Arizona Wildcats - Greatest College Programs

Greatest NCAA College Basketball Programs of All Time: Arizona Wildcats Since Lute Olsen took over as coach of the Arizona Wildcats in the eighties, the program has transformed from mediocrity to one of the elite in men’s basketball. It took the Wildcats until their third Final Four appearance before they finally brought home the national title in 1997. In a Wildcat vs. Wildcat matchup, Arizona defeated the defending champ Kentucky. It is interesting to note that as the fourth seed Arizona was the only team in the final four that was not the number one seed from their conference. Prior to playing Kentucky, Arizona had to go through North Carolina, who they beat 66-58, effectively sending Dean Smith, the winningest coach in college basketball history, into retirement earlier than he had hoped. As of the 2007 NCAA tournament, Arizona had appeared in 26 NCAA Tournaments, and four Final Fours, and earned the one NCAA championship. While the overall stats may not rank as impressive as other legendary men’s college teams, as of the completion of the 2007 tournament, the Wildcats has two impressive streaks going – 20 consecutive 20-win seasons and NCAA tournament appearances in 23 straight years, the latter being the longest active streak, only a few years short of North Carolina’s record of 27 years. Some Wildcats that would go on to becoming NBA stars include Damon Stoudamire, Andre Iguodala and Richard Jefferson – all of whom played under Lute Olsen. Scripted by Derek Allen

Mojo Supreme | March 8, 2008

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