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#ThrowbackThursday: 2002-03 Pac-10 Champions

Jul 30, 2020

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

  • 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.