Oh, the memories of March when teams/players hope to turn into the Masters of the Month. Arizona has been that and, well, hasn’t through the years. Same for Tommy Lloyd, who has experienced some highs and some lows in his first four years.
He remembered – after the jogging of his memory – of the first time he was part of the Gonzaga coaching staff when the Bulldogs went from darlings of the tournament to targets in later years.
In fact, Tucson – and the first and second rounds of 2000 – were his first NCAA tournament experiences, when he was an assistant for the Bulldogs. The Zags played Louisville and St. Johns.
“A lot of things run together,” he said. “That’s for sure.”
Now, he’ll try to run it forward with his No. 1-seeded Cats (32-2) vs. Long Island University on Friday in San Diego.
He doesn’t want any bad memories, just good ones like so many others in Arizona basketball lore.
Now, in his fifth season can he make a very good one, a national title?
And avoid a bad one?
He’s dealing with that now with Arizona, where just three years removed from UA falling to Princeton as a No. 2 seed. Lloyd owned it, saying it was on him and it was his job to fix it.
And, here he is – leading UA to the No. 2 overall seed (the second No. 1 seed) in this year’s tournament. Quite an accomplishment after starting the season at No. 13 in the polls with a team that started three freshmen.
But he’s worked his magic – and poof – here the Wildcats are. Full of hope and hysteria (at least for the UA fans.)
It’s not like Arizona hasn’t been here before over the years in its 35-plus year of being in the Big Dance since 1975. There’s always hope of a big run. Always.
Here’s a look back at some of the great moments – many of which I’ve seen in person since 1990 – from Arizona. Let me first warn you, not all the memories are great.
- 1997 – After years of frustration – and a few first-round losses – Arizona struggles to get past first-round opponent South Alabama (65-57) then later beats No. 1 Kansas in what was likely the upset of the season (and in the NCAAs no less) to get to its third Final Four in 10 seasons. It proceeded to beat North Carolina and Kentucky in overtime to win its only NCAA title. Then came the famous mussing of Lute Olson’s hair by Bennett Davison. Oh, the memories.
- 2001 – After so many ups and downs in the season, including a devasting loss in the passing of Bobbi Olson on New Year’s Day, Arizona recovered. Lute took two weeks off to mourn his wife’s passing then returned to see Arizona win 17-consecutive games and eventually get to the title game with Duke. Arizona and Duke started out the season 1-2, 2-1 in the polls (depending on the poll). A couple of no calls and a couple of injuries (Arenas shoulder and Luke Walton’s thumb) stunted Arizona’s game in the finals. It’s considered one of if not the best teams in UA basketball history. (We’ll see after this season). The game was played in April.
- Arizona came on stage in 1987 in the first part of the season and rolled to the 1988 Final Four, it’s first. It became the No. 1 team in the country for the first time in school history and in March is a No. 1 seed behind the likes of Steve Kerr, Sean Elliott, Anthony Cook, et al. Beat teams in the tourney by 40, 29, 20 and North Carolina by 18. Was Arizona the best team in the country? Some say yes, but when Steve Kerr went 2 for 13 from the floor and that was enough for UA to fall to Oklahoma in the semifinals.
- After two first round losses the previous two years (East Tennessee State & Santa Clara, ugh), Lute Olson found vindication by getting UA to its second Fina Four behind Damon Stoudamire and Khalid Reeves, arguably UA’s best backcourt ever. Olson ripped into the media for the previous year’s criticism after UA beat No. 1 seed Missouri by 20. UA was fairly young with sophomores Joseph Blair, Corey Williams and Reggie Geary behind that backcourt. It then fell to hot Arkansas a week later in Charlotte, NC in front of then President Bill Clinton.
- All Arizona needed was one basket and Sean Miller likely might still be coaching at Arizona. Definitely two baskets (more later). In 2011, the Miller-led Cats squeaked by Memphis (77-75) and Texas (70-69) then crushed No. 1 seed Duke behind Derrick Williams. Two days later it faced eventual champion Connecticut and had UConn on the ropes. It could have all been different had Jamelle Horne hit a 3-pointer near the game’s end. UA had two chances and missed both.
- Three years later, as a No. 1 seed, UA and Wisconsin tangled in an epic battle that went into overtime. It was a tough, physical game and with the Badgers up 64-63 in overtime, UA’s Nick Johnson missed a shot at the rim as time expired, keeping UA out of the Final Four. Miller hasn’t got any closer, again losing to Wisconsin a year later as a 2-seed to No. 1 Wisconsin. This time it wasn’t as close with the Badgers hitting shot after shot, winning 85-78.
- Which heart breaker do you go with first? I’ll take you to Denver first when Arizona, the top seed in the West, lost to UNLV (dreaded UNLV) on a final-seconds shot by Anderson Hunt, who took advantage (maybe) of a non-call charge against Kenny Lofton. UNLV had gone scoreless in the final minutes and had the ball in the end, down by two. It was a crushing blow in the Sweet 16 for the No. 1 team in the country and in Eliott’s final game as a Wildcat.
- This one is hard to type. Arizona had a 15-point lead with more than five minutes left vs. No. 1 seed Illinois. It was that close to going to its fifth Final Four. But Illinois made a furious rally to get it into overtime at 80. UA had a chance to win it in the final seconds but in drawing up the play, it wasn’t clear who would take the last-second shot, despite having Salim Stoudamire on the floor. Instead, it was Hassan Adams who hurried a shot that missed the mark and Illinois advanced. The game – played in Rosemont, Ill., has been called “Miracle on Mannheim” and one of the greatest comebacks in NCAA tournament history.
- DOS! That was Arizona’s promotion all season of making it two NCAA titles in a row. It looked so good and a great possibility – until it didn’t. Behind Mike Bibby, Miles Simon, Michael Dickerson, Jason Terry and the rest, Arizona was enroute to a back-to-back Final Four and maybe title. The day before Utah coach Rick Majerus said he had something up his sleeve to stop the aforementioned backcourt. And, well, it worked. He threw a triangle and two at UA and limited UA to a horrible afternoon in Anaheim, Calif. Only Terry had a good game from the perimeter. DOS went to DOH!
- And, finally 10. But you can’t just have 10, given all the craziness that March brings. So many first-round losses. Lute’s first three at Arizona: Alabama (1985), Auburn (86) and UTEP (87).
Then you have the back-to-back disappointments in East Tennessee State and Santa Clara then two years later Miami of Ohio. And UA’s latest vs. Princeton in 2023).
Oh, the memories of March.
Now, is the time to start a new one.
