Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins watches as his Cardinal team loses to ASU in the opening round of the Pac-12 tournament (Kyle Terada/USA Today Sports Images)

LAS VEGAS — Stanford’s 89-88 overtime loss to ASU in the opening round of the Pac-12 Tournament could signal the end of an era for Cardinal coach Johnny Dawkins at the Palo Alto, Calif., school.

Dawkins, a former Duke assistant and player under Mike Krzyzewski, has not coached Stanford to the NCAA tournament in his five years with the Cardinal. Stanford is destined again for the NIT this year after winning the championship game of that second-tier postseason tournament last season.

Before the season started, Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News reported that Dawkins’ seat was “warm” because of his inability to get Stanford in the NCAA tournament. Stanford also has a new athletic director (Bernard Muir) who might want his own man running the program.

Dawkins, 49, has a record of 93-73 at Stanford. His teams have finished no better than sixth place in the conference. After beating Arizona in his first year as Stanford’s coach in 2008-09, Dawkins has lost seven consecutive games to the Wildcats.

The Cardinal is 18-14 overall this season.

ESPN analyst Miles Simon, the former Arizona guard, mentioned on the air today that Stanford is one of the biggest disappointments in the Pac-12 this season. The Cardinal returned a good core of players with forwards Dwight Powell and Josh Huestis and guard Chasson Randle.

Stanford was a pick of mine to potentially surprise in the Pac-12 tournament but the Cardinal has failed again, losing their fifth Pac-12 game by five points or less.

WILDABOUTAZCATS.net publisher and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. Follow his reports on the Pac-12 Tournament from Las Vegas.

In case you missed it: The Top 10 Badass Defensive Players and the Top 10 Badass Offensive Players in Arizona football history

Semifinals Arizona Elite Eight Event Matchup:
>> Poll: 1996-1997 versus 2000-2001. Story: TucsonCitizen.com game story
>> Poll: 1987-1988 versus 1993-1994. Story: TucsonCitizen.com game story

First Round Arizona Elite Eight Event Matchups:
>> Poll: 1987-1988 versus 2010-2011. Story: TucsonCitizen.com analysis
>> Poll: 1993-1994 versus 2004-2005. Story: TucsonCitizen.com analysis
>> Poll: 1996-1997 versus 2002-2003. Story: TucsonCitizen.com analysis
>> Poll: 1975-1976 versus 2000-2001. Story: TucsonCitizen.com analysis

EDITOR NOTE: The following is a fictional depiction of what could occur between the 1996-97 and 2000-01 teams.

We take you back to McKale Center …

Indicative of the 1996-97 team’s resiliency, it never gave up after falling behind by as many as 22 points. Mike Bibby, Miles Simon and Co. forced the 2000-01 team into an uncharacteristic 21 turnovers, including 12 during the game’s final 11 minutes. Conversely, the 1996-97 team committed just six turnovers the entire game and outscored the the 2000-01 team in points off turnovers by a 25-6 margin.

After a resounding dunk on a breakaway by Richard Jefferson gave the 2000-01 team its largest lead of 54-32 with 11:21 left in the game, the 2000-01 team committed turnovers on four straight possessions giving the 1996-97 team life and momentum. The 1996-97 team took advantage of the sloppy passes, slicing the 2000-01 lead to nine points — 54-45 — with 6:35 to play.

Mike Bibby had the opportunity to put the 1996-97 on top with a four-point play in the waning seconds

The 2000-01 team, behind two three-pointers from Gilbert Arenas, used an 8-3 spurt and took what looked like an insurmountable 14-point lead — 62-48 — with only 4:37 remaining.

That’s when Bibby started to take over, scoring 11 of the next 18 points for the 1996-97 team. The 2000-01 team would score just five points during the next four minutes. That stretch included four turnovers by the 2000-01 team, which also went 3-for-6 from the free throw line in that span. A Bibby three-pointer cut the lead to seven points with 1:46 left in regulation, followed by a Bennett Davison free throw and layup from Michael Dickerson that cut the 1996-97′s deficit to 64-60 with 59 seconds to play.

Jason Gardner, a career 77.8 percent free-throw shooter, then split a pair at the charity stripe for the 2000-01 team before Bibby, who was fouled by Wright on an aggressive move to the basket, swished two free throws to get the 1996-97 team within 65-62 with 44 seconds left.

Again, the 2000-01 team split two free throws (by Loren Woods) on their next possession before A.J. Bramlett scored on a tip-in to get the 1996-97 Wildcats within 66-64 with 26 seconds remaining. With the McKale Center crowd on its feet, and the roar deafening, the 1996-97 team put up a strong press on the inbounds. The 2000-01 team managed to get the ball up the floor before Jefferson was fouled with 12 seconds left.

Richard Jefferson had a solid game for the 2000-01 team

Jefferson split yet another pair of free throws for the 2000-01 team to give it a 67-64 lead. That’s when unthinkable happened. Bibby took the inbounds and handled the ball to the other end of the court. He pulled up at the top of the key for an off-balance three-point attempt that hit nothing but net with six seconds left while being fouled by Gardner, who lost his balance and barreled into Bibby. That tied the game at 67 and gave Bibby the chance to put the 1996-97 team ahead.

Lute Olson called a timeout to try to ice Bibby, who teammate Jason Terry once said had “ice water in his veins.” Olson also devised a plan in the huddle — for each team — depending on the outcome of Bibby’s free-throw attempt.

The 1996-97 team, invoking memories of its improbable comeback win over South Alabama in the first round of the 1997 NCAA tournament, used a 35-13 run over the final 10:02 to tie the game at 67 and put the game in Bibby’s hands with six seconds remaining.

Bibby calmly sized up the free throw, gave a slight deep breath and swished the free throw completing the four-point play and putting the 1996-97 team ahead for the first time since the 17:56 mark of the first half.

The 2000-01 team tried to get a clean shot off but the 1996-97 defense was strong enough to cause Gardner to come up short on a contested three-point shot at the buzzer. The 1996-97 survived with the 68-67 victory. It advances to the Arizona Elite Eight Event championship against either the 1987-88 or 1993-94 teams.

