1997 NCAA Championship Kentucky vs. Arizona

The 97' Final as UK looks to go back to back and Lute Olson and Arizona look for their 1st title.

[@Shazziecooking]

RIP Coach Olson. Tucson will always LOVE AND MISS YOU!!!

[@jeffevert869]

"Simon says Championship." My Senior year of HS. Greatest run to a Championship all time. Beat 3 #1 seeds.

[@ritchietodd409]

Almost did it again in 2001.

[@gdobie1west988]

Lute Olson did a great job putting Tucson on the map. This town went crazy when they won the whole thing. Even when they made the final 4 over the years, Tucson supported Lute and the Cats. RIP Coach and thanks for all the years of excitement.

[@joejackson9986]

thanks!

[@twicethechamps]

RIP Coach Olson

[@anglosphereball2007]

Rest in peace Lute Olson

[@westonmeyer3110]

The first championship I watched and actually knew what was going on. Time flies.

[@ritchietodd409]

Damn you beat me by one year, first title game was 1998 Utah vs Kentucky.

[@michaelwhitehouse5282]

Great interview w/ John Wooden at halftime. Wow what a legend.

[@choro1981]

I remember that evening,I was jumping on my sofa and screaming. Lute you were the greatest,may you RIP.

[@lafayetteweir6158]

Arizona was outstanding that game and pulling the upset

[@adamcouto3100]

Watched this video just to see Miles Simon shoulder shimmy during starting lineup. I remember thinking it was his body language then that told me Arizona was going to shock the world and they did....💯

[@alexjones3511]

This team prevented Kentucky from having a 3-peat.

[@razkable]

jason terry mike bibby miles simon michael dickerson a.j. bramlett bennett davison donnell harris eugene edgerson..it took a great team to beat them ....

[@argaen21]

Utah prevented Arizona from having a 2 peat

[@98gsoup]

the evening Tucson shut down

[@meharinationsportspodcast2582]

You can see that Kentucky's weakness was overall team speed. Arizona had quick players in their lineup and the guards of Arizona created problems in breaking the full court press of Kentucky. Plus, I felt that the starters played too many minutes against Minnesota and Mercer didn't really look assertive during huge periods in the second half.

[@ritchietodd409]

South Carolina gave them trouble with that during the regular season as well.

[@danielward8645]

Yeah I’m a huge Kentucky fan they we couldn’t stay in front of Arizona’s guards for anything. Hence the free throw disparity. Bibby and Simon forced uk’s guys to reach and foul a ton. Plus attrition finally started to set in on Kentucky. Anderson was out, Edwards was playing at about 50%. We had someone else injured too if I remember correctly. You could see it in the Minnesota game. Our only healthy back court players were Turner, Epps and mills, who was a walk on. Still a great game though and if nazr hits just one free throw in regulation UK 3 peats.

[@razkable]

jason terry and mike bibby were so good 14 years after this game they were starters in the nba finals....michael dickerson without injuries has a trevor ariza like longevity and peak james posey like talent and career and miles simon well we know how good he was in college....they had 4 real ball handlers

[@elliemyers6435]

@@danielward8645 Yeah. Arizona earned this title, but I gotta give Rick Pitino credit here. The fact that he almost won back to back titles after what he lost in 1996 - McCarty, Delk & Antoine Walker all moved on to the NBA + Mark pope, who was a decent backup also graduated, and then he loses Jeff Sheppard to an ACL before the season AND he lost Derek Anderson during the year. Losing ALL that (I also didn't know edwards was hurt) and coming so close to winning it all again, with guys that had such little experience (Mohamed and Turner, and edwards barely played in 1996 + Padgett didn't play at all that year due to ineligibility, and Magloire was a freshman in 1997) really showed just how good a coach he was. Once again, all kudos to Arizona, but, what Rick did with this squad was beyond commendable....And with ALL that, as you said, if Nazr even goes 50% at the line, UK probably has a three peat. Unreal

[@danielward8645]

@@elliemyers6435 Pitino is one of the top 5 cbb coaches in the modern era. Actually i think he’s 2nd only behind K. It stings to think of what could have been had he never left for boston.

[@MrT8599]

I could honestly say that THIS might be the biggest moment in Arizona sports history. And by that I mean the entirety of the Wildcats' impressive run to the National Championship. I think it's bigger than the Diamondbacks winning the 2001 World Series.

[@razkable]

not really...although both teams were great....

