Editor's Note: A version of this story was first published in 2022. With the Wildcats back in the Sweet 16 this season, we're sharing an updated version with our readers.
When a team goes to the Sweet 16 as many times as the Arizona Wildcats have, there are plenty of sweet moments for the program. There's also sour memories for Arizona, too.
Here’s a look at five of the best — and five of the worst — moments for the UA in the Sweet 16 in chronological order, as the fourth-seeded Wildcats prepare to face top-seeded Duke in the Sweet 16 on Thursday in Newark, New Jersey:
Arizona coach Lute Olson played (and beat) his former team, Iowa, twice during the Wildcats’ run to their first-ever Final Four in 1988.
Sweet: 1988
What: No. 5 seed Iowa vs. No. 1 seed Arizona
Date: March 25, 1988
Location: The Kingdome, Seattle
Score: Arizona 99, Iowa 79
What happened: The first Sweet 16 appearance for Arizona under coach Lute Olson featured a date with his former school. With a chance to advance to the Elite Eight, future NBA standout B.J. Armstrong led Iowa with 27 points, but Steve Kerr’s four 3-pointers in the second half, along with Sean Elliott’s 25 points, overwhelmed the Hawkeyes. Arizona eventually punched its ticket to the program's first Final Four.
Sour: 1989
What: No. 4 seed UNLV vs. No. 1 seed Arizona
Date: March 23, 1989
Location: McNichols Sports Arena, Denver
Score: UNLV 68, Arizona 67
What happened: The Wildcats came in ranked No. 1 overall in the country, but fell to Jerry Tarkanian and the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels in one of the most painful losses in school history. UNLV’s Anderson Hunt scored 21 points on 5-for-8 shooting from 3-point range, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with two seconds left to win the game. Elliott’s storybook UA career came to an end, and he still remains one of the top players in program history.
Sour: 1991
What: No. 3 seed Seton Hall vs. No. 2 seed Arizona
Date: March 21, 1991
Location: The Kingdome, Seattle
Score: Seton Hall 81, Arizona 77
What happened: The one time P.J. Carlesimo beat Olson in a head-to-head matchup was the '91 Sweet 16, when Seton Hall star Terry Dehere scored 28 points on 8-for-14 shooting from the field and made 10 of 11 free throws on the way to an upset win. Arizona center Brian Williams, who later changed his name to Bison Dele, posted 21 points and 10 rebounds in the setback and the highly-anticipated Elite Eight matchup with undefeated UNLV didn't come to fruition.
Sour: 1996
What: No. 3 seed Arizona vs. No. 2 seed Kansas
Date: March 22, 1996
Location: McNichols Sports Arena, Denver
Score: Kansas 83, Arizona 80
What happened: The Wildcats led Kansas 27-15 early in the first half, but the Jayhawks — behind Jerod Haase and Jacque Vaughn’s combined 19 assists — rallied back to win the game. Kansas star Paul Pierce scored 20 points, while B.J. Williams chipped in 18 points off the bench. Four Wildcats scored in double figures: Miles Simon (21), Michael Dickerson (21) Corey Williams (16) and Ben Davis (10). Haase scored a go-ahead 3-pointer late in the game to steal a win for the Jayhawks.
Arizona players Miles Simon, center, and Bennett Davison, right, lead the celebration after the Wildcats stunned top-ranked Kansas 85-82 in the 1997 Sweet 16. Less than two weeks later, UA was the national champion.
Sweet: 1997
What: No. 4 seed Arizona vs. No. 1 seed Kansas
Date: March 21, 1997
Location: Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center, Birmingham
Score: Arizona 85, Kansas 82
What happened: During Arizona’s run to the national championship, the Wildcats took down three No. 1 seeds. The first one: Kansas, who had eliminated the UA from the NCAA Tournament a year earlier. Arizona contained Haase and Williams this time, limiting them to just four points on 33% shooting. Pierce had another stellar offensive showing with 27 points, but Arizona’s backcourt monster of Simon, Mike Bibby and Dickerson combined for 58 points, eight assists and five steals.
