Sean Elliott of Arizona dunks against Duke during the Fiesta Classic at McKale Center in Tucson on Dec. 30, 1987.

Lute Olson’s sixth UA team, 35-3, was ranked No. 1 for six weeks. It would clearly be No. 1 on this list had it not stumbled against Oklahoma’s defensive-minded Sooners in the Final Four. The “Darlings of the Desert” had what CBS analyst Billy Packer labeled “the finest pre-conference season in college basketball history,” defeating No. 1 Syracuse, No. 3 Iowa, No. 8 Duke and No. 9 Michigan before New Year’s Day. 


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Contact sports columnist Greg Hansen at 520-573-4362 or ghansen@tucson.com. On Twitter: @ghansen711