Greg Hansen's guide to the 2015 Sweet 16

Most Sweet 16 appearances — North Carolina 

North Carolina: 26 

Most Sweet 16 appearances — Duke 

Duke: 24 

Most Sweet 16 appearances — Kentucky 

Kentucky: 24 

Most Sweet 16 appearances — Louisville 

Louisville: 21 

Most Sweet 16 appearances — Kansas 

Kansas: 20 

Most Sweet 16 appearances — UCLA 

UCLA: 18 

Most Sweet 16 appearances — Syracuse 

Syracuse: 18 

Most Sweet 16 appearances — Arizona 

Arizona: 17 

Most Sweet 16 appearances — Michigan State 

Michigan State: 17 

Most Sweet 16 appearances — Indiana 

Indiana: 16 

Three reasons the NCAA runs through L.A. 

1. The greater Los Angeles Area – the Honda Center in Anaheim and Staples Center in Los Angeles – are booked for the 2016 and 2018 Sweet 16, respectively. Staples joined the rotation in 2013. Anaheim has been a site six times since 1998. 

Three reasons the NCAA runs through L.A. 

2. UA athletic director Greg Byrne said that McKale Center’s future as a NCAA site is unlikely. He believes that staging games in Tucson diminishes the chance for UA fans to travel to a West site and, therefore, limit fan support. Is he right? In the Pac-12 era, Tucson has been a host site seven times. Arizona is 11-2 in those games encumbered by a McKale sub-regional. 

Three reasons the NCAA runs through L.A. 

3. The competition has increased. Denver, Salt Lake City, Portland, Seattle, Boise, Spokane, San Diego and Sacramento are now active bidders for first-weekend games. All will play host to games between 2015-2018. 

Arenas hosting the most NCAA games — Dayton Arena 

1. Dayton Arena, 107. 

Arenas hosting the most NCAA games — Kansas City Municipal Auditorium 

2. Kansas City Municipal Auditorium, 83. 

Arenas hosting the most NCAA games — Huntsman Center 

3. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake, 81. 

Arenas hosting the most NCAA games — Madison Square Garden 

4. Madison Square Garden, 74. 

Arenas hosting the most NCAA games — Greensboro Coliseum 

5. Greensboro Coliseum, 63. 

Arenas hosting the most NCAA games — RCA Dome 

6. RCA Dome, Indianapolis, 60. 

Arenas hosting the most NCAA games — McKale Center 

7. McKale Center, 59. 

Arenas hosting the most NCAA games — Charlotte Coliseum 

8. Charlotte Coliseum, 54. 

Arenas hosting the most NCAA games — Freedom Hall 

9. Freedom Hall, Louisville, 50. 

Three reasons hitting free throws counts 

1. Arizona made 86.3 percent of its foul shots against Texas Southern and Ohio State (44-51), which is its NCAA record for two opening games.

2. When Arizona won the 1997 NCAA title, Mike Bibby made 84.9 percent of his foul shots in the tournament (28-for-33). In the championship game against Kentucky the UA made 83.6 percent (34-for-41). Miles Simon went 14-for-17 from the line in the title game against Kentucky, or 82.3 percent.

3. In a last-play victory over Memphis in Sean Miller’s first Arizona NCAA game, 2011, the Wildcats shot 26-for-31 from the line, or 88.9 percent. Arizona’s record for an NCAA tournament game is 94.4 percent, against Thad Matta’s Butler team in 2001 (17 for 18). 

How the Pac-12 fared in Sweet 16 games (1979-2014) 

Arizona 9-6. Biggest win? Over No. 1 Kansas in 1997.

UCLA 7-7. Ben Howland’s Bruins won three straight from 2006-08.

Utah 2-5. Utes took down No. 1 Stanford in 1997 Sweet 16.

Stanford 2-3. The Cardinal limited No. 2 seed Purdue to 31 percent shooting to win a 1998 upset.

