Arizona Basketball: Top 5 Forgotten Teams of the McKale Center Era
By Brad Malone
No. 5. 2008-09
When the 2008-09 season began, the Arizona program was in disarray. The Cats were on their third coach in less than a year and recruits started heading elsewhere.
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When Lute Olson retired, new assistant Russ Pennell was given the keys to Arizona’s basketball kingdom. Pennell was a folk hero in Tucson that season because of what he accomplished with a broken team.
The Cats only finished 9-9 in conference play, but two key non-conference wins over Gonzaga and Kansas were able to squeak the Cats into the NCAA Tournament as a No. 12 seed.
The Cats surprised everyone by making a run to the Sweet 16 before falling to powerhouse Louisville.
It would be the last year Arizona fans would be able to see Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill in an Arizona uniform. They both declared for the NBA Draft right before Sean Miller came to town.
Next: No. 4