NOTES:

Reserve forward Eugene Edgerson played for both teams. He was a member of both squads, as was reserve forward Justin Wessel. … Bibby finished with a team-high 21 points for the 1996-97 team and he also had eight assists with only three turnovers. Arenas poured in 24 points for the 2000-01 team. … The 2000-01 team lost despite out-rebounding the 1996-97 team 37-26. Michael Wright led the 2000-01 team with 11 boards. Richard Jefferson had a strong game for the 2000-01 team with 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists).

BOXSCORE

(1996-97) ARIZONA 68, (2000-01) WILDCATS 67

1996-97 ARIZONA: Mike Bibby 6-12 6-6 21, Miles Simon 5-13 4-4 14, Michael Dickerson 3-5 4-6 13, Bennett Davison 2-7 1-2 5, A.J. Bramlett 3-7 2-3 8, Jason Terry 3-6 1-2 7, Eugene Edgerson 0-2 0-0 0, Donnell Harris 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 22-54 18-23 68.

2000-01 WILDCATS: Jason Gardner 2-2 5-6 10, Gilbert Arenas 8-14 5-7 24, Richard Jefferson 3-7 7-10 13, Michael Wright 2-5 4-5 8, Loren Woods 2-4 1-2 5, Luke Walton 1-5 1-2 3, Eugene Edgerson 1-2 1-2 3, Justin Wessel 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 19-39 25-36 67.

Halftime score: (2000-01) Wildcats 40, (1996-97) Arizona 24.

3-point goals: (1996-97) Arizona 4-8 (Bibby 3-5, Dickerson 1-2, Terry 0-1, Simon 0-2). (2000-01) Wildcats 4-9 (Arenas 3-4, Gardner 1-2, Jefferson 0-2, Walton 0-1).

Rebounds: (1996-97) Arizona 26 (Bramlett 9, Davison 4, Simon 3, Edgerson 3, Bibby 2, Dickerson 2, Harris 2, Terry), (2000-01) Wildcats 37 (Wright 11, Jefferson 7, Woods 6, Walton 4, Edgerson 4, Gardner 3, Arenas 2).

Assists: (1996-97) Arizona 18 (Bibby 8, Simon 3, Terry 3, Dickerson 2, Bramlett, Davison). (2000-01) Wildcats 17 (Gardner 9, Walton 3, Jefferson 3, Arenas 2).

Turnovers: (1996-97) Arizona 6 (Bibby 3, Davison 2, Simon). (2000-01) Wildcats 21 (Gardner 6, Arenas 5, Jefferson 4, Wright 3, Woods 2, Edgerson).

Steals: (1996-97) Arizona 11 (Terry 3, Bibby 3, Dickerson 2, Davison, Simon, Bramlett). (2000-01) Wildcats 5 (Gardner 2, Jefferson 2, Wright).

Blocked shots: (1996-97) Arizona 4 (Bramlett 2, Davison, Dickerson). (2000-01) Wildcats 3 (Woods 2, Wright)

Personal fouls: (1996-97) Arizona 23 (Bramlett 4, Simon 4, Edgerson 3, Davison 3, Bibby 3, Dickerson 2, Terry 2). (2000-01) Wildcats 21 (Arenas 4, Woods 4, Jefferson 4, Wright 3, Walton 3, Wessel 2, Gardner).

Technicals: None. Attendance: 14,724.

In case you missed it: The Top 10 Badass Defensive Players and the Top 10 Badass Offensive Players in Arizona football history

2000-01 Arizona Wildcats (28-8)
–Beat Illinois 87-81 in the Midwest Regional Final; beat Michigan State 80-61 in the Final Four; and lost to Duke 82-72 in the national title game. To note: Four players were drafted in the first two rounds of the 2001 NBA draft — Richard Jefferson, first round, 13th pick overall (Rockets); Gilbert Arenas, second round, 30th pick (Warriors); Michael Wright, second round, 38th pick (Knicks); and Loren Woods, second round, 45th pick (Timberwolves).

1996-97 Arizona Wildcats (25-9)
–Beat Providence 96-92 in overtime in the Southeast Regional Final; beat North Carolina 66-58 in the Final Four; and defeated Kentucky 84-79 in overtime to win its first NCAA championship. To note: The Wildcats had five players drafted in 1998 and 1999, three of them in the first round — Mike Bibby, second pick overall in 1998, Grizzlies; Michael Dickerson, 14th pick in 1998, Rockets; and Jason Terry, 10th pick in 1999, Hawks.

First Round Arizona Elite Eight Event Matchups:
>> Poll: 1987-1988 versus 2010-2011. Story: TucsonCitizen.com analysis
>> Poll: 1993-1994 versus 2004-2005. Story: TucsonCitizen.com analysis
>> Poll: 1996-1997 versus 2002-2003. Story: TucsonCitizen.com analysis
>> Poll: 1975-1976 versus 2000-2001. Story: TucsonCitizen.com analysis

EDITOR NOTE: The following is a fictional depiction of what could occur between the 1996-97 and 2000-01 teams. The quotes used are also fictional.

VOTE ON HOW YOU FEEL THIS GAME STORY SHOULD END AT WILDABOUTAZCATS.NET!!!

The buzz at a standing-room-only McKale Center before this semifinal game of the Arizona Elite Eight Event — pitting the only two Wildcat teams to advance to an NCAA title game — centered around which starting lineup matchup was most intriguing.

Mike Bibby of the 1996-97 team engineers a dramatic comeback against the 2000-01 team but is the effort good enough for a victory?

Mike Bibby vs. Jason Gardner — A couple of young leaders who pioneered Point Guard U., their retired jerseys hanging from the rafters.

Miles Simon vs. Gilbert Arenas — Simon and his Final Four MVP credentials going against one of Arizona’s most potent shooting guards in the program’s history.

Michael Dickerson vs. Richard Jefferson — Dickerson with his equally strong defensive and offensive capabilities against the athletic Jefferson, who always had the capability to go for 19 points and eight rebounds.

Bennett Davison vs. Michael Wright — The wiry athletic Davison with springs for legs against the burly, strong Wright, who owned the paint around the basket.

