The Arizona Wildcats are No. 8 and UCLA is only No. 15.
Feels good to hear that after that last game, doesn't it?
It's a ranking not based directly on wins, though, but on money.
Forbes said Monday that Arizona is the nation's eighth most valuable college hoops program.
The business magazine/website estimates that Arizona's basketball program is valued at $19.5 million, up 6 percent in one year. Its profit is said to be $12.4 million.
Forbes wrote of Arizona: "The Pac-12's most valuable basketball program, and the only on our list besides UCLA (No. 15), increased team revenue by more than $2 million year-over-year thanks in part to increased contributions."
Sean Miller's Wildcats are behind these basketball heavyweights on the 2013 list of the 20 most valuable men's programs:
1. Louisville Cardinals: Value $38.5 million; profit $24.6 million.
2. Kansas Jayhawks: Value $32.9 million; profit $19.9 million.
3. North Carolina Tar Heels: Value $32.8 million; profit $19.9 million.
4. Kentucky Wildcats: Value $32.1 million; profit $19.9 million.
5. Ohio State Buckeyes: Value $23.1 million; profit $13.6 million.
6. Indiana Hoosiers: Value $21.8 million; profit $14.4 million.
7. Wisconsin Badgers: Value $19.8 million; profit $11.5 million.
"Simply hosting a lot of basketball games, while one way to increase cash flow, is not a surefire way of topping our list," but filling an arena due to stellar on-court play sure helps, Forbes wrote.
Its ranking uses a weighted methodology with three components. "They are, in order of weight, basketball revenue spent on athlete scholarships and other academic programming, profit kept by the athletic department to support athletic endeavors and conference revenue generated via NCAA tournament play."
Forbes' sources are universities, the NCAA, the U.S. Education Department and its own estimates.
TEAM'S PAST VALUES
2012
Arizona was No. 8 on the list last year, too. Forbes said the program's value was $18.3 million, up 10 percent over two years, and its profit was $11.3 million.
2010
The Arizona Wildcats were listed at No. 10 in value.
2008
Forbes said the Cats were No. 4. The value of Lute Olson's team was estimated at $22.7 million and its profit at $13.2 million.