Oregon State 1-0. Only Sweet 16 win for OSU in the Pac-10/12 era was against Idaho in 1982.

Oregon 2-1. The Ducks beat No.7 seed UNLV in 2007 when guard Tajuan Porter hit eight three-pointers and scored 33 points.

Arizona State 0-1. The Sun Devils had players named Veal, Bacon and Capers in their lineup in a 1994 Sweet 16 loss to top-seeded Kentucky 97-73.

Cal 0-2. The Bears didn’t get an easy path, losing to No. 2 Kansas in 1993 and No. 1 North Carolina in 1997, when future NFL tight end great Tony Gonzalez scored four points.

Washington 0-4. The Huskies’ best chance to win a Sweet 16 game was in 2006 when they led No. 1 UConn 45-40 at half but lost 98-92.

Washington State 0-1. The Cougars reached the Sweet 16 in 2008 but only shot 31 percent in a 60-47 loss to No. 1 North Carolina.

USC 1-1. The Trojans upset No. 2 seed Kentucky in 2001 as David Bluthenthal scored 27 points and made six treys.

Colorado 0-0. The Buffaloes last played in a Sweet 16 game in 1969, and lost it to rival Colorado State. 

Arizona's most formidable Sweet 16 pairings 

1991 in Seattle. The combined records of the teams were 112-18, with all top four seeds reaching the Kingdome. UNLV was 30-1; Arizona 28-7; Seton Hall 25-9; Utah 30-4. The Rebels were a runaway winner after Seton Hall bounced Arizona 81-77.

1989 in Denver. It was a Hall of Fame coaching showdown with Indiana’s Bob Knight, Arizona’s Lute Olson and UNLV’s Jerry Tarkanian. Seton Hall’s P.J. Carlesimo, who wasn’t bad, was the fourth. The combined records of the teams were 113-23. UNLV stunned Arizona in the Sweet 16 on a last-second shot, but Seton Hall advanced.

2011 in Anaheim. For the only time in UA Sweet 16 history, all four teams at the site went on to be 30-game winners. Combined record: 128-28. UConn surprised most to win it and finish 32-9. Duke was spread out and hammered by Arizona in the Sweet 16 to finish 32-5. San Diego State, in the best year in school history, finished 34-3.

1994 in Los Angeles. Cumulative record: 108-23. Seeds 1-4 qualified: 1, Missouri, 28-4; 2, Arizona, 29-6; 3, Louisville, 28-6; 4, Syracuse, 23-7.Comment: This was Norm Stewart’s career team at Mizzou, the undefeated (14-0) Big Eight champs. Louisville, twice an NCAA champion under Denny Crum was widely feared. Arizona had the nation’s top backcourt, Damon Stoudamire and Khalid Reeves. Arizona prevailed. 

Arizona top 3 Sweet 16 moments 

1. Arizona 85, Kansas 82, 1997, Birmingham, Alabama. The Jayhawks, No. 1 overall seed, were 35-1. A last-second three-pointer by Raef Lafrentz bounced off the rim to set off a torrent of tears from KU coach Roy Williams. Two key contributions: Arizona center A.J. Bramlett grabbed 12 rebounds and backup center Gene Edgerson made three key foul shots. “It’s almost cruel to have it end now,” Williams said. 

Arizona top 3 Sweet 16 moments 

2. Arizona 79, Oklahoma State 78, 2005, Chicago. The Wildcats played for the last shot, trailing 78-77, and Salim Stoudamire swished a 15-footer with 2.8 seconds on the clock. Arizona shot an NCAA tournament school record 65 percent from the field. Arizona would then lose to Illinois in an overtime collapse. 

Arizona top 3 Sweet 16 moments 

3. Arizona 93, Duke 77, 2011, Anaheim. No. 1 seeded Duke got 28 points for point guard Kyrie Irving but it was the Derrick Williams Show. The UA center scored 32 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and made a career-high five three-point baskets. 

