SAN JOSE — The Arizona Wildcats are one win away from doing something they have not done in 25 years: playing in the Final Four.
Since the 2001 team advanced to the national championship, the Wildcats have played in 12 Sweet 16 games and five Elite Eight games leading up to this season, but they have not been able to get over the last hurdle.
“We definitely hear the stuff, but we can only control what we can control that’s going on in the room,” Arizona senior Jaden Bradley said. “One game at a time … we definitely want to do it for the fans, do it for the city, do it for the community, and try to get there, but it starts one game at a time.”
Despite carrying some of the most talented rosters in the country, there was plenty of past heartbreak and unfortunate injury luck that prevented Arizona from cutting down the nets in yesteryear.
In 2013, it was Ohio State’s LaQuinton Ross’ 3-pointer with two seconds left, which sent Arizona home in the Sweet 16.
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The next year, Brandon Ashley tore a ligament in his foot late in a loss to California, sidelining him for the rest of the season for the then 21-0 No. 1 Wildcats. The season eventually culminated in an Elite Eight overtime loss to Frank Kaminsky and Wisconsin.
More bad luck struck the Wildcats the following season when the untimely friendly fire of Stanley Johnson getting poked in the eye by Ashley in the Elite Eight resulted in more devastation for Arizona against Wisconsin.
“Of course we hear that and we see the banner in McKale hanging, but it’s in the past,” Arizona freshman Ivan Kharchenov said about Arizona not advancing to the Final Four since 2001. “It has no control over us. There’s no curse or anything.” pic.twitter.com/rdAOozCIPR
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) March 28, 2026
“Of course we hear that and we see the banner in McKale (Center) hanging, but it’s in the past,” Arizona freshman Ivan Kharchenov said about Arizona not advancing to the Final Four since 2001. “It has no control over us. There’s no curse or anything.
“We have a good team and we want to go as far as possible. Whatever happens in the past or whatever is going to happen in the future, we’re trying to be the best version of ourselves right now.”
When asked about his memories of watching the Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament, Arizona star freshman Koa Peat said he did not watch a lot of college basketball growing up, but said he remembered watching former Wildcat Dalen Terry in the 2022 NCAA Tournament and noted the role Mike Bibby has played in his own development.
“I was more into watching my brothers in football and my sisters playing college basketball,” Peat said. “But I think from the history now, you had to do some studying when you’re making your choice on what college you’re picking.
“So I saw a lot of the past legends that played for Arizona, and Mike Bibby, he was a big mentor to me. He went to the Final Four, won the championship. When you put on the Arizona jersey, you know you’re playing for people that played before you. So it’s bigger than yourself; it’s the program.”
After Arizona’s thrashing of Arkansas on Thursday, Peat, who was born in Chandler and went to Gilbert Perry High School, reflected on what it would mean to reach the Final Four as an Arizona native.
“That would be huge. I dreamt of this. I put on for my home state and just go out there and play my hardest every game and hopefully we win on Saturday. “
Koa Peat of what it would be like if Arizona can beat Purdue to reach the Final Four. pic.twitter.com/dfFBctKkLS
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) March 27, 2026
“That would be huge. I dreamt of this,” Peat said of what it would be like if Arizona can beat Purdue to reach the Final Four. “I put on for my home state and just go out there and play my hardest every game and hopefully we win on Saturday.”
Peat added he has not heard any of the outside noise about Arizona’s Final Four drought because he has largely kept off social media.
“Just trying to lock in and give my full focus to this team,” Peat said. “I’m proud of the guys (and) how we keep advancing.”
Since Tommy Lloyd took the reins at Arizona in 2021, he has led the Wildcats to the Sweet 16 in four of his five seasons, but those dominant regular seasons resulted in no trips to the Elite Eight before this year.
With that in mind, he said he wants to treat things as normal as possible and not make anything bigger than it normally is.
“I don’t feel a burden. I know it’s easy to create narratives,” Lloyd said on Wednesday. “These are hard basketball games, and I fully respect that.
“I love this team. I love how this team is built. I think this team is built for the long haul. But I also respect the fact that we’re going to have to do it possession by possession, media time-out by media time-out type of game, and our opponents are formidable.”
While Lloyd has been linked to the open North Carolina job upon the firing of Hubert Davis, there are reported contract extension talks in the works, and his Arizona players acknowledged what a win would do for Lloyd in that sense as well.
“We want to take care of Tommy. He’s put all of our players, coaching staff in great positions. He really deserves this.”
Jaden Bradley says Arizona wants to keep winning to take care of Tommy Lloyd. pic.twitter.com/AGk43YJQnN
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) March 27, 2026
“We want to take care of Tommy,” Bradley said. “He’s put all of our players (and) coaching staff in great positions. He really deserves this for the program and himself.
“We want to take care of him and make sure he’s set, so by winning games we just gotta keep it going.”
As Arizona approaches a potential historic moment, its players and coaches are focused not only on the game but also on what a win could mean for Tucson. For them, it represents a chance to give the city something to celebrate together.
“It would mean everything,” Arizona guard Anthony Dell’Orso said on what advancing to the Final Four would mean to him, the program and the community.
“The city of Tucson would probably like it more than maybe some of the players. They haven’t seen anything like it since ’97.” pic.twitter.com/6Z2RQKVmlb
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) March 28, 2026
“It would mean everything,” Arizona guard Anthony Dell’Orso said. “The city of Tucson would probably like it more than maybe some of the players. They haven’t seen anything like it since ’97.
“It would be super special to bring back to them and just see the community all up and about.”
Lloyd echoed Dell’Orso’s sentiment and called it “a great moment of collective joy for our entire community.”
“It’s not going to change my life. I’m pretty fortunate, regardless of the outcome,” Lloyd said.
“I think that’s really powerful. If you get millions of people that can smile at the same time and cheer together, that’s powerful stuff. That’s the compound effect. And that’s what I would be most excited for. Winning the game would be great. But the collective joy it would give our community, it would be more special than just the win by itself.”
No. 1 Arizona will face No. 2 Purdue on Saturday at 5:49 p.m. in San Jose.
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