A.J. Bramlett vs. Loren Woods — The efficient Bramlett who ended his career as a very strong rebounder against shot-blocking extraordinaire Woods.

Indicative of the 1996-97 team’s resiliency, it never gave up after falling behind by as many as 22 points. Bibby, Simon and Co. forced the 2000-01 team into an uncharacteristic 21 turnovers, including 12 during the game’s final 11 minutes. Conversely, the 1996-97 team committed just six turnovers the entire game and outscored the the 2000-01 team in points off turnovers by a 25-6 margin.

“The one thing I can always can count on with that ’96-97 team is that no situation was too much to overcome,” said Arizona coach Lute Olson, whose team beat three No. 1 seeds en route to the 1997 NCAA championship. “Mike (Bibby) and Miles (Simon) and those guys always know how to make things interesting don’t they?”

Gilbert Arenas' two three-pointers in one quick stretch late in the second half seemed to restore the dominance the 2000-01 team enjoyed for most of the game against the 1996-97 team

After a resounding dunk on a breakaway by Jefferson gave the 2000-01 team its largest lead of 54-32 with 11:21 left in the game, the 2000-01 team committed turnovers on four straight possessions giving the 1996-97 team life and momentum. The 1996-97 team took advantage of the sloppy passes, slicing the 2000-01 lead to nine points — 54-45 — with 6:35 to play.

The 2000-01 team, behind two three-pointers from Arenas, used an 8-3 spurt and took what looked like an insurmountable 14-point lead — 62-48 — with only 4:37 remaining.

“It was back and forth like a prize fight,” Arenas said afterward. “They took our best punch but kept coming back; we were not about to back down ourselves.”

That’s when Bibby started to take over, scoring 11 of the next 18 points for the 1996-97 team. The 2000-01 team would score just five points during the next four minutes. That stretch included four turnovers by the 2000-01 team, which also went 3-for-6 from the free throw line in that span. A Bibby three-pointer cut the lead to seven points with 1:46 left in regulation, followed by a Davison free throw and layup from Dickerson that cut the 1996-97′s deficit to 64-60 with 59 seconds to play.

Gardner, a career 77.8 percent free-throw shooter, then split a pair at the charity stripe for the 2000-01 team before Bibby, who was fouled by Wright on an aggressive move to the basket, swished two free throws to get the 1996-97 team within 65-62 with 44 seconds left.

“No such thing as an easy free throw with all that pressure on the line,” UA assistant coach Jim Rosborough said.

Again, the 2000-01 team split two free throws (by Woods) on their next possession before Bramlett scored on a tip-in to get the 1996-97 Wildcats within 66-64 with 26 seconds remaining. With the McKale Center crowd on its feet, and the roar deafening, the 1996-97 team put up a strong press on the inbounds. The 2000-01 team managed to get the ball up the floor before Jefferson was fouled with 12 seconds left.

Jefferson split yet another pair of free throws for the 2000-01 team to give it a 67-64 lead. That’s when unthinkable happened. Bibby took the inbounds and handled the ball to the other end of the court. He pulled up at the top of the key for an off-balance three-point attempt that hit nothing but net with six seconds left while being fouled by Gardner, who lost his balance and barreled into Bibby. That tied the game at 67 and gave Bibby the chance to put the 1996-97 team ahead.

Richard Jefferson and the 2000-01 team made free throws down the stretch; the problem was they mostly made 1 of 2, giving the 1996-97 team a chance

Olson called a timeout to try to ice Bibby, who teammate Jason Terry once said had “ice water in his veins.” Olson also devised a plan in the huddle — for each team — depending on the outcome of Bibby’s free-throw attempt.

The 1996-97 team, invoking memories of its improbable comeback win over South Alabama in the first round of the 1997 NCAA tournament, used a 35-13 run over the final 10:02 to tie the game at 67 and put the game in Bibby’s hands with six seconds remaining.

“Man oh man,” Terry said shaking his head with that familiar smile. “I can envision Coach O saying that a thousand times … ‘Man oh man’.”

The outcome is not only in Bibby’s hands now. It’s also in yours. Vote on what you think would/should happen next in this classic matchup at WILDABOUTAZCATS.net. Here are the scenarios to choose from:

Scenario 1: Bibby makes the free throw, completing the four-point play and putting the 1996-97 team ahead 68-67 with six seconds left. The 2000-01 team tries to get a clean shot off but the 1996-97 defense is strong enough, causing Gardner to come up short on a contested three-point shot. The 1996-97 team wins 68-67 in regulation to advance to the Arizona Elite Eight Event championship against either the 1993-94 team or the 1987-88 team.

Scenario 2: Bibby misses the free throw and the game remains tied. The 2000-01 team does not call a timeout and Gardner races the length of the floor and puts up an off-balance jumper on top of the lane that bangs off the rim. The game goes into overtime and the 1996-97 takes over and completes the dramatic comeback for a victory. The 1996-97 team advances with the extra-period effort to the Arizona Elite Eight Event championship against either the 1993-94 team or the 1987-88 team.

Scenario 3: Bibby misses the free throw and the game remains tied. The 2000-01 team does not call a timeout and Gardner races the length of the floor and puts up an off-balance jumper on top of the lane that bangs off the rim. The game goes into overtime and the 2000-01 gathers itself and prevails. The 2000-01 team survives in the extra period and advances to the Arizona Elite Eight Event championship against either the 1993-94 team or the 1987-88 team.

Scenario 4: Bibby makes the free throw, completing the four-point play and putting the 1996-97 team ahead 68-67 with six seconds left. The 2000-01 team tries to get a clean shot off against the tough 1996-97 defense. Gardner gets free off a pick by Woods and launches a three-pointer at the buzzer that … hits nothing but the net. The 2000-01 team survives with a 70-68 victory in regulation and advances to the Arizona Elite Eight Event championship against either the 1993-94 team or the 1987-88 team.

Don’t forget: For all the links, Twitter feeds and news feeds related to Arizona and its opponents, go to Morales’ site WILDABOUTAZCATS.NET. No other Arizona sports Web site is like it!

