Arizona Wildcats men's basketball
The Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. They compete in the Pac-12 Conference of NCAA Division I and is coached by Tommy Lloyd. On August 4, 2023, Arizona announced it would join the Big 12 Conference beginning in the 2024–25 academic year, after spending 50 years in the Pac-10/12 conference.
| Arizona Wildcats men's basketball | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| University | University of Arizona | |||
| All-time record | 1,889–986–1 (.657) | |||
| Athletic director | Desiree Reed-Francois | |||
| Head coach | Tommy Lloyd (3rd season) | |||
| Conference | Pac-12 | |||
| Location | Tucson, Arizona | |||
| Arena | McKale Center (Capacity: 14,688) | |||
| Nickname | Wildcats | |||
| Colors | Cardinal and navy | |||
| Uniforms | ||||
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| NCAA tournament champions | ||||
| 1997 | ||||
| NCAA tournament runner-up | ||||
| 2001 | ||||
| NCAA tournament Final Four | ||||
| 1988, 1994, 1997, 2001 | ||||
| NCAA tournament Elite Eight | ||||
| 1976, 1988, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2014, 2015 | ||||
| NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen | ||||
| 1976, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017*, 2022, 2024 | ||||
| NCAA tournament round of 32 | ||||
| 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017*, 2022, 2024 | ||||
| NCAA tournament appearances | ||||
| 1951, 1976, 1977, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999*, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008*, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017*, 2018*, 2022, 2023, 2024 | ||||
| Conference tournament champions | ||||
| 1988, 1989, 1990, 2002, 2015, 2017*, 2018*, 2022, 2023 | ||||
| Conference regular season champions | ||||
| 1932, 1936, 1940, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1976, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017*, 2018*, 2022, 2024 | ||||
| *Vacated by NCAA | ||||
The program came to national prominence during the tenure of former head coach Lute Olson (1983-2007), who established the program as among America's elite in college basketball. One writer referred to U of A as "Point Guard U" because the school has produced successful guards like Steve Kerr, Damon Stoudamire, Khalid Reeves, Mike Bibby, Jason Terry, Gilbert Arenas, Jason Gardner, Jerryd Bayless, and T. J. McConnell, among others.
From 1985 to 2009, the Arizona basketball team reached the NCAA Division I tournament for 25 consecutive years, tied for 3rd longest in NCAA history. Despite having their 1999 and 2008 appearances later vacated by the NCAA, the media still cites Arizona's streak, and simply notes the changes. The Wildcats have reached the Final Four of the NCAA tournament on four occasions (1988, 1994, 1997, and 2001). They have also made two appearances in the National Championship (won over Kentucky Wildcats in 1997, lost to Duke Blue Devils in 2001). In Pac-10 play, former head coach Lute Olson currently holds the record for most wins as a Pac-10 coach with 327. In addition, the team has won 18 Pac-10/12 regular season championship titles and 9 Pac-10/12 tournament championship titles. Arizona also holds the distinction of recording five out of the seven 17–1 Pac-10 seasons (one-loss seasons). In 2022 Arizona became the first team in conference history to win 18 conference games in a season. No team has gone undefeated since the formation of the Pac-10/12.
Arizona ranks eighteenth all-time heading into the 2024–25 season with 1,889 wins and ranks eight by winning percentage at (.657). Arizona has spent 39 weeks at No. 1 in the AP Poll, which is ninth-most all-time; 30 weeks at No. 2, ninth most all-time; 174 weeks in the Top 5, seventh all-time; 345 weeks in the Top 10, sixth all-time; and 607 weeks in the top 25, seventh all-time.