No. 1 – 1997 National Championship
“Simon says Championship.” Three words that Wildcat fans will never forget. In the 1997 NCAA Tournament, the No. 4 seeded Wildcats did the unthinkable and beat three No.1 seeds, to win the Wildcats their first (and only) National Championship.
The road to the championship began against South Alabama in round one. They were behind late (10-points with about seven minutes to go) and came back to win. In the second round, the Wildcats held on in the closing moments to beat the College of Charleston.
Then in the Sweet 16, they faced No 1. Kansas (who at the time was the best team in the country and had only lost one game during the regular season). The Wildcats took command of the game right from the start, and the Jayhawks did everything they could to stay with the underdog. In the end, the Cats won in a monumental upset 85-82. Next up for the Cats was Providence, who they beat in overtime behind Miles Simon‘s 30 points.
In the national semifinal game, the second No.1 seed the Wildcats faced was North Carolina. Coming off their upset over Kansas, the Cats were not intimated at all. Simon again had a big game with 24 points and helped the Cats earn a spot in the national championship game.
Again the Cats would play the underdog role facing ANOTHER No. 1 seed and defending national champions, Kentucky Wildcats. The game went back and forth, with multiple lead changes and star players for each team leaving it all out there on the court.
Bibby and Simon made some big shots when the team needed it the most. Overtime was needed to decide this one, with the Arizona Wildcats hitting ten clutch free throws (didn’t make a single field goal in overtime) and winning 84-79. Miles Simon was the NCAA tournament MVP.