In case you missed it: The Top 10 Badass Defensive Players and the Top 10 Badass Offensive Players in Arizona football history

1996-97 Arizona Wildcats (25-9)
–Beat Providence 96-92 in overtime in the Southeast Regional Final; beat North Carolina 66-58 in the Final Four; and defeated Kentucky 84-79 in overtime to win its first NCAA championship. To note: The Wildcats became the first team to beat three No. 1 seeds (Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky) en route to the title.

2002-03 Arizona Wildcats (28-4)
–Lost to Kansas 78-75 in the West Regional Final. To note: The Wildcats beat Gonzaga 96-95 in double-overtime in a West second-round matchup that is one of the classic games in NCAA tournament history.

Note: Please vote on which team you believe should advance in the bracket at WILDABOUTAZCATS.net. Thank you
Also: The poll is still open for the 1975-76 vs. 2000-01 matchup

MATCHUPS

Point Guard

Mike Bibby (1996-1998) vs. Jason Gardner (1999-2003)

Mike Bibby

Jason Gardner

Mike Bibby goes against another storied Arizona point guard, Jason Gardner, in this one. Both have their numbers retired and hanging from the rafters at McKale Center. They are the only point guards to lead the Wildcats to a national title game.

Bibby is arguably the best point guard in the esteemed history of Point Guard U. He was the total package — student of the game (his father, Henry, experienced success at UCLA and the NBA), capable leader, solid playmaker, accurate perimeter shooter, clutch performer … and decent rebounder?

One of the most forgotten stats of Arizona’s magical national championship run was Bibby’s nine rebounds against Kentucky in the title game. This occurred a game after he yanked seven against North Carolina in the Final Four game. That showed more than anything Bibby’s nose for the ball and ability to always make something happen.

His second half against the Tar Heels has to rate among the best halves for a UA player in the program’s history. He drilled five 3-point shots, committed no turnovers, and scored 17 points to finish with 20 in the UA’s 66-58 victory. No Wildcat played more minutes than Bibby’s 38.

“I believe in fate and that there is little you can do about it,” Bibby said after the game. “So, I go out and just play basketball, doing everything I can to help fate turn my way. I play the games over in my mind at night. I dream about the game. I try to envision how the game will go, how it should go, and what I should do. And then I just try to go out and have fun and make it happen.”

Gardner, the Iron Man of the Arizona program, finished his accomplished UA career in 2003. The school’s career record-holder for average minutes played — 35.5 — Gardner also was versatile at point guard. He is third on the UA’s all-time scoring list with 1,984 points, and he also ranks among the top 10 in 13 statistical categories.

One of Gardner’s most impressive feats: He had 10 games in his career in which he played 30 minutes or more and did not commit a turnover. He and backcourt mate Gilbert Arenas established one of the best UA backcourts in history starting in their first game together against Kansas State in the 1999-2000 season-opener. They combined for 28 points, 15 assists and eight steals in the 88-69 win at McKale Center.

Gardner, selected Mr. Indiana after his senior season in high school in Indianapolis, nearly had a double-double in his first collegiate game, recording 14 points and nine assists.

“He is a freshman and he isn’t,” Olson told reporters after the game. “I’m not sure if we have ever had a freshman point guard come in and play like he did tonight.”

Shooting Guard

Miles Simon (1994-1998) vs. Salim Stoudamire (2002-2005)

Miles Simon

Salim Stoudamire

No sweeter words have been spoken for Wildcat fans than Billy Packer’s line: “Simon says … championship” after the UA beat Kentucky for the national title in 1997. That line also carries with it the image of Miles Simon’s wide grin as he is hugging the basketball.

Arizona’s only Final Four MVP helped carry the UA to a title because of his heroics. One of the more memorable performances was Simon’s second-half awakening against South Alabama in the NCAA tournament first-round game. If it was not for nine of Simon’s 11 points in the last seven minutes against South Alabama, the Wildcats would still be without a national championship.

Spurred by Simon’s production, the UA outscored South Alabama 22-4 over those last seven minutes and turned a 10-point deficit into a 65-57 victory. Simon was not all smiles in the locker room afterward, which showed how much he was bent on winning the right way.

“I’m glad we won, but I wouldn’t call it sweet,” Simon told reporters. “I know what I have to do now to make us a better team.”

Salim Stoudamire also emerged out of a funk in another early-round game — the second-round classic against Gonzaga in 2003 — to lead the Wildcats to a 96-95 win in double-overtime. Stoudmamire scored five of his 15 points in the second overtime. Two years later, Stoudamire’s off-balance jumper with 2.8 seconds left gave the UA a 79-78 win over Oklahoma State and propelled the Cats to another Elite Eight appearance against Illinois.

Stoudamire also made memorable game-winning shots against UCLA and Arizona State. Those heroics were indicative of how much Stoudamire matured during his UA career. He resided often in Olson’s dog house earlier in his career. As often was the case, Olson was seen openly frustrated with Stoudamire when the guard sat by him on the bench.

“If my hair would have been black four years ago, Salim would have turned it white,” Olson joked with reporters when Stoudamire was a senior in 2005. “But honestly, from the middle of March last year to the middle of March this year, I’ve never in 49 years of coaching dealt with a kid who changed as much in one year as Salim has.”

Small Forward

Michael Dickerson (1994-1998) vs. Luke Walton (1999-2003)

Michael Dickerson

Luke Walton

This is how deadly a shooter Michael Dickerson was in his career at Arizona: In the second half against Washington on Feb. 5, 1998, Dickerson was perfect from the field, 11 of 11, in a 112-81 victory for Arizona at McKale Center.

The misnomer about Dickerson, quiet in his demeanor, is that he was shy on the court. Not so. He was one of Olson’s best defenders in the 1997 title run and he was not afraid to shoot despite bouts with his confidence. He is fourth on the UA career list with 1,460 field-goal attempts, so he took advantage of the green light to shoot. He made 668 of those, sixth on the UA career list, for a very respectable 45.8 percent from the field for a wing player who drew gimmick defenses from opponents.

“I feel like I can do a lot of damage,” Dickerson told reporters after scoring 30 points against Texas in an 83-78 win at McKale Center on Dec. 9, 1996. Texas coach Rick Barnes went to a straight man-to-man against Dickerson, which was obviously a wrong move.

