@S.S. Deaths head UNIT I'm spoiled by being a Duke fan (bandwagon jumper in 1990) but your 1 Arizona National Championship was as good as any title that Duke has ever won.
Still the only team to beat three #1 seeds in same tourney and one of only 2 teams (along with 2019 Auburn) to beat Kansas, unc and Kentucky in same tourney. Amazing!
I was a high school freshman when the cats won this game. My dad let me and my little brother skip school the next day to go to Arizona stadium and welcome the team back in celebration. Epic game, and epic good rally after. I'm now a double UA alumn ❤
... and I headed down to Arizona student union when the final whistle blown... was super lucky to witness the ONLY title AZ had, esp as a foreign student.
I remember being 15 rows up, I was like, I hope they don’t give Mohamed another free throw because Bramlett was supposed to be out of the game. This game was unreal!
This team struggled all season long. But you could see by the end of the season they were starting to figure it out. Still, I didn't think they would beat Kansas. But when they did, I felt really good about their chances. I felt that this could be an historic tournament run. Which it was. This teams starting five where hands down the fastest starting five in the country. You could plainly see that even the number one seeds in this field simply did not have the legs to deal with Arizona's speed. But they were also good shooters and Mike Bibby was a freshman playing like a senior. I still like watching this from time to time. It was a magical run.
All credit to Arizona....This was such an earned title. But, it's pretty crazy Kentucky got back to the title game and was favored in it, considering how much it lost from 1996. Delk and McCarty were Seniors, Walker went to the NBA, and then they lost Derek Anderson and Jeff Sheppard to injury. Losing five pieces like that and then almost winning a second title really shows how good a coach Pitino is.
Every time I watch the games from this tournament, makes me so proud of what this team did, Lute Olson was a fantastic coach who put the Arizona Wildcats and Tucson on the map. RIP coach.
Could've had a rematch in the 98 final if only Arizona had been able to solve Utah's triangle and 2 defense in the regional final. Credit to coach Majerus in that one. They completely shut down the defending champs
Coach Pitino was PURE CLASS at the end of the game- many other coaches would have wrung that ending to the very last drop. He showed a humility not often seen in these ranks. Cheers to everyone in this Championship.
That was a tough game to lose. It came down to attrition as Kentucky just ran out of players, and it prevented what would have been a three-peat (96 through 98).
12 years later, Pitino coached against Arizona at nearby Lucas Oil Stadium in the Sweet 16. I think a reason why Arizona-Kentucky never happened between Pittsburgh-born coaches John Calipari and Sean Miller had to do with a lack of uniqueness other than the program names. The previous time Calipari and Miller coached against each other was 2008 when Xavier beat Memphis in a nonconference game. Both coaches were a game from facing each other but Miller lost each time: 2007 - Elite 8 loss to UCLA 2011 - Elite 8 loss to UConn 2014/15 - Elite 8 loss to Wisconsin 2018 - Round of 64 loss to Buffalo
If u get a chance too could you put Kentucky's national championship game against Kansas 2012 really enjoy the old games hope you and your family are safe during these crazy times
Man I’m a diehard UK fan and I remember watching this in the 7th grade. This one hurt, not only because they lost in OT but mainly it was the end of the Pitino era. I still believe if he didn’t go to the Celtics the following year he would STILL be coaching UK and have multiple championships.
As an Arizona fan, I'd like to thank the University of Minnesota for draining Ron Mercer of his usual explosive energy. Even still he made the shot of the game 57:05.
This is my earliest college basketball memory, I'm glad Arizona kind of won even though I was rooting for Kentucky very hard, Kentucky was like the Chicago Bulls of the time, later on I figured out the Phoenix Suns lost to the Chicago Bulls in the 1993 NBA finals so I was kind of even more happy that they won the 1997 national championship yeah I'm glad the Diamondbacks more than 2001 one series
I remember this game, i truly believe to this day if Derrick Anderson was able to play they would have won this game in regulation, and 3 peated. That was a really good Arizona team though, they fought hard and earned it, just so happened that Kentucky was down their best defensive guard on the team. Those UK teams were special, 96,97,98 with 96 being the best team ive ever seen in college basketball.
A team that finished 5th in the Pac 10 defeated 3 number one seeds (including defeating the defending champion Kentucky)the thing I remember is what Billy Packer says at the end of the telecast "Simon says Championship"
1:07 the first points ever scored by a player wearing a pair of Nike Foamposites.. Somehow Mike Bibby got to wear them before Penny did, and they were his shoes!
So you’re discrediting Arizona beating 3 number 1 teams before, even beating the nations best team, Kansas in the sweet 16?? AZ was a legit championship team.
If nazr Muhammad had shot 50% from the free throw line UK would have won 2 in a row… 3 in a row if 98 played out the same way it did with UK winning that one too.
its insane that Simon shot 17 Fts.... UK fouls: 29 Zona:16. UK FTA: 17 Zona: 41 In no world does that not scream refs hate UK, always have always will. And you can watch this entire game and see the hilarious phantom fouls that Zona was getting and see some of the no calls UK was getting. Ron Mercer couldn't even play because of the BS fouls he got. It was so blatant. Not to mention if Pitino gets over himself and plays Derek Anderson, UK wins handedly. Nonetheless congrats Zona, forever the 2nd best Wildcats.....we had more chips from 96-98 than Zona has in history.
