What to watch for when Arizona men’s basketball opens 2026-27 vs. UCLA in Las Vegas

Nearly six months ago, Arizona finished one of the best seasons in school history with its first Final Four appearance in a quarter century. Year 5 of the Tommy Lloyd era ended the same way the fifth season did for Lute Olson , with a national semifinal loss that, while disappointing, helped put the Wildcats on the map. Okay, now what? It took Olson six more seasons to get back to the Final Four after that first appearance in 1988, getting no further than the Sweet 16 between until the 1994 Final Four.