#ThrowbackThursday: 2002-03 Pac-10 Champions
07/30/2020 | Men's Basketball
TUCSON, Ariz. – The 11th installment of our #ThrowbackThursday series takes a look at the 2002-03 team that went 17-1 in Pac-10 play during the regular season to win the conference by three games. It marked the 11th conference championship – regular season and tournament combined - under head coach Lute Olson.
The Wildcats opened the season with wins against Western Kentucky, Northern Arizona, Saint Louis, San Diego State and Texas before losing at LSU, 66-65. From there, UA went on to rattle off 10 wins in a row, culminating with a 91-74 win at Kansas before a losing at home to Stanford the next time out.
A second 10-game winning streak would ensue to close the regular season before an overtime loss to UCLA in the Pac-10 Tournament. In the NCAA Tournament, Arizona posted a 80-51 win over Vermont in the first round and a one-point win over Gonzaga in round two.
The Sweet 16 saw the 'Cats topple Notre Dame, 88-71, before Kansas took down Arizona in the Elite Eight in Anaheim.
Below is a look at the roster, season results and more from that team.
2002-03 Arizona Basketball Roster
2002-03 Season Results (28-4 overall)
2002-03 Season Stats
Notes
The Wildcats opened the season with wins against Western Kentucky, Northern Arizona, Saint Louis, San Diego State and Texas before losing at LSU, 66-65. From there, UA went on to rattle off 10 wins in a row, culminating with a 91-74 win at Kansas before a losing at home to Stanford the next time out.
A second 10-game winning streak would ensue to close the regular season before an overtime loss to UCLA in the Pac-10 Tournament. In the NCAA Tournament, Arizona posted a 80-51 win over Vermont in the first round and a one-point win over Gonzaga in round two.
The Sweet 16 saw the 'Cats topple Notre Dame, 88-71, before Kansas took down Arizona in the Elite Eight in Anaheim.
Below is a look at the roster, season results and more from that team.
2002-03 Arizona Basketball Roster
2002-03 Season Results (28-4 overall)
2002-03 Season Stats
Notes
- For the second consecutive season, Jason Gardner and Luke Walton garnered All-American honors from various publications. Gardner was a first team honoree from the Wooden Award and second team from the Associated Press, NABC and USBWA while Walton earned an honorable mention nod from the Associated Press.
- Walton and Gardner were also named to the All-West Regional team in the NCAA Tournament and the All-Pac-10 Conference team.
- Gardner was named USBWA District Player of the Year.
- The Pac-10 Conference All-Freshman team featured a pair of Wildcats in Hassan Adams and Andre Iguodala.
- Head coach Lute Olson earned his seventh Pac-10 Coach of the Year recognition in 2002-03.
- Arizona outscored its opponents by nearly 15 points per game and shot 46.1 percent from the floor as a team while holding opponents to 40.7 percent.
- The Wildcats also blocked 136 shots, 52 more than their opponents.
- Gardner led five Wildcats who averaged double digits in the scoring column, registering 14.8 points per contest. He also led the team with 158 assists and 58 steals.
- Salim Stoudamire scored 13.0 points per game and shot 44.4 percent (71-161) from the 3-point line.
- Channing Frye posted 12.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game and connected at a 56.9 percent clip from the floor while leading the team in blocked shots (60).
- Luke Walton averaged 10.8 points and 5.6 rebounds and was second on the team with 142 assists. He also shot 38.4 percent from the 3-point line.
- Rick Anderson was the fifth 'Cat to average double figures, scoring 10.7 points per game. He also hauled in 6.7 rebounds and had 24 blocked shots and 25 steals.
- Andre Iguodala posted 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while dishing out 66 assists and coming away with 47 steals.
Thursday, August 13
Wednesday, August 12
Tuesday, August 11
Tuesday, August 11
