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Arizona Basketball: Top 25 Wildcat wins of all-time

By David Rosen

15 Feb 2001: Gilbert Arenas #9 of the Arizona Wildcats congratulates teammates Michael Wright #2, Richard Jefferson #44, Loren Woods #3 during the game against the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins at the Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. The Bruins defeated the Wildcats 79-77.Mandatory Credit: Donald Miralle /Allsport
15 Feb 2001: Gilbert Arenas #9 of the Arizona Wildcats congratulates teammates Michael Wright #2, Richard Jefferson #44, Loren Woods #3 during the game against the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins at the Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. The Bruins defeated the Wildcats 79-77.Mandatory Credit: Donald Miralle /Allsport /
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25 Mar 2001: Lute Olson head coach of the Arizona Wildcats cuts down the net after his team defeated the Illinois Fighting Illini during the NCAA Basketball Tournament at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The Arizona Wildcats advance to the final four beating Illinois 87-81.DIGITAL IMAGE Mandatory Credit: Tom Hauck/ALLSPORT
25 Mar 2001: Lute Olson head coach of the Arizona Wildcats cuts down the net after his team defeated the Illinois Fighting Illini during the NCAA Basketball Tournament at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The Arizona Wildcats advance to the final four beating Illinois 87-81.DIGITAL IMAGE Mandatory Credit: Tom Hauck/ALLSPORT /

441. 70. 511. Final. 52

No. 2 – Arizona beats UNC to get to their first-ever Final Four

Who: 1988 NCAA Tournament Elite 8 match-up between No.1 Arizona and No.2 North Carolina

When: 3/27/1988

Where: Kingdome (Seattle, WA)

Game stats: Sean Elliot led the Wildcats with 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. Tom Tolbert had 21 points and Steve Kerr had 14 points

Arizona was 0-3 in Tournament games under Lute Olson, but then the 1988 season happened, and that changed everything!

Led by program star Sean Elliott, the Wildcats would dance their way to becoming a No. 1 seed in the West Region of the 1988 NCAA Tournament.

With some tough first-round losses in years prior, Arizona would begin the tournament by first blowing out Cornell. Then would route Seton Hall, followed by coach Olson’s previous school, Iowa, as the Wildcats were then set to play the No. 2-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels in the Western Regional Finals.

The game would start as a tight one, but a huge second half by the Cats would blow this one wide open, as Arizona paced themselves to the 70-52 victory!

Elliott would finish with a game-high 24 points, and Tom Tolbert would finish with 21, to go along with Steve Kerr’s 14 to pace Arizona to their first-ever Final Four appearance!

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