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Looking back at top Final Four, NCAA tournament moments with Arizona ties

José M. Romero, Arizona Republic
·4 min read
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The Final Four in Glendale and greater Phoenix will be in town soon, a chance for more memorable moments to add to the tradition of the NCAA Tournament in the state of Arizona, and the men's and women's programs that have been part of March Madness.

Mar 25, 2024; Glendale, Ariz., U.S.; Workers install logos on the exterior of State Farm Stadium in preparations for the Final Four April 6-8. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow-Arizona Republic
Mar 25, 2024; Glendale, Ariz., U.S.; Workers install logos on the exterior of State Farm Stadium in preparations for the Final Four April 6-8. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow-Arizona Republic

Here's a look back at the Arizona teams in the NCAA Tournament and the Final Four, and moments to remember from the times the state has hosted games.

1996-97 Arizona men's basketball

Miles Simon. Phoenix's own Mike Bibby. Bennett Davison. A.J. Bramlett. Michael Dickerson. Jason Terry, and the late head coach Lute Olson. Those Wildcats went from fifth place in the Pac-10 to a thrilling run through the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed in the Southeast Region, knocking off three No. 1 seeds to win the national championship.

First came Kansas in the Sweet Sixteen, then North Carolina in the Final Four semifinals in Indianapolis, and finally an upset of Kentucky to win it all.

The 'Cats never won a game by more than eight points in the NCAA tourney and outlasted Providence and Kentucky in overtime. Arizona also became the only school since the introduction of the 64-team bracket in 1985 to defeat three No. 1 seeds in the tournament, and Simon was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

2017 Final Four

The Final Four finally arrived in the Phoenix area for the first time in 2017, with North Carolina, Gonzaga, Oregon and South Carolina making it to Arizona. State Farm Stadium rocked with two close semifinal games, as the Tar Heels edged the Ducks 77-76 and Gonzaga got by the Gamecocks 77-73.

North Carolina edged Gonzaga 71-65 to win the title, in front of more than 76,000 fans.

A total of 153,780 fans attended the Final Four and national championship game in Glendale, the second-highest all-time attendance in the history of the event at the time.

2021 Arizona women's basketball

What a season the Wildcats, led by head coach Adia Barnes, had in 2020-2021. Arizona (21-6) reached the tournament as a No. 3 seed, and every game that year was played in front of limited crowds in San Antonio, Austin and San Marcos, Texas due to COVID restrictions.

The Wildcats, with do-it-all point guard and future WNBA draft pick Aari McDonald leading the way, made the Final Four for the first time in program history and upset perennial powerhouse UConn 69-59 in the national semifinals. That set up a showdown with Pac-12 rival Stanford in the title game, and Arizona came up short by a single point, 54-53.

2012 NCAA West Regional

In what was then called the US Airways Center and is now Footprint Center, Louisville, Marquette, Florida and Michigan State played in the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight in Phoenix. Louisville was led by a guard from Seattle, Peyton Siva. Marquette featured a player who would go on to make meaningful plays for the Suns in the same building nine years later, Jae Crowder. Michigan State had future NBA champion Draymond Green, and Florida was led by a freshman who is now a Phoenix Sun, Bradley Beal.

Louisville came out of the region and made it to the national championship game that season. Among those in attendance at the regional was former Michigan State star and NBA superstar, Magic Johnson.

2006-07 Arizona State women's basketball

The Sun Devils made a run to the Elite Eight in 2007, led by guard Briann January and then-head coach Charli Turner Thorne. ASU won its first and second round games over California-Riverside and Louisville in Los Angeles, then took out Bowling Green to set up a Greensboro region final against Rutgers.

The Sun Devils lost that game and Rutgers made it to the Final Four and championship game.

July 22, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona; USA; Storm guard Briann January hugs former ASU college coach Charli Turner Thorne prior to the first half at the Footprint Center.
July 22, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona; USA; Storm guard Briann January hugs former ASU college coach Charli Turner Thorne prior to the first half at the Footprint Center.

2014-2015 Arizona State women

The Sun Devils entered the tournament as a No. 3 seed and got to host the first and second rounds as what was then called Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe. ASU defeated No. 14 seed Ohio 74-55, then edged No. 11 seed Arkansas-Little Rock 57-54 in the second round.

It was on to Greensboro, N.C., for the regional semifinals, and ASU lost a close one 66-65 to Florida State in the Sweet Sixteen.

1975 Arizona State men's basketball

ASU reached the Elite Eight under head coach Ned Wulk, and got to host a first-round game at what is now Desert Financial Arena. ASU defeated Alabama in the first round, got by UNLV is the regional semifinals and fell to UCLA in the West Region final in Portland, Ore.

McKale Center and the 'Cats

According to the NCAA website, the home of Arizona Wildcats men's and women's basketball hosted 59 NCAA men's tournament games from 1974 to 2011. Arizona's men's team has been to four Final Fours and is 1-1 in national championship games.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Remembering Arizona's best NCAA tournament moments