Three Sweet 16 games to remember 

Arizona 82, Louisville 70, 1994, Los Angeles. The day before the game, Lute Olson and Louisville coach Denny Crum chatted at the LA Sports Arena. Crum, who had coached for John Wooden, told Olson he had spent the morning with the great ex-UCLA coach. Crum revealed that Wooden planned to be at Saturday’s Elite Eight game. “Only one of us will be here,” said Olson. It would be the Wildcats.

Arizona 114, UNLV 109, 1976, Los Angeles. Point guard Jim Rappis scored 24 points, a career high, and had 12 assists. Arizona shot 57 percent afield. Shooting guard Herman Harris almost had a triple-double, with 33 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.

Arizona 99, Iowa 79, 1988, Seattle. In Arizona’s first “homecoming” Sweet 16, when Lute Olson faced his old school, Iowa, in the 1988 Sweet 16, the fifth-seeded Hawkeyes trailed just 38-34 at halftime. It wasn’t close down the stretch. Arizona shot 56.1 percent from the field as Sean Elliott broke loose for 25 points.”I thought we almost played perfectly,” said UA point guard Steve Kerr. “It was exciting to be part of it.” Kerr made five three-pointers. (Arizona had played at Iowa three months earlier, winning a wild and emotional game 66-59.) 

Three Cinderella stories that didn't last 

1. Navy stormed into the 1986 Sweet 16 behind The Admiral, David Robinson. The Midshipmen beat No. 2 seed Syracuse on the way to a 30-5 season. After the year, coach Paul Evans (Cq Paul Evans) went to Pitt, where he became Sean Miller’s college coach. Navy has not won an NCAA game since.

2. In the wake of the tragic death of center Hank Gathers, Loyola Marymount roared into the 1990 Sweet 16, scoring 149 points in an electric 149-115 victory over No. 2 seed Michigan. Head coach Paul Westhead reached the Elite Eight before losing to eventual national champ UNLV. Westhead left LMU to become head coach of the Denver Nuggets after the season. LMU has never been back to the Big Dance.

3. Kent State won 30 games in 2002 and blew through the bracket, beating Alabama, Pitt and Oklahoma State. The Golden Flashes haven’t won an NCAA game since. And as soon as the ’02 season ended, coach Stan Heath left to become head coach at Arkansas. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — Mike Krzyzewski 

Mike Krzyzewski, Duke: Graduated from Army, 1969. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — Bo Ryan 

Bo Ryan, Wisconsin. Graduated from Wilkes (Pa.) University, 1969. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — Roy Williams 

Roy Williams, North Carolina. Graduated from North Carolina in 1972. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — Rick Pitino 

Rick Pitino, Louisville. Graduated from UMass, 1974. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — Lon Kruger 

Lon Kruger, Okahoma. Graduated from Kansas State, 1974. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — Tom Izzo 

Tom Izzo, Michigan State. Graduated from Northern Michigan, 1977. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — Bob Huggins 

Bob Huggins, West Virginia. Graduated from West Virginia, 1977. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — Mike Brey 

Mike Brey, Notre Dame. Graduated from George Washington, 1982. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — John Calipari 

John Calipari, Kentucky. Graduated from Clarion (Pa.) University, 1982. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — Gregg Marshall 

Gregg Marshall, Wichita State. Graduated from Randolph-Macon, 1985. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — Mark Gottfried 

Mark Gottfried, North Carolina State. Graduated from Alabama, 1987. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — Mark Few 

Mark Few, Gonzaga. Graduated from Oregon, 1987. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — Steve Alford 

Steve Alford, UCLA. Graduated from Indiana, 1987. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — Larry Krystkowiak 

Larry Krystkowiak, Utah. Graduated from Montana, 1987. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — Sean Miller 

Sean Miller, Arizona. Graduated from Pitt, 1992. 

Old-school Sweet 16 coaches — Chris Mack 

Chris Mack, Xavier. Graduated from Xavier, 1993. 

