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NCAA Basketball: 10 great tournament games we missed out on in history

By Trevor Sinodhinos

JACKSONVILLE, FL - MARCH 20: The NCAA March Madness logo on the floor during the NCAA Basketball First round practice session at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on March 20, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL - MARCH 20: The NCAA March Madness logo on the floor during the NCAA Basketball First round practice session at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on March 20, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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9 Nov 2000: Head coach Kentucky Tubby Smith Mandatory Credit: Ezra Shaw/ALLSPORT
9 Nov 2000: Head coach Kentucky Tubby Smith Mandatory Credit: Ezra Shaw/ALLSPORT /

Arizona vs Kentucky (2003)

It is always fun when two teams with the same mascot meet each other, and while it would have been fun for everybody to say they are going for the Wildcats, the intrigue ran much deeper than that. Arizona entered the season ranked No.1 and would spend every week except for two at either No.2 or No.1. They boasted 6 future NBA picks in their line-up and won the PAC 10 going 17-1 in conference play.

Kentucky had five future NBA selections of their own, led by senior guard Keith Bogans. After finishing second in the SEC the previous year and only making it to the third round of the NCAA tournament, Tubby Smith’s Wildcats began the pre-season ranked No.17. As their position in the polls would rise, so did interest from fans.

When the final AP poll was calculated, Arizona’s five-week run as No.1 was snapped by Kentucky, thanks to the 23 game winning streak that they brought into the tournament. The basketball nation wanted the battle of the Wildcats, the only reference point they had was Arizona losing to SEC member Louisiana State and Kentucky easily defeating PAC 10 member Arizona State in November.

With Arizona seeded #1 in the West and Kentucky #1 in the Midwest the stage was set for a Saturday night match-up at the Louisiana Superdome. There were just two problems, Kentucky ran into Dwayne Wade who had 29 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, and 4 blocks to help defeat Kentucky and Arizona lost to a Kansas Jayhawk team they had defeated by 17 points two months earlier. The 2003 Final Four had some spectacular games, but Arizona versus Kentucky would have been wild.

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