Sweet: 2005
What: No. 3 seed Arizona vs. No. 2 seed Oklahoma State
Date: March 24, 2005
Location: Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois
Score: Arizona 79, Oklahoma State 78
What happened: With top-seeded Illinois waiting, Arizona got into a shootout with Oklahoma State. After Cowboys guard Joey Graham hit a go-ahead layup with 18.8 seconds left, Arizona star Salim Stoudamire sank a 15-foot jump shot to give the Wildcats a 79-78 lead with 2.8 seconds left. The win marked the last time Arizona won a Sweet 16 game with Olson on the sidelines.
Sour: 2009
What: No. 12 seed Arizona vs. No. 1 seed Louisville
Date: March 27, 2009
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
Score: Louisville 103, Arizona 64
What happened: Arizona wasn't expected to get this far anyway. After the Wildcats rallied back from a 10-point deficit with less than a minute left to beat the Houston Cougars in overtime at McKale Center, Arizona went on a seven-game winning streak and secured an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament, albeit sweated through Selection Sunday as a “bubble” team. Arizona extended its NCAA Tournament appearance to streak to 25 years, which was snapped the following season under first-year head coach Sean Miller.
Under interim head coach Russ Pennell, who replaced the retired Olson for the season, Arizona beat Utah and Cleveland State in the first two rounds, setting up a showdown against top-seeded Louisville. The Cardinals pummeled the Wildcats, putting an end to Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill’s Arizona careers. Hill became the eighth overall pick by the New York Knicks in the NBA Draft and played eight seasons in the NBA. Budinger played seven seasons in the NBA before pursuing a professional volleyball career. He played for USA beach volleyball in the Paris Olympics, but didn't medal.
Arizona’s Derrick Williams celebrates after the Wildcats played one of the best halves of basketball in school history — after trailing at halftime — to rout top-seeded Duke in 2011.
Sweet: 2011
What: No. 5 seed Arizona vs. No. 1 seed Duke
Date: March 24, 2011
Location: Honda Center, Anaheim, California
Score: Arizona 93, Duke 77
What happened: Arizona unloaded 10 years of frustration with every dunk in the Wildcats’ Sweet 16 win over Duke. (It was the Blue Devils, after all, who beat Arizona in the 2001 national title game). Derrick Williams, Sean Miller’s first breakout star during his 12-year tenure at Arizona, emerged as one of the top players in college basketball.
Williams saved his best performance for when it counted, scoring a career-high 32 points. His top highlight from the rout of Duke was a powerful, high-flying dunk down the middle of the lane. Point guard Momo Jones scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half and the Wildcats outscored the Blue Devils by 22 in the final 20 minutes. The Wildcats won the Sweet 16 by 16 points — and avenged their loss in '01. It also marked Kyrie Irving's last game at Duke.
Sweet: 2015
What: No. 6 seed Xavier vs. No. 2 seed Arizona
Date: March 26, 2015
Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles
Score: Arizona 68, Xavier 60
What happened: Arizona beat the Musketeers to move on to the Elite Eight to face Wisconsin. In the first meeting since coach Miller left Xavier for Arizona in 2009, UA point guard T.J. McConnell finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists, with Kaleb Tarczewski posting a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Sour: 2017
What: No. 11 seed Xavier vs. No. 2 seed Arizona
Date: March 23, 2017
Location: SAP Center, San Jose
Score: Xavier 73, Arizona 71
What happened: Arizona appeared destined for an Elite Eight matchup with No. 1-seeded Gonzaga and possibly a trip to the Final Four, which would be held just a couple of hours up Interstate 10 in Glendale. Plus, it was the 20th anniversary of UA’s title run. All the Wildcats had to do was get past head coach Sean Miller’s former team. Even Arizona’s star freshman, forward Lauri Markkanen, wore No. 10 like Mike Bibby did in 1997.
The stars aligned, right? In the final 11 minutes against the Musketeers, Markkanen didn’t attempt a field goal as UA squandered a lead. Guard Allonzo Trier had just as many field-goal attempts as points (19). The loss to Xavier started a three-game losing streak in the Sweet 16. The Wildcats also lost to Houston in 2022 and Clemson last year. The Wildcats haven't advanced past the Sweet 16 since 2015.
