Arizona Basketball: Stoudamire’s Top 5 Senior Year Moments

 Arizona Basketball sharpshooter to be honored on Saturday.

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Since the Lute Olson era began in 1983, only a handful of names are etched in historical stone when it comes to epic individual player performance seasons. Sean Elliott (1988-89), Damon Stoudamire (1994-95), Jason Terry  (1998-99) and Derrick Williams (2010-11) all won Pac-10 Player of the Year Honors during their colossal seasons.

Another guy who would take over games on that list is Salim Stoudamire. If future Olympian, Ike Diagu hadn’t played up the road in Tempe that season, Stoudamire would have had his own Pac-10 Player of Year hardware.

On Saturday, Stoudamire will be placed into the Pac-12 Hall of Honor before the Pac-12 Tournament Championship Game in Las Vegas along with Isaiah Thomas (Washington) and others.

It is an honor well deserving for Stoudamire. He had a great career at Arizona, but the cherry on top was his senior season when he averaged 18.4 ppg, shot 50.4 percent from long range and 91 percent from the charity stripe. He also had game winning daggers in three games.

Here’s a look at Stoudamire’s top 5 memorable games during his historic senior season in 2004-05.

5. Washington 81 Arizona 72

After two great games against each other during the regular season, Arizona met Washington in the title game of the Pac-10 Tournament in the rubber match.

The Huskies pulled away late in this one, but after Stoudamire lit up the Huskies for 37 points he was awarded Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors.

He finished the game 4-7 from long-range and shot 48 percent from beyond the arc during his three games at Staples Center.

4. Arizona 91 Oregon State 70

Eleven years before Gabe York had a senior day to remember, Stoudamire left his final mark on McKale Center in similar fashion.

Stoudamire just missed matching York’s 32 points, but they equally finished with nine treys. Stoudamire did most of his damage in the first half when he finished with 20 points after a legendary three-point barrage.

Stoudamire ended his McKale career with 31 points, shooting 9-14 behind the arc against the Beavers.

3. Arizona 70 Arizona State 68

A jam-packed Wells Fargo arena got to see the two best players in the league face each other in a memorable duel in the desert. Ike Diagu led the devils with 25 points but Stoudamire was the hero in this one.

With the game tied late, a composed Stoudamire generated a nice jump stop, before pulling up for the game winning 14-footer. Sparky’s children thought Stoudamire travelled, but the Pac-10 officials were on the side of Arizona in this one.

It was the eighth win in a row against the devils and the 20th victory in the past 21 games. With Stoudamire’s 22 points the Cats clinched the Pac-10 Championship in front of thousands of Arizona fans in Tempe.

2. Arizona 76 UCLA 73

The Bruins rallied late to tie the game at 73. Everyone in McKale Center knew who was going to take the last shot.  

Stoudamire dribbled the ball just past half court and made his move. His defender wasn’t expecting him to launch a long-range three from well past the top of the key, but instead of penetrating, he did just that and hit nothing but the bottom of the net with only 2.8 seconds remaining.

Stoudamire finished with 32 points, adding another memorable chapter to one of college basketball’s best rivalries.

1. Arizona 79 Oklahoma State 78

With a trip to the Elite Eight on the line, the Cats once again called on Stoudamire to get them out of a jam. Trailing by one with under 13 seconds left, Stoudamire lost the handle on the ball and it appeared the Cats season was to end on a back court violation, but he swiftly recovered and waited to make his move.

He used a Channing Frye screen to create some space. The defense could not recover in time and Stoudamire’s 15-foot jumper sent Lute Olson to his seventh regional final as a Wildcat.

Thanks for the memories Salim.

Next: Sean Miller's First Six Teams in Tucson

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