Four Sweet 16 coaches who've Danced as players 

Arizona’s Sean Miller, UCLA’s Steve Alford, North Carolina State’s Mark Gottfried and Oklahoma’s Lon Kruger are the only Sweet 16 coaches who played in the tournament.

One thing stands out: all were excellent foul shooters. Miller made all nine free throws he attempted in the tournament. Alford was 58-for-64; Gottfried was 8-for-10 and Kruger 18-for-22. That’s a combined 93-for-105, or 91 percent.

Here’s how the four coaches did in the NCAA tournament. 

Four Sweet 16 coaches who've Danced as players — Miller 

Miller: In five games at Pitt, Miller averaged 7.4 points and had 35 assists. He shot just 10-for-36 from the field and made 8 of 24 three-point attempts. 

Four Sweet 16 coaches who've Danced as players — Alford 

Alford: In 10 games for Indiana, Alford averaged 21.3. 

Four Sweet 16 coaches who've Danced as players — Kruger 

Kruger: In four games for Kansas State, Kruger averaged 14 points. 

Four Sweet 16 coaches who've Danced as players — Gottfried 

Gottfried: In nine games at Alabama, he averaged 8.4, including four against Arizona in 1985, a 50-41 victory over the Wildcats in Albuquerque. 

Arizona's record entering the Sweet 16

1976: 23-8. Defeated UNLV 114-109.

1988: 33-2. Defeated Iowa, 99-79.

1989: 29-3. Lost to UNLV 68-67.

1991: 28-6. Lost to Seton Hall 81-77.

1994: 27-5. Defeated Louisville 82-70.

1996: 27-5. Lost to Kansas 83-80.

1997: 21-9. Defeated Kansas 85-82.

1998: 29-4. Defeated Maryland 87-79.

2001: 25-7. Defeated Ole Miss 66-56.

2002: 24-9. Lost to Oklahoma 88-67.

2003: 27-3. Defeated Notre Dame 88-71.

2005: 29-6. Defeated Oklahoma State 79-78.

2009: 21-13. Lost to Louisville 103-64.

2011: 29-7. Defeated Duke 93-77.

2013: 27-7. Lost to Ohio State 73-70.

2014: 32-4. Defeated San Diego State 70-64.

2015: 33-3. Plays Xavier. 

Arizona players who made the All-Regional team — Fleming, Harris, Rappis 

1977: Al Fleming, Herman Harris, Jim Rappis. 

Arizona players who made the All-Regional team — Elliott, Kerr 

1988: Sean Elliott, Steve Kerr (MVP). 

Arizona players who made the All-Regional team — Elliott 

1989: Sean Elliott. 

Arizona players who made the All-Regional team — Williams 

1991: Brian Williams. 

Arizona players who made the All-Regional team — Reeves, Stoudamire 

1994: Khalid Reeves (MVP), Damon Stoudamire. 

Arizona players who made the All-Regional team — Simon, Bibby 

1997: Miles Simon (MVP), Mike Bibby. 

Arizona players who made the All-Regional team — Bibby 

1998: Mike Bibby. 

Arizona players who made the All-Regional team — Arenas, Woods, Gardner, Jefferson 

2001: Gilbert Arenas (MVP), Loren Woods, Jason Gardner, Richard Jefferson. 

Arizona players who made the All-Regional team — Gardner, Walton 

2003: Jason Gardner, Luke Walton. 

Arizona players who made the All-Regional team — Adams, Frye, Stoudamire 

2005: Hassan Adams, Channing Frye, Salim Stoudamire. 

Arizona players who made the All-Regional team — Williams, Perry 

2011: Derrick Williams, Jesse Perry. 

Arizona players who made the All-Regional team — Lyons 

2013: Mark Lyons. 

Arizona players who made the All-Regional team — Johnson, Gordon 

2014: Nick Johnson, Aaron Gordon.