[@MrT8599]

@@razkable There haven't been a lot of big moments in Arizona sports history. Certainly the D'Backs winning the 2001 World Series and the Cardinals winning the 2008 NFC Championship were both big, but I'm pretty sure the Wildcats were big underdogs throughout most of the tournament. And for them to stop the Kentucky Wildcats from repeating as National Champions (which would've ended up probably being a three-peat as UK would win the National Championship the next year) was pretty impressive. But who knows. Maybe it is indeed Luis Gonzalez blooping a single into shallow center field to walk-off Game 7 of the 2001 World Series and clinch the title for the D'Backs over the then three-time returning champion New York Yankees that is indeed the biggest Arizona sports moment. Or maybe it's something else. I'm taking it that you live in the state of Arizona. If you do, then what do you think is the biggest moment in Arizona sports history?

[@drewdrewski4188]

Nah it's easily the World Series. Most people in the Phoenix area despise UA and wouldn't even consider this a "great moment."

[@MrT8599]

@@drewdrewski4188 That is true. The University of Arizona is in Tucson and I can understand why people in the Phoenix area wouldn't consider this a "great moment." However, I think in all fairness, I would still call this the greatest moment in Arizona sports history. Being a Yankees fan I think gives me some bias against the 2001 World Series Game 7 walk-off.

[@joejackson9986]

Wildcats greatest team ever.

[@phillipcollins1658]

Damn right!!! Fuck Arizona

[@valegendsakathevirginiachief]

I thought Simon was going to the NBA! He was the one had me doing the floaters in basketball! Great NCAA Championship game💯

[@meharinationsportspodcast2582]

Nah, as good of a scorer Simon was, wasn't a consistent jump shooter who had bad mechanics, and was undersized as a shooting guard. Unlike Mike Bibby, who is consistent good shooter, excellent playmaker, and makes clutch shots. Those attributes played a major role in his years in Sacramento, Bibby gave the Lakers fits during the 2002 Western Conference Finals.

[@darshloaf]

I'm with MehariNation. Simon was a nice college player who was unafraid of big moments; confidence is good, but doesn't make up for average shooting skills (by NBA standards), size & defense. Bibby was more consistent & skilled.

[@elbowgang9715]

Probably my all time favorite college backcourt for that 2 season run. Bibby was just special. Both quick and fast but always under control in every situation and could shoot and finish. 2001 Duke Jason Williams my favorite point guard for college overall though.

[@delvin3056]

Kentucky needed Derek Anderson bad this game because of Arizonas depth.

[@nortorioustxc4359]

"Simon says championship"

[@meharinationsportspodcast2582]

Kentucky ran out of gas in OT.

[@alexbrathwaite7677]

RIP Frank Fallon

[@4nciite]

Its amazing that at least 75% of the fans were for Arizona here, you can easily see by the way they are dressed and then the U of A chants make it even more obvious, of course this is only a tiny fraction of the total fanbase that numbers in the millions.

[@StFidjnr]

9:56 Kentucky put all 35 blue chips on the table (all their winnings in the 96-97 season) and Arizona counters with 24

[@pressmaster1255]

I always felt like Kentucky just gave up! So many chances to win this game and they just couldn’t keep up with the pace of the game.

[@StFidjnr]

12:55 I hope CBS doesn't call on a 4th T before the game is over

[@Boss3Nate]

I really hated Miles Simon and Mike Bibby

[@rjmccord91]

People forget Kentucky won the NCAA title the next season with a reformed cast (when you factor Tubby Smith in) while Zona had the same starting five and didn't even make it to the F4.

[@timmonsbrian5475]

Ryan McCord you speculate on the minds of other fans, then say this, that is uhhhh... proving what? How can you take anything away from this AZ team? Sounds like u are desperate in trying to do so. Jerk.

[@ryanmccord7630]

Oops. Meant that I forgot. I will make up for it by naming my license plate after you. Should I go with Timmons, Brian, TB, or Smiley?

[@timmonsbrian5475]

Ryan McCord that gave me such a good laugh bro...thanks for that. But no, personalized license plates are much too expensive, forget all that. I would like you to make up for it by addressing me as "El Conquistador" from now on. Thank you.

[@brevontownes8655]

Bibby went pro after this game

[@rjmccord91]

@@brevontownes8655 Brevon: if that were true, don't you think we should be including Bibby as one of the best freshman ever? One & done + championship club?

[@4nciite]

The U of A Chants were deafening that probably made harder for Kentucky lol

[@wespenn7243]

3:46 Love Clark Kellogg, but he doesn't know squat about chess. The king is a fairly weak piece in chess, that needs the protection of all of the other pieces!

[@wespenn7243]

Arizona wins because of Jason Terry!

[@jerrymassingill230]

L

[@benjamintimberlake8431]

Clem Haskins, cheater.

[@raymondlowery5440]

Great game but I wish Derek Anderson had been able to play. UK might have won. Without arguably their best guard, Arizona had to go overtime to beat UK.

[@champy347]

Wouldn't have mattered

[@raymondlowery5440]

Will never know. Would Arizona won that game without Simon? Or Biby?