Wild About '88: Chapter 34: Arizona takes out Cal in the first round of the Pac-10 Tourney.
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Wild About '88: Chapter 34: Arizona takes out Cal in the first round of the Pac-10 Tourney.
This season marks the 35th anniversary of one of Tucson’s most beloved teams of all time, the 1987-88 Arizona Wildcats that finished 35-3 and went to the program’s first Final Four. We will celebrate that team by recapping each game during that unforgettable season by referencing newspaper archives and interviews conducted during the making of the upcoming documentary film ‘Wild About ‘88: The Rise of Arizona Basketball.’ (Some interview quotes in this series have been edited for clarity.)
March 11, 1988
Pac-10 Tournament First Round vs Cal
When the PAC-10 Tournament was played in Tucson for the first and only time in 1988, Arizona was a heavy favorite to take home the tourney crown. They had ripped through the PAC-10 regular season nearly unstoppable and had finished 16-0 at home.
But the Wildcats were 0-4 in the postseason under Lute Olson. That included a loss to Oregon in the first annual conference tournament during the topsy-turvy 1986-87 campaign.
Pac-10 coaches did not believe Arizona’s lack of postseason success was something Lute and company should be concerned about.
Washington State head coach Kelvin Sampson dubbed the tourney the ‘Arizona Open’ and USC head coach George Raveling had an idea who could beat the dominant Wildcats.
“Bird and Magic and Jordan and a host of heavenly angels,” Raveling quipped before the tournament.
First up was the undermanned No. 10 seed Cal Bears.
“Even though we were here in Tucson, we stayed at a hotel. And I remember just demolishing Cal in the first game. Afterward, we went back to our room and Cal had already gotten their swimsuits on and they were outside getting sun in Tucson,” Arizona Gumby Matt Muehlebach said in 2016.
“I hate to say it, but it was like everybody else was out here to really get some sun and go to spring break because we were rolling at the time and nobody was going to beat us in our conference,” Muehlebach added.
During the game, the McKale crowd rallied behind Arizona center Tom Tolbert because of his gritty defense and rebounding. He was given three standing ovations when he left the floor for rest on the bench.
“I think now people will understand why we’ve pushed Tom the way we’ve pushed him,” Olson said. “You wouldn’t believe the number of letters and phone calls we get about how hard I am on him.”
Tolbert would finish with 15 points, nine rebounds, and three steals in Arizona’s 88-64 win.
“It’s my last year of college. I don’t want anything to go wrong. I don’t want to look back and say I could have done more,” Tolbert said after the game.
The win would set up a third matchup with Stanford. A month earlier the Cardinal spoiled Arizona’s chance at a perfect conference season.
“It’s a new situation for us, revenging a loss. If we had to pick a team to play, we’d rather it would be Stanford,” Steve Kerr said.
Fun fact: Anthony Cook had two blocks against the Bears, giving him the all-time Pac-10 lead with 187.
Next Up: March 12, 1988, Pac-10 Tournament Second Round vs Stanford
Blog content and original interview quotations © Waterfoot Films 2023.
Jack Rickard, “The Arizona Open: Wildcats big Pac-10 tournament favorite,” The Tucson Citizen, March 9 1988, Page One—Section E.; Jay Gonzales, “Cats cash in on seniors: They key win over Cal,” The Arizona Daily Star, March 12 1988, Page One—Section C.; Jack Rickard, “A Cardinal undertaking: Wildcats have revenge in mind,” The Tucson Citizen, March 12 1988 Page One and Four—Section B.; Memories ‘88, Dana Cooper.
Jack Rickard, “The Arizona Open: Wildcats big Pac-10 tournament favorite,” The Tucson Citizen, March 9 1988, Page One—Section E.
Jay Gonzales, “Cats cash in on seniors: They key win over Cal,” The Arizona Daily Star, March 12 1988, Page One—Section C.
Jack Rickard, “A Cardinal undertaking: Wildcats have revenge in mind,” The Tucson Citizen, March 12 1988 Page Four—Section B.
Jack Rickard, “A Cardinal undertaking: Wildcats have revenge in mind,” The Tucson Citizen, March 12 1988 Page One—Section B.