One place Simon was glued to for the beginning of the season: the bench.
The junior guard had been ruled academically ineligible for the fall and missed the first 11 games of the season. He needed an emergency A in winter mini-session just to graze past the eligibility threshold. In the meantime, the Wildcats would have a loaded nonconference schedule that included games against top-ranked North Carolina in the season-opening Hall of Fame Tipoff Classic.
Harris: “Coach Olson, when we had the banquet before the game, we all met, and no one came matching. Coach O saw UNC come in like they’re in the military, he turned around and swung to us and said, ‘You guys look like a bunch of ragamuffins, go get changed.’ As the season went on, he let us be. But that was huge. I don’t think any Arizona team beat North Carolina once or even twice.”
Arizona would win the season-opener over the Tar Heels 83-72, setting the stage for a 7-2 preseason.
Pastner: “We had some really good wins — we beat UNC, and we ended Dean Smith’s career, too. We found a way.”
Harris: “I remember Antawn Jamison crying to the referee all game about me elbowing him. And I told him, ‘You’re an All-American, stop crying.’ ”
