Arizona is 3-1 in its NCAA Tournament history as they prepare to play Oregon on Sunday in the second round. Three of the four times Arizona played a fifth seed they were the top team in their region and the other time the Wildcats pulled a first-round upset after they were arguably the last selected in 2009.
Arizona first played a fifth seed in the NCAA Tournament when they defeated Iowa 99-79 in the West Regional Semifinals in ironically, Seattle in 1988. The game between Arizona and Iowa matched Lute Olson against his former program as the Wildcats' victory placed them one game away from the Final Four.
It was 15 years before Arizona matched up with another five seed. The most frequent paths for playing a five seed would be as a 12 in the first round, as a four or 13th seed in the second round, or as the top team in a region in the Sweet 16. Three of the four times Arizona has previously played a five seed were in the regional semifinals.
Arizona matched up with Notre Dame in the 2003 West Regional Semifinals on their way to an 88-71 win to advance to the Elite Eight for the fourth time in six seasons and a rematch with Kansas from an epic win earlier in the season at Allen Fieldhouse.
Year | Opponent | Arizona seed | Round | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1988 | Iowa | 1 | Sweet 16 | 99-79 |
2003 | Notre Dame | 1 | Sweet 16 | 88-71 |
2009 | Utah | 12 | First Round | 84-71 |
2021 | Houston | 1 | Sweet 16 | 60-72 |
Arizona pulled off its only upset of a 12-seed in 2009 over Utah, in of all places Miami. Arizona State also played in Miami during the 2009 NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats overcame their inconsistencies during the season under interim head coach Russ Pennell and beat the Utes to advance to the second round.
Houston ended the perfect record versus five seeds when they out muscled Arizona 72-60 in the 2021 Midwest Regional Semifinal in San Antonio. The loss to Houston ended a dream inaugural season for Tommy Lloyd as Arizona finished the season 33-4 after beginning the season unranked.
The average score in the four games Arizona has played versus a five seed is 83-73.25 in favor of the Wildcats. Oregon is a five-seed for the first time in its NCAA Tournament history. The Ducks are 2-0 versus four seeds in their NCAA Tournament history. Oregon beat St. Louis as a 12 seed in 2013 and Duke as a one seed in 2016.