“I love that,” Dickerson added. “Going against a box-and-one (zone) or a double-team is a lot harder.”

While Dickerson ebbed and flowed with his confidence, Luke Walton always had an air of confidence about him. He is one of six former Wildcats who achieved a triple-double, accomplishing the feat with 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a 97-80 win over USC on Jan. 17, 2002.

He also had four steals and a career-best four blocked shots. Defensively, he played at the point-guard position in that game and through some of his career because of his size (6-8, 235) and instincts. He is the son of Hall-of-Famer Bill Walton.

“He does things you don’t teach,” Olson told reporters after Walton achieved the triple-double. “It’s in the genes. He has a great feel for the game. He also has a great feel for leadership, and it’s always a positive thing. He really helps the young guys a lot with the approach that he takes to things.”

Power Forward

Bennett Davison (1996-98) vs. Rick Anderson (1999-20003)

Bennett Davison

Rick Anderson

Bennett Davison might be best known for messing Olson’s gray mane seconds after the Wildcats won the 1997 title, but former Providence All-American Austin Croshere most likely remembers Davison for a much less amusing reason.

Croshere, who went on to play 12 years in the NBA, was held to an NCAA tournament-low 12 points before fouling out midway through the second half of the Elite Eight matchup against Arizona in 1997. The Friars lost in overtime 96-92 thanks in part to Davison’s lock-down defense and somewhat surprising offensive performance. Davison finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Davison, who holds the UA record with nine steals against Stanford in 1998, limited Croshere to 14 points under his scoring average. Teammate A.J. Bramlett marveled at Davison’s record-setting defensive performance against the Cardinal the season after the win over Providence, saying, “Nine steals for a No. 4 man (power forward) is unbelievable.”

“Bennett was all over the place, and when we can run, nobody can stay with us,” Bramlett told reporters.

Rick Anderson has the dubious distinction of being whistled for the most fouls in a season in UA history with 119 in 2001-02. But in a positive light, that shows how scrappy Anderson was for the Wildcats as a player who was hardly in the spotlight.

Mostly due to his elder statesman status, Anderson was a co-captain his last two seasons, sharing the honors with Gardner and Walton. He was an important cog in UA’s lineup in its Elite Eight season of 2002-03 as the second-leading rebounder with 6.7 rebounds per game. He was also one of four players who averaged double figures in scoring (10.7 points per game) that year.

Center

A.J. Bramlett (1996-1999) vs. Channing Frye (2002-2005)

A.J. Bramlett

Channing Frye

What made Arizona’s run to the title in 1997 special was a case could be made for each player helping the Wildcats get that far. Bramlett’s time to shine was his 12-point, 15-rebound performance in a second-round victory over the College of Charleston. He also had 10 rebounds and four blocked shots when the Cats beat North Carolina in the Final Four.

After the win over the Tar Heels, teammate Donnell Harris told reporters, “A.J. is always near the ball. I look up all the time, and there’s Bramlett and there’s the ball. It’s like he has magnets.”

An interesting note about Bramlett, other than him breaking a backboard in practice in February 1997, is that he achieved a school-record 19 rebounds against Stanford in 1998 — the same game Davison set the UA record for steals.

Channing Frye, a four-year starter, is one of the most productive post players in UA history when it comes to career totals. He is No. 9 on the scoring list with 1,789 points, No. 2 in blocked shots with 258, No. 3 in rebounds with 975, and No. 9 in field-goal percentage (56.2).

Olson could count on Frye to rough it up inside or extend to the perimeter and stick the mid-range jumper. One thing that irked Frye the most was when he was called “soft”, sometimes even by his own coach.

“Everyone always says Channing Frye is soft, that he can’t establish himself with his back to the basket,” Frye said in the third person, shaking his head to reporters, after he had 14 points and 12 rebounds in a victory over Notre Dame in the 2003 Sweet Sixteen.

Bench

1996-97 key reserves: Jason Terry, Donnell Harris and Eugene Edgerson

2002-03 key reserves: Andre Iguodala, Hassan Adams and Isaiah Fox

Andre Iguodala

Jason Terry

Jason Terry is arguably the best sixth man in the program’s history, putting his ego aside when Bibby was made a starter although Terry had already been in the program for a year. Former UA assistant coach Jim Rosborough told me last May — when Terry and the Dallas Mavericks faced Bibby and the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals — that Terry’s acceptance to be the sixth man was a significant reason why the Wildcats won the NCAA title.

“I can’t say enough about what Jason did for us that season,” Rosborough told me. “A lot of people don’t know this, but he approached Coach Olson and basically told him, ‘I’m OK with being the Sixth Man. I’ll be the Sixth Man because we have Mike Bibby, Miles Simon and Michael Dickerson already out there.’

“He never pouted and was always upbeat. He came off the bench his first three years and then in his senior year, he became a national player of the year. That goes to show you that if you pay your dues something good will come out of it.”

Donnell Harris and Eugene Edgerson had varied roles in Arizona’s title run. Harris came up big in the title game against Kentucky, scoring eight points with seven rebounds. Edgerson was a UA crowd favorite for his all-out hustle.

Andre Iguodala and Hassan Adams provided athleticism off the bench for the 2002-03 team. They combined for 15.5 points, 8.3 rebounds per game and 2.8 steals per game. Iguodala also chipped in 2.1 assists per game.

Isaiah Fox started five games and was most effectve on the glass, averaging 3 rebounds a game. Will Bynum started twice that season and played in eight games before transferring to Georgia Tech.

Arizona forward Derrick Williams overpowered Duke's Kyle Singler with 32 points and 13 rebounds in the UA's 93-77 Sweet 16 win Thursday in Anaheim (US Presswire photo/Gary A. Vasquez)

If somebody was lost at sea since 2007 and returned to hear the news about Arizona qualifying for the Elite Eight on Thursday, what would the reaction be?

“That’s great to hear. Lute’s finally got them back where they belong. Great to see it happen after that collapse in 2005 against Illinois. When is he hanging it up? What is he 80?”

