TUCSON, Ariz. — The Arizona Wildcats extended the nation’s longest active NCAA tournament streak, drawing their 25th straight bid on Sunday.
The Wildcats (19-13) slipped into the tourney as a 12th seed in the Midwest Region and they will face fifth-seeded Utah (24-9) on Friday in Miami.
The Wildcats are now two years shy of matching the all-time record — North Carolina’s run of 27 straight NCAA appearances from 1975-2001.
Arizona’s streak began in 1985 and it looked as if it would end on Sunday.
The Wildcats staggered to the finish line, dropping five of their last six games, including a loss to Arizona State in the first round of the Pac-10 tournament.
With each defeat, many in this basketball-mad city feared the streak would end. Those fears grew when USC earned an automatic berth by winning the Pac-10 tournament, giving rise to a theory that the Trojans would snare the Pac-10’s fifth bid and bump Arizona into the NIT.
But the Pac-10 landed six NCAA berths.
The tournament selection committee judged the Wildcats on their entire schedule, which included notable victories over Kansas, Gonzaga, UCLA and Washington, instead of focusing on Arizona’s poor finish.
“We obviously were aware that they lost several games coming down the stretch,” committee chairman Mike Slive said in a teleconference. “They were only 7-5 in the last 12 games. Obviously, it meant a lot to the committee that this team had a very strong resume … with six wins in the top 50. It was important, and it helped Arizona offset the bottom of their schedule. Also, their losses were to some pretty good teams.”
Slive wouldn’t say whether the Wildcats were the last at-large team chosen since they and Wisconsin were the only at-larges seeded on the 12 line.
“We don’t keep track of who’s last,” Slive said. “This is the most gutwrenching moment of five long days.”
The Wildcats had plenty of flaws, including a 2-9 road record, with wins at lowly Oregon and Oregon State. But Slive said Arizona’s typcially stout schedule worked to its advantage.
“For me, it’s the whole season,” Slive said. “November and December are not an exhibition season. It’s part of the body of work.”
If the Wildcats beat the Utes in the opening round, they would face either fourth-seeded Wake Forest or 13th-seeded Cleveland State in the second round.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
