The Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds of the NCAA Tournament were supposed to be this week, but with March Madness canceled, the Star is looking back on important postseason dates in Arizona Wildcats basketball history.
Wednesday marked the anniversary of Arizonaβs 1994 Elite Eight win over Missouri to send the Wildcats into the Final Four.
Friday marks the anniversary of four NCAA Tournament games since 1988. Three were victories.
We highlight those three here:
Arizona punches ticket to first-ever Final Four
What: No. 1 seed Arizona vs. No. 2 seed North Carolina in the Elite 8
When: March 27, 1988
Where: The Kingdome, Seattle
What went down: With a 34-2 record, Arizona was arguably the most dominant team in college basketball in Lute Olsonβs fifth season at the UA. The Wildcats had won 22 of their previous 23 games before facing Dean Smithβs North Carolina team in the Elite Eight.
The Wildcats fell behind early and trailed UNC 28-26 at halftime. Olson wasnβt pleased with the first-half performance by forward Tom Tolbert.
βCoach asked what was wrong with me out there. I thought I was playing in here, and I thought I was trying. He thought I was just going through the motions,β Tolbert said.
Tolbert scored 18 points in the second half and finished with 21 and shot 8-for-14 from the field, while grabbing six rebounds. Tolbertβs offensive spark was a much-needed asset considering the Wildcats didnβt have any bench points.
Tucson native and All-America forward Sean Elliott recorded a game-high 24 points and Arizona took down North Carolina 70-52 to secure Arizonaβs first-ever Final Four bid.
βItβs unbelievable. Ever since I was old enough to watch it on television, Iβve dreamed about being in the Final Four,β Arizona guard Steve Kerr said. βConsidering our position at Arizona five years ago, this was something as far off as anything I could think of. Itβs the greatest feeling of my life.β
Arizona joined Kansas, Oklahoma and Duke in the Final Four in Kansas City.
βHow many teams east of the Mississippi are in the Final Four?β Olson said. βI donβt know if we have to say any more than that.β
What happened next: Arizona lost to Oklahoma 86-78 in the Final Four
Arizona cruises past Notre Dame in Sweet 16
Jason Gardner brings the ball up the court in the first half of Arizonaβs 2003 win over Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament.
What: No. 1 seed Arizona vs. No. 5 seed Notre Dame in the Sweet 16
When: March 27, 2003
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, California
What went down: Top-seeded Arizona needed two overtimes to beat Gonzaga in the round of 32. The Wildcats avoided a similar situation and routed fifth-seeded Notre Dame 88-71 despite 45 combined points from Torin Francis and Chris Thomas.
Arizona senior guard Jason Gardner had 19 points, six assists and three steals, and Luke Walton, another senior standout, finished the night with 16 points on 50% shooting, eight assists and seven rebounds.
The Wildcats were led by veterans the entire season, but the underclassmen group of guards Salim Stoudamire and Hassan Adams along with center Channing Frye proved to be key role players for Arizona β especially against Notre Dame.
Stoudamire made 3 of 4 shots from 3-point range, Frye had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Adams chipped in 14 points off the bench.
The Fighting Irish led 26-25 midway through the first half. After that, an 18-2 run sparked the Wildcats and they never looked back.
βIt seemed like they shot 85% from the floor,β said Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey. βThey were getting good looks. In that stretch, we took quick shots, and that just triggered their transition offense.β
The Wildcats cruised to a win, which set up a rematch with Kansas, a team Arizona beat earlier in the regular season.
What happened next: Arizona lost to second-seeded Kansas in the Elite Eight.
Wildcats handle Aztecs in Sweet 16
Arizona guard Nick Johnson signifies his made three-pointer during the Wildcatsβ 70-64 win over San Diego State in the 2014 Sweet 16.
What: No. 1 seed Arizona vs. No. 4 seed San Diego State in the Sweet 16
When: March 27, 2014
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, California
What went down: Arizona, the top seed in the West Regional, thumped ninth-seeded Gonzaga 84-61 in the Round of 32. The Wildcats faced a tough task in San Diego State, which was led by Mountain West Conference player of the year Xavier Thames.
Thames scored a game-high 25 points on 22 shot attempts, and Dwayne Polee II was the only reserve Aztec to score off the bench with 14 points.
With 10 minutes left to play, the Wildcats trailed SDSU 44-41, and Pac-12 Player of the Year Nick Johnson was in a drought after missing 10 consecutive shots.
β(My teammates) were trying to talk to me and calm me down, saying Iβm Pac-12 Player of the Year so have confidence,β Johnson said.
Johnson found a rhythm on offense and scored 15 points β 10 free throws β in the final 2:44 to lift Arizona over San Diego State 70-64.
βWe were trying to say βfoul anybody but Nick,βββ said San Diego State coach Steve Fisher. βBut they did a nice job of finding a way to get him the ball. Heβs a player. He knows how to play, and good players stay with it.β
The Wildcats then returned to Sean Millerβs second Elite Eight to face a tough-nosed Wisconsin team that had star forward Frank Kaminsky.
βPart of being successful in this next game is to not make the game we just played that big,β Miller said.
βWe won. Weβre excited. But to turn around so quick β¦ I think thatβs our question to put this behind us and play for a Final Four berth.β
What happened next: Arizona lost to No. 2 seed Wisconsin 64-63 in the Elite Eight.
