Wild About '88: Chapter 35: Arizona fans "wanted blood" in Stanford rematch.

Jul 5, 2023

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 12, 1988

Pac-10 Tournament semi-final vs. Stanford

Stanford came into the Pac-10 Tournament on the NCAA Tournament bubble. A second win over a Top 5 Arizona team would give them a great shot of going dancing.

It would not be easy for the Cardinal with the Wildcats licking their chops for another chance to avenge their only loss during the conference season.

“There was no question about wanting this game badly. Like any team that has lost only two games, sure they were anxious to play them again,” Lute Olson said.

Arizona didn’t waste any time jumping on the Cardinal. With the game tied at two, the Wildcats exploded.

The Cats went on a 14-0 run capped off by a Steve Kerr three-pointer. Stanford head coach Mike Montgomery was forced to call a timeout barely three minutes into the game.

“We felt we could come out hard with some early pressure and bother them with that and try to get the crowd involved,” Olson said.

Before the half was over the Wildcats extended their lead to 18, but the fans mercilessly booed the officials anyway.

“I didn’t expect it to be close. And I don’t think our fans wanted it to be close, either. They wanted blood,” Tom Tolbert quipped.

Late in the second half Anthony Cook was fouled on a dunk. After making the free-throw he blocked a shot on the defensive end and topped it off with another two free throws giving Arizona a 15-point cushion with under two minutes to play.

Led by Sean Elliott’s season-high 32 points, Arizona would go on to win 97-83 giving them a spot in the Pac-10 Championship against the Gary Payton-led Oregon State Beavers.

“We all knew it would be tough. Arizona had that look in their eye. That, we’ve-got some-something-to-prove look. They played great. They’ve got a chance to win it all,” Stanford forward Brian McSweeney said.

Next Up: March 13, 1988 vs. Oregon State.

Jay Gonzales, “Arizona gains final of Pac-10 tourney,” The Arizona Daily Star, March 13 1988, Page One and Six—Section E.; Greg Hansen, “UA remains a level above Pac-10 foes,” The Arizona Daily Star, March 13 1988, Page One and Six—Section E.; Memories ‘88, Dana Cooper.

Jay Gonzales, “Arizona gains final of Pac-10 tourney,” The Arizona Daily Star, March 13 1988, Page One—Section E.

Greg Hansen, UA remains a level above Pac-10 foes,” The Arizona Daily Star, March 13 1988, Page One—Section E.

Greg Hansen, “UA remains a level above Pac-10 foes,” The Arizona Daily Star, March 13 1988, Page Six—Section E.