March Madness memories: Arizona Wildcats won it all, dominated a semifinal contest on this date

Late Sunday morning turned into a digital watch party when CBS re-aired the Arizona Wildcats’ win over Kentucky in the 1997 national championship.

Like everyone else during this quarantine period, former Arizona guard Miles Simon watched from the comfort of his own home and streamed his reactions and commentary on his Instagram page, while UA’s sixth-man Jason Terry and forward A.J. Bramlett live tweeted the replay of the Wildcats’ milestone victory.

The Star has remembered a handful of notable NCAA Tournament moments for the Wildcats.

Here’s what happened on March 31, which includes the best night in UA basketball history and another unforgettable game:

‘Simon says championship’

What: No. 4 seed Arizona vs. No. 1 seed Kentucky

When: March 31, 1997

Where: RCA Dome, Indianapolis

What went down: Two No. 1 seeds — Kansas and North Carolina — had their seasons cut short all because of a fourth-seeded Arizona team that was playing its best basketball of the season.

Could they do it again? Could they do what no other team in college basketball history has accomplished and beat three No. 1 seeds en route to a national championship? Against Kentucky, the team that cut down the nets a year ago? Tall task, but the UA was finally in a position the 1988 and 1994 Arizona teams didn’t have: win one game and bring a national title back to Tucson.

After the UA took down North Carolina, which was Hall of Fame coach Dean Smith’s last game at UNC, Arizona guard Jason Terry was hospitalized for dehydration. All day Sunday and Monday morning, while donning his Arizona uniform, Terry focused on being hydrated for the national championship.

“I went to the bathroom probably every three hours last night. I drank a lot more water last night than normal,” Terry said.

The expectation was Kentucky’s relentless press defense for 40 minutes, but UK started the game not defending the backcourt, which took Arizona by surprise, according to Miles Simon. Defensively, the objective was to contain Kentucky’s Ron Mercer, who averaged 18.1 points per game as a sophomore and was bound for the NBA.

Once both teams settled into the game, Kentucky began pressing Arizona, but the backcourt of Simon and point guard Mike Bibby rose to the occasion and delivered. Michael Dickerson was Arizona’s go-to scorer throughout the season, but the junior forward couldn’t find an offensive rhythm and shot a combined 2 of 18 from the field in the Final Four, including five points on 1-of-8 shooting against Kentucky.

For the second game in a row, Simon was Arizona’s scorer and carved up Kentucky’s defense for 30 points on 44% shooting.

“(Simon) kept saying, ‘They can’t stop me. They can’t stop me,’” Dickerson said. “He was in the zone, and when a players in the zone like that, you’ve got to give him the ball.”

Bibby tacked on 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals. Reserve center Donnell Harris recorded eight points, seven rebounds and no turnovers off the bench.

Arizona led 72-68 with a minute left in regulation following a pair of Bibby free throws, but Mercer came off a strong screen on the right wing to nail a 3-pointer that brought Kentucky within one. On the following possession, Bibby drove to the basket and found forward Bennett Davison for an easy layup with the shot clock winding down to extend Arizona’s lead to 74-71. But Kentucky’s Anthony Epps sent the game into overtime with a tying 3-pointer.

In overtime, Arizona’s only points came off 10 free throws. Not a single field goal was scored in overtime by the Wildcats. UA finished the night shooting 34 of 41, while Kentucky was 9 of 17 from the free-throw line. Fourteen of Simon’s 30 points were from free throws. Ball game. Arizona (25-9) won 84-79 and became the first team since Villanova in 1985 to win a national title with 25 or fewer wins.

“Our kids showed their toughness to the very end,” Olson said. “What’s most impressive is three No. 1 seeds went down. This is one tough group of Cats.”

Simon’s efforts over the entire weekend — combining for 54 points — awarded him NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.

“It was such a war,” Simon said. “This is the most unbelievable thing I’ve ever done.”

Once the buzzer sounded and Arizona was crowned champs, UA forward Davison rushed over and rubbed his hands through Olson’s perfectly combed white hair, an iconic moment in UA basketball history that’s in the same category as Olson waving to the crowd afterwards while standing on the stage, or when he pointed to the scoreboard when Arizona State fans heckled him during a game.

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“Coach Olson didn’t show much emotion, so I tried to get him going some,” Davison said. “How long has he been coaching? Maybe now he can let loose.”

After 13 seasons, Olson and the Arizona Wildcats finally had their one shining moment and earned the banner that is unlike the many others currently hanging in the McKale Center rafters.

“We’re No. 1 and how many teams can say that?,” Harris said. “We beat the champs to be the champs. There isn’t a better way than that.”

What happened next: The Wildcats returned home to Tucson and celebrated the championship with roughly 45,000 fans at Arizona Stadium on April 1, 1997. Olson then appeared on the “Tonight Show” with Jay Leno the following night.

UA routs Sparty in Final Four

What: No. 2 seed Arizona vs. No. 1 seed Michigan State

When: March 31, 2001

Where: Metrodome, Minneapolis

What went down: The Wildcats evaded a tough Midwest Regional after beating No. 1 seed Illinois in the Elite Eight.

Up next, a date with a Michigan State team that featured a pair of future NBA standouts in guard Jason Richardson and forward Zach Randolph. The Wildcats were stacked with NBA talent as well with Richard Jefferson, Gilbert Arenas, Loren Woods and Luke Walton.

Similarly to the 1997 Arizona team, UA most likely had to beat three No. 1 seeds to win a national championship. And the only Wildcat to have played in the ‘97 championship was a kindergarten teacher who gave words of encouragement to his teammates during a players-only meeting: Eugene Edgerson.

Edgerson told the story of a girl who complained about life, and her father put eggs, carrots and coffee beans into a cauldron that was boiling at 212 degrees.

“The eggs got soft. The carrot got soft. But the coffee bean got stronger and stronger in such a hot environment,” Edgerson said. “My point was, we were going to be thrown into a fire today. I asked them, ‘Are you going to be the carrot? Are you going to be the eggs? Or are you going to be the damn coffee beans? You all better be the damn coffee beans.’”

They were the coffee beans, all right.

Arizona outscored the Spartans by 17 in the second half to win 80-61. UA point guard Jason Gardner finished the night with a game-high 21 points on 55% shooting, while Jefferson recorded 17 points and eight rebounds. All five UA starters scored in double figures and despite Edgerson being the only reserve Wildcat to score (six points) off the bench, Arizona cruised to a 19-point win.

The difference? Defense. Arenas picked up six steals and set a new record for most steals in a semifinal game; Woods also had three blocks. Collectively, Arizona had 12 steals and seven blocks; Michigan State had two steals and three blocks. The Wildcats also shot 7 of 14 from 3-point range and held MSU to 2 of 14 (14.3%) from beyond the arc.

“We just kept coming at them. Eventually, they just gave up hope,” Wright said.

Two No. 1 seeds down, one more to go.

“I’ve said all along this is the most talented team we’ve had at Arizona,” Olson said. “It’s just a matter of them leaving their egos at the door. This team has become as closely-knit as any I’ve had at Arizona.”

What happened next: Arizona fell to top-seeded Duke in the national championship