You were lost only four years ago, but since then, Lute Olson took a leave of absence and eventually retired. In the meantime, a couple of coaches replaced him as caretakers, each for a season, and then they finally hired this young, 42-year-old guy named Sean Miller.

Arizona is in the Elite Eight and Lute is not the coach? What?

Believe it. Nobody, not even Miller, can say they are not surprised. Last season, the Wildcats failed to make the NCAA tournament … (interrupted)

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Didn’t make NCAA tournament? Don’t they go every year?

Until Miller’s first year last season they went 25 straight years. But it’s not his fault the streak was snapped. The interim coaches — Kevin O’Neill and Russ Pennell — did not actively recruit in the two years after Lute left. A lot of turnover occurred as Miller brought in five of his own guys last year — three at the last minute because the USC coach left amid turmoil and those guys shifted their allegiance to Arizona. Miller told the Tucson media that he has a three-year plan to coach Arizona back to prominence.

Hold on. Arizona lost Olson, used two interim coaches, hired Miller … lost out on some recruits, all in the last four years … didn’t make the NCAA tournament last year. … and this guy Miller, in only his second year, has Arizona in the Elite Eight?

Like I said. Believe it. The Wildcats also won the regular-season Pac-10 title this year.

C’mon. Being lost at sea is troubling enough for my brain to process.

In my opinion, Miller’s coaching performance and the Wildcats’ 93-77 dominating win over No. 1 seed and defending national champion Duke on Thursday in Anaheim ranks as one of the program’s top five victories in their history.

Not to beat my own drum, but I have followed the Wildcats since Fred Snowden coached in the early 1970s. I sat in McKale Center with the 6,000 or so fans in Olson’s first year at Arizona in 1983-84 after the embarrassing year of Ben Lindsey as head coach. Yes, I also attended most of the games when Lindsey’s team went 4-24.

I covered the Wildcats for The Arizona Daily Star during their historic run through the NCAA tournament in 1997. I have watched probably more than 1,100 Arizona basketball games in my lifetime (I turn 44 in July).

Considering the state of the UA program the last three years, it is a no-brainer to me to place the win over the Blue Devils and Mike Krzyzewski in the Top 5 category of significant victories.

The honor roll:

1. 1997 Sweet 16 vs. Kansas. Arizona’s 85-82 win over No. 1-ranked Kansas, which was only one overtime loss from a perfect season, has no equal. The Jayhawks featured four future pros in Paul Pierce, Raef LaFrentz, Scot Pollard and Jacque Vaughn. The Wildcats placed fifth in the Pac-10 that year and had nine regular-season defeats before advancing on their magical title run.

2. 1997 Championship vs. Kentucky. The Wildcats’ 84-79 win in overtime over Kentucky is their greatest accomplishment because it is a national title with the eyes of the world watching. I stick to my guns, however, about the win over 1997 juggernaut Kansas as the top victory in the program in terms of difficulty and significance.

3. 2011 Sweet 16 vs. Duke. This 93-77 drubbing may not rate as high as the top two, but as far as overall performance — from Derrick Williams’ dominance to Lamont “MoMo” Jones’ playmaking to Jamelle Horne’s spirited play and Solomon Hill’s and Kevin Parrom’s shooting and defensive play — no other performance in Wildcat history might compare. Again, the circumstances of how far Miller has taken this recently faltering program in such little time has this game rated high. If Arizona beats UConn on Saturday to reach the Final Four, that victory could be No. 2 as the most significant in the program’s history because this hard-to-believe story will get richer.

4. 1988 Elite Eight vs. North Carolina. To many of the Wildcats’ followers this 70-52 win over the Tar Heels is the most prideful victory in Arizona history. Arizona advanced to its first Final Four in school history only five seasons after Lindsey’s debacle, and the Wildcats did it at the hands of Dean Smith and the vaunted Tar Heels. The two most popular UA hoops players in school history — Steve Kerr and Sean Elliott — are part of this historic team.

5. 1997 Final Four vs. North Carolina. Former UA player and assistant coach Josh Pastner told me after the Wildcats defeated the Tar Heels 66-58 that the Wildcats chanted “Play on Monday! Play on Monday!” before the game. The Wildcats achieved playing on Monday in the national title for the first time in school history behind the steady play of freshman point guard Mike Bibby, whose awe-inspiring play along with Final Four MVP Miles Simon in the 1997 run, is rivaled now by what we’re seeing from Williams.

Honorable mention: Arizona’s 88-76 victory in 1986 behind Elliott late in the season at UCLA enabled the Wildcats to clinch at least a share of the Pac-10 title, which they later won outright. The UA began its Pac-10 prominence under Olson only three years after the Wildcats finished 1-17 in the league under Lindsey. Adding spice to the story, the win came at the hands of John Wooden’s old program and standard-bearer of the conference. … And, of course, victories that deserve mention are those that enabled the Wildcats to advance to the 1994, 1997 and 2001 Final Fours (Louisville, Providence and Illinois, respectively), and the win over Michigan State in the 2001 Final Four that set up a national championship showdown against Duke, which the Blue Devils won. … The sentimental favorite of many long-standing Arizona fans is the 1976 Sweet 16 win over UNLV, a 114-109 overtime classic in Los Angeles. That moved the Wildcats to their first Elite Eight appearance, where they would lose to host UCLA. At any rate, the thriller over the Running Rebels and Jerry Tarkanian in 1976 is clearly the best win in the Snowden era.

Former Arizona player and assistant coach Josh Pastner is the second-youngest head coach in college basketball at 33 years old (US Presswire photo/Nelson Chenault)

What good is Josh Pastner for the Arizona basketball program? Who did he recruit: Fendi Onobun? Mohamed Tangara? If he was so good why did Kevin O’Neill never seek his advice during a game? Why did former UA athletic director Jim Livengood never seriously consider him as a permanent replacement for his mentor Lute Olson?

All valid viewpoints of Pastner, now the head coach at Memphis, which plays Arizona Friday in the first round of the NCAA West Regional in Tulsa.

Chances are these comments — they have been said on radio talk shows and written in blog comments — are made by people who have never met him. They are said and written because they see Pastner as someone who is no longer a priority for Arizona’s basketball program, which is now in the very good hands of Sean Miller.

