

Arizona guard Caleb Love went from goat to hero in 2 seconds late Monday night vs No. 3 Iowa State, hitting perhaps the shot of the year.

Arizona, a preseason Top 10 team, has been looking for a big win ever since a brutal stretch in late November, when the Wildcats lost four of five games, three of them to unranked teams. Since then, they’ve won 10 of their last 11.

College basketball fans are getting the full Caleb Love experience Monday night. After going 1-of-10 from the 3-point line over the first 39 minutes and 58 seconds of the game, Love drained a 60-footer from beyond halfcourt at the buzzer to pull Arizona into a 71-71 tie with Iowa State and send the game into overtime.

Caleb Love hit a tying heave from beyond halfcourt at the end of regulation and made two more 3-pointers in overtime, finishing with 22 points and lifting Arizona to an 86-75 win over No. 3 Iowa State.

Caleb Love hit a game-tying heave from beyond half court at the end of regulation and made two more 3-pointers in overtime, finishing with 22 points and lifting Arizona to an 86-75 win over No. 3 Iowa State on Monday night.

If the Arizona Wildcats want to make a deep postseason run — or any postseason run at all — Caleb Love is going to have to play better. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said it last week, and it rang true Monday night.