Arizona Wildcats

From Hoopedia

The University of Arizona (UA or U of A) is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885, when Arizona was still a territory and is considered a Public Ivy. UA includes Arizona's only allopathic medical school. In 2006, total enrollment was 36,805 students.

Men's Basketball

The men's basketball team has been one of the nation's most successful programs since Lute Olson was hired as head coach in 1983. As of 2006, the team has amassed 19 consecutive 20-win seasons, and reached the NCAA Tournament 22 consecutive years, which is the longest active and second-longest streak in NCAA history (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has the longest streak with 27). Lute Olson has taken the Wildcats to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament in 1988, 1994, 1997, and 2001. In 1997, Arizona defeated the University of Kentucky, the defending national champions, to win the NCAA National Championship (NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship) by a score of 84-79 in overtime; Olson's first national championship victory. Current assistant coach, Miles Simon was chosen as Final Four MVP. In 1972 Fred Snowden was hired as the head basketball coach, making Arizona the first Division I school with a black head coach. The Wildcats play their home games at the McKale Center in Tucson. The University mascot is an anthropomorphized wildcat named Wilbur.