If Pastner was good enough, he’d still be at Arizona.

I’ve heard that comment more than once.

After the Tim Floyd fiasco, when Floyd basically used Livengood and Arizona for contract leverage with USC, I remember communicating with Pastner via text message. I published the site UAHoopsCoach.com (now WildAboutAZCats.com) at the time and my focus was getting information about who Livengood might consider next.

I remember Pastner writing back that it would be an honor to be mentioned as a possibility. My first thought was, “Are you serious?” This is not because I didn’t think Pastner was capable. It’s because Pastner, to me, is always that young exuberant guy on the Arizona bench, waving his towel, jumping up and down, clapping, and slapping guys on their posterior. I was not sure if people would take Pastner seriously, although he had a lot to do with Mike Bibby‘s maturity and development when they were freshmen in 1996-97.

I covered Pastner and the national championship team that season for the Arizona Daily Star. One of my most vivid memories after Arizona won the Final Four game against North Carolina was the door opening to the locker room and the first player standing there was Pastner.

He did not play a minute in the game. “What do you need to know Javier?” Pastner said in a matter-of-fact tone. “You need an interview? I’m right here.”

It donned on me that, yes, I could use a comment from Pastner about working on Bibby’s jumper before the game. The freshman sensation had 20 points on 7 of 18 shooting from the field, including 6 of 11 from three-point range. The minute I started talking to Pastner, three or more reporters crowded around and scribbled on their notepads.

Here was Pastner, a walk-on no less, getting attention from the national media following a monumental game for the Arizona program. The reporters were well aware of Pastner’s goal at the time to become a coach like Olson, his idol and mentor. They knew of his AAU coaching past (despite being 18 at the time) and how his father, Hal Pastner, was an esteemed AAU organizer in Houston.

And, of course, the younger Pastner’s bubbly personality could win over Simon Cowell.

When Josh Pastner coached under Olson from 2002-2008 it became obvious to McKale insiders that in order for him to ever coach at Arizona, he must try leading another program first. The prevailing thought was Pastner must mature and become more worldly in his coaching endeavors before remotely thinking about a head coaching opportunity with the Wildcats.

Before John Calipari provided the young coach that opportunity, hiring him as his lead assistant coach for the 2008-09 season at Memphis, Pastner made a lasting impression on my life in a couple of ways. Nobody had to convince me that Pastner would be mature enough someday to lead his own program into the NCAA tournament, which he will do for the first time Friday against his alma mater.

Pastner was the keynote speaker at the Class of 2004 graduation ceremony for my nephew Wade James Beal at Buena High School in Sierra Vista. At the time, Pastner was only eight years older than the Buena graduates. Today, Pastner is only 33, the second-youngest head coach in the nation, behind Dane Fife, 31, of Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne.

His voice animated, he continuously said to the Buena graduates that they controlled their own destiny (continuously, as in more than three times). He mentioned they can decide their future, not somebody else. He added that they were at the most opportune time of their lives to make something happen for the better. “Tomorrow starts today,” he told them.

All the while, his voice sounded as young as my nephew’s, but most of the graduates took him seriously. I had to chuckle a bit because I envisioned Pastner back to the time when I covered Arizona, and he was always good for a laugh. We joke to this day about Arizona’s exhibition tour of Australia a couple of months after the Wildcats won the national title. The team did not want to be there, especially after winning the title, and Pastner recalls the interviews I conducted with the Wildcats and the stories I wrote from there to that effect.

“Javier, are we still in Australia?” Pastner said with a laugh a couple of months ago in a voice message he left on my phone. “I was just checking. Are we really still in Australia?”

To understand Pastner, you have to know him. Too often fans get locked into black and white with no chance for gray. They view Pastner’s last few years as a failure at Arizona because of recruiting miscues and the NCAA investigation of the on-campus Cactus Classic, which Pastner was never implicated.

Moreover, the alleged disharmony between himself, Simon and O’Neill after Olson went on a leave of absence in 2007-08, made some people want to wash themselves from the past and start anew.

Because of this, some forget about what Pastner meant to the UA’s championship run in 1997 by helping Olson and his staff groom Bibby and make him a better, more responsive player. They do not realize how much Pastner positively touched the lives of many at McKale Center and in Tucson.

When my special-needs brother, Hector Morales III, was about to turn 50 in 2006, I left Pastner a message to please sign an Arizona poster to post on the wall during the birthday celebration. Hector is Arizona’s No. 1 fan; at least he would tell you as much. Without hesitation, every single year, including the brief John Mackovic era, Hector has always predicted the Wildcats to be in the Rose Bowl.

You will always find Hector wearing an Arizona T-shirt whether they win or lose. If you ever meet him, be prepared to answer a series of questions about the Wildcats.

Pastner returned my call promptly and told me to head over the UA basketball office to pick up the poster. I opened the poster after returning to my parked car to get a glimpse of Pastner’s autograph. I found that Pastner had Olson and fellow assistant coaches Jim Rosborough and Simon sign it as well. It read: “Happy 50th birthday!”

“I tried to get some of the players to sign it but none were around,” Pastner reasoned with me later. Hector’s birthday is in May after many of the classes are completed and students head home.

Typical Pastner. Always trying for more. Those who have met him understand there’s nothing black and white about him. In the game of life, he is about as far away from being a failure as a person can be.

Follow Javier Morales on Twitter: @JavierJMorales

Arizona coach Sean Miller's 3-0 team has outscored its first three opponents by 97 points -- the third-highest mark in the modern era (US Presswire photo/Chris Morrison)

Only three other teams in Arizona’s basketball history have outscored opponents more through a 3-0 start than this year’s Wildcats.

Arizona is 3-0 under second-year coach Sean Miller after defeating Idaho State 90-42, New Mexico State 83-57 and Northern Colorado 93-70. That’s a combined 97 points better than the three outmanned opponents.

In the modern era, the only teams to score more against the opposition in a 3-0 start are the 1997-98 and 2002-03 teams. Both of those teams beat their first three victims by a total of 107 points.

