Arizona has advanced to consecutive Sweet 16s for first time since 2015

With their 87-83 win over Oregon on Sunday night, Arizona advanced to the Regional Semifinals in consecutive NCAA Tournaments for the first time since 2015. Arizona won its West Regional Semifinal games in 2014 and 2015 before losing to Wisconsin each year with a Final Four berth on the line.

Top-seeded Arizona beat Weber State 68-59 in the first round, Gonzaga 84-61 in the second round and San Diego State 70-64 in the West Regional Semifinal 70-64 before losing 64-63 to Wisconsin in the West Regional Final in 2014. Wisconsin lost 74-73 to Kentucky in the Final Four.

In the 2024 NCAA Tournament Arizona beat Long Beach State 86-65 in the first round and Dayton 78-68 in the second round before losing 77-72 to sixth-seed Clemson in the West Regional Semifinal as the second-seed. Arizona also advanced to the South Regional Semifinal in 2022 as the one-seed before being

Arizona is now 6-3 in the NCAA Tournament under Tommy Lloyd. Playing Duke in Newark on Thursday is the biggest test for Arizona in the NCAA Tournament under Lloyd. Duke is the first team to be favored in the NCAA Tournament against Arizona under Lloyd.

Duke is the prohibitive favorite to win the East Regional at -170 per FanDuel Sportsbook. Arizona is +700 to reach the Final Four, Alabama is +340 and BYU is +900. Arizona is the biggest underdog is the Regional Semifinals at +8.5 points versus Duke which is the biggest spread per FanDuel.

This is the 22nd time Arizona will play in the Sweet 16. That includes 1951 when Arizona first played in the NCAA Tournament and only 16 teams were invited. Arizona is 11-11 all-time in Regional Semifinal Games. The Wildcats enter the game versus Duke with three consecutive losses in the Regional Semifinals.

The only time Arizona was a four -seed in a Regional Semifinal was one of the most memorable wins in program history. Arizona shocked top-seeded and number one Kansas who lost only one game during the regular season. Those Wildcats beat two more number-one seeds to win the National Championship.

Duke will be the fourth time Arizona has played a one-seed in the Regional Semifinals and 15th overall. Arizona previously lost to Louisville in the Midwest Regional in 2009 and upset defending National Champion Duke in the West Regional Semifinal in Anaheim in 2011 as the fifth seed.

Arizona also lost to top-seeded Duke as a two-seed in the 2001 National Championship Game after they defeated number one seeds Illinois in the Elite Eight and Defending National Championship Michigan State in the Final Four. Arizona is 8-2 all-time as a fourth seed in the NCAA Tournament.