Remembering Lute Olsen's time with Arizona and 2001 March Madness run

[ASFN Admin]

You must be registered for see images attach

Remembering Lute Olsen's time with Arizona and 2001 March Madness run originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Arizona Wildcats are hoping that their 2026 run to the Final Four is the dawn of a new era.

While Arizona has long been considered the owner of a premiere men's basketball program, annually contending for NCAA Tournament bids as one of the top squads from Big 12 and formerly the Pac-12, the team also hasn't had recent March success to show for it.

Prior to 2026, it had been a quarter-century since the Wildcats were a Final Four squad. Deep NCAA Tournament runs used to be somewhat of a norm for Arizona — and that can be attributed to longtime head coach Lute Olson, who led the most successful era in the program's history.

Here's what to know about Olson, his coaching career and Arizona's 2001 squad.

MARCH MADNESS HQ:Live NCAA bracket | TV schedule | Latest news and more

Lute Olsen Arizona coaching career​

Olsen pent a total of 24 years guiding the Wildcats in the most successful era in program history.

An inductee into both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, Olson had previously coached at Long Beach State and Iowa, including a Final Four appearance with the Hawkeyes. But from 1983-2007, he was the leader of the team in Tucson.

During that span, Arizona won the 1997 national championship, reached three additional Final Fours, captured 11 Pac-10 regular-season titles and four Pac-10 Tournament championships. Olson compiled a 781-280 career record, including 589 wins with the Wildcats, before retiring in 2008.

Among the players Olson coached at Arizona were Steve Kerr, Mike Bibby, Jason Terry, Gilbert Arenas, Damon Stoudamire, Sean Elliott, Richard Jefferson, Luke Walton, Andre Iguodala and Channing Frye.

Over his coaching career, Olson had 46 wins in the NCAA Tournament, which trails John Wooden by just one. He was given the Pac-12 Coach of the Year award seven times while at Arizona.

MORE: Fran McCaffrey's full career coaching timeline

Arizona's 2001 March Madness run​

Prior to 2026, the last time the Wildcats reached the Final Four came in 2001, when they reached the national title game but fell to Duke.

The Wildcats had loaded squad in 2000-01, featuring three All-Americans and some future star NBA talent in Jason Gardner, Loren Woods, Michael Wright, Gilbert Arenas and Richard Jefferson.

Under Olson, the team entered the season as a favorite, but dealt with some adversity en route to March. Just one year prior, former Wildcat Jason Terry said he received money from an agent during his junior season, resulting in NCAA punishment for the program. Additionally, Olson’s wife, Bobbi, died of cancer during the 2000-01 season, resulting in him spending time away from the team on bereavement leave.

Arizona still claimed a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, then took down Eastern Illinois, Butler, Ole Miss, Illinois and Michigan State to reach the title game. However, it was there that the Wildcats' run ended, as No. 1 Duke took the championship 82-72.

Olson did lead Arizona to the 1997 NCAA title, but the 2001 run was his last Final Four appearance.

MORE:Who were college basketball's highest-paid players in 2025-26?

Arizona basketball 2001 roster​

Arenas was the star of Arizona's 2001 unit as the team's leading scorer, but Wright wasn't far behind; five different Wildcats averaged double-digit points.

Here's a look at Arizona's 2001 Final Four roster:

Player	Class	Position	Season Averages
Gilbert Arenas	Sophomore	G	16.2 Pts, 3.6 Reb, 2.3 Ast
Michael Wright	Junior	F	15.6 Pts, 7.8 Reb, 0.3 Ast
Richard Jefferson	Junior	F	11.3 Pts, 5.4 Reb, 2.7 Ast
Jason Gardner	Sophomore	G	10.9 Pts, 3.0 Reb, 4.1 Ast
Loren Woods	Senior	C	13.2 Pts, 6.5 Reb, 2.1 Ast
Luke Walton	Sophomore	F	5.5 Pts, 3.9 Reb, 3.2 Ast
Eugene Edgerson	Senior	F	4.6 Pts, 4.0 Reb, 0.2 Ast
Justin Wessel	Senior	F	2.6 Pts, 1.6 Reb, 0.5 Ast
Lamont Frazier	Senior	G	2.4 Pts, 1.3 Reb, 0.9 Ast
Travis Hanour	Freshman	G	3.1 Pts, 1.4 Reb, 0.6 Ast
John Ash	Senior	G	1.1 Pts, 0.8 Reb, 0.3 Ast
Mike Schwertley	Freshman	F	1.1 Pts, 0.9 Reb, 0.1 Ast
Jason Ranne	Freshman	G	0.0 Pts, 0.1 Reb, 0.0 Ast

MORE:What to know about Sean Miller's exit from Arizona

When did Lute Olson die?​

Olsen, the longtime men's basketball head coach at Arizona, died in Tucson, Arizona, on Aug. 27, 2020. He was 85 years old. The prior year, he had been hospitalized due to a stroke.

Olson had been retired from coaching since 2008, with health issues playing a role in that decision. In the years after his retirement, Olson often made appearances at Iowa and Arizona, including having a statue of him put up in Tucson.

Continue reading...