The 1997-98 team, fresh off the UA’s first national title with Mike Bibby and Miles Simon leading the way, defeated Morgan State 115-53 in the opener and then routed Boston College 99-69 and Kentucky 89-74 in the Maui Invitational. The 2002-03 team — led by seniors Jason Gardner, Luke Walton and Rick Anderson — began the season by beating Western Kentucky 107-68, Northern Arizona 101-66 and Saint Louis 91-58.

One other Wildcat team outscored more opponents in a 3-0 start — 113 points — but that happened in the 1917-18 season. J.F. “Pop” McKale‘s fourth team overwhelmed Bisbee YMCA 46-27, Tucson YMCA 54-8 and the 25th Infantry 63-15. The bottom fell out after that run as McKale’s club lost its last two games against Bisbee YMCA and El Paso YMCA to finish the season 3-2.

Miller’s current team can only build on its current success. The Wildcats’ 3-0 start with a 97-point margin of victory is impressive, especially considering the state of the program after Lute Olson‘s last full season in 2006-07. The bottom line, however, is a 3-0 start is simply that — a 3-0 start. The Wildcats have 28 regular-season games (and an entire Pac-10 schedule) remaining to make their overall statement.

“I don’t want to overreact because we’ve only played three games and the 30 practices probably mean more at this point than the games,” Miller told the media, in regards to his lineup, after beating Northern Colorado.

The next agenda is beating Bethune-Cookman at McKale Center Tuesday night to improve to 4-0 before heading to Las Vegas to play Santa Clara on Friday and Kansas on Saturday.

If the Wildcats beat the Wildcats (yes, Bethune-Cookman shares the same nickname) by at least 19 points, they would have the best margin of victory for an Arizona team to start 4-0 in the modern era. The 2002-03 team started 4-0 by outscoring the four opponents by 115 points (in the fourth game the team led by Gardner, Walton and Anderson beat San Diego State 89-81).

For the record, the current Wildcats are the 40th team in school history to start 3-0. They can become the 29th to begin a season 4-0 by beating Bethune-Cookman. No real reason to celebrate there. A 4-0 start is just that — a 4-0 start.

USC's Stanley Havili (shown here against the UA in 2008) and the Trojans stand in the way of Arizona's prolonged stay in the AP Top 25 poll (US Presswire photo/Chris Morrison)

Random thoughts while wondering what Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh told his team about the Wildcats behind closed doors after the Cardinal beat Arizona 42-17 last night. …

The Wildcats dropped five spots to No. 18 in the AP Top 25 poll after the sizeable loss on (mostly) national television. That means the Cats are perilously closer to exiting the Top 25 instead of approaching the top. A loss at home to USC on Saturday could end a nice little run in the rankings for the Wildcats.

Arizona is now in its ninth consecutive week in the AP Top 25 poll. Can’t get much better than that right, especially for a program that has never been ranked No. 1 in its history? The Wildcats have actually posted better streaks than that four different times:

• 39 consecutive weeks: In the Desert Swarm era, from the start of the 1993 season to five weeks into 1995.
• 20: During the entire 1998 season (when the Cats finished 12-1 and ranked No. 4) and four weeks into 1999.
• 15: The entire 1975 season, from the preseason poll to the final poll, peaking at No. 11 after starting 8-1.
• 13: After starting 2-0 through the end of the 1986 season, the last for Larry Smith at Arizona.

If the UA’s current streak extends closer to these top four, it would mean the Cats finished at least 3-1 in their last four games — against USC, Oregon, ASU and their bowl game. That one loss can not be to the Trojans for the streak to continue.

Where’s the (scoring) beef? The preliminary analysis of the 2010-11 basketball team is that sophomore post player Derrick Williams is a sure scoring threat for the Wildcats, but who will help ease the load? If nobody else consistently scores, Williams can expect more double-teaming defenses and players collapsing toward him off their man.

Kyle Fogg (11.1 points a game last season) is the most logical choice as another scoring threat, as Sean Miller told TucsonCitizen.com’s Steve Rivera and the media Sunday after the UA’s exhibition victory over Augustana College.

Miller also said, “From that point on (after Fogg’s scoring), different players have to emerge.”

If nobody emerges to a double-figure scoring average — and Williams and Fogg are the only players to reach that mark — it will be the first time since Lute Olson’s first season at UA (1983-84) that only two players averaged scoring in double figures.

Pete Williams (14.5 points a game) and Eddie Smith (13.2) were the only consistent scorers in double figures that season. The next highest scoring average of only 7.7 points belonged to Brock Brunkhorst. That also happened to be Olson’s only losing season in 24 years at Arizona.

Will the same type of scoring averages occur this season for Miller’s balanced approach? If so, it may not be all that bad for the Wildcats. Miller unquestionably would rather have a team with six or seven players averaging close to 10 points a game than two or three averaging more than 15 with the others far behind.

Scoring from the perimeter should be the major concern. In each of Olson’s four Final Four teams, a perimeter player was a scoring threat on the offensive end — Steve Kerr in 1987-88, Damon Stoudamire and Khalid Reeves in 1993-94, Miles Simon, Mike Bibby and Michael Dickerson in 1996-97, and Gilbert Arenas and Jason Gardner in 2000-01.

This season, Arizona will rely on Fogg and MoMo Jones plenty in this regard. It’s no wonder why Miller made it a priority to recruit the highly-potent backcourt of Nick Johnson and Josiah Turner for the Class of 2011.

Let’s get physical. Two Arizona basketball players (Kyryl Natyazhko and Kevin Parrom) have suffered concussions in practice. Another — Williams — sported a swollen, black eye also from a practice mishap. Natyazhko was also part of a reported heated, physical exchange during one of the early practice sessions.

Playing for Arizona under Miller is certainly not for the weak. He played in the Big East, after all. Williams said last week that UA coaches do not call fouls in practice, noting that the players are learning “to play through” such adverse conditions.

The physical tone of practice carried over to the Augustana exhibition in the form of Arizona’s 35 free-throw attempts. The Cats made only 22 of them, which minimized their importance, but going to the line that much shows the Wildcats are playing an aggressive style of basketball.

Mental (and physical) toughness will go a long way toward Arizona improving its rebounding and defense, two areas exposed last year in the 16-15 season.