A look at the career of a legend

Lute Olson

Career Record:

ð663-235 (.738) in 29 years overall

ð471-143 (.767) in 19 years at Arizona

ð167-91 (.647) in nine years at Iowa

ð24-2 (.923) in one year at Long Beach St.

ðPac-10 Championships ö 9 (1986, 1988, 1989,1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2000)

ðFinal Four Appearances ö 5 (1980- Iowa, 1988, 1994, 1997, 2001)

ðNational Championships ö 1 (1997)

ð18 straight NCAA Tournament appearances (second most in history behind North Carolina's 26)

Awards/Honors

ðBig Ten Coach-of-the-Year ö 2 (1979, 1981)

ðWorld Championship Team Coach ö 1986

ðPac-10 Coach-of-the-Year ö 6 (1986, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994,1998)

ðPima County Sports Hall of Fame ö 1999

ðNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ö 2002

Milestone Wins

ðWin No. 1 ö Dec. 12, 1973 Long Beach State 84 Puget Sound 55

ðWin No. 100 ö Feb. 3, 1979 Iowa 97 Minnesota 71

ðWin No. 200 ö Feb. 25, 1984 Arizona 69 Oregon State 58

ðWin No. 300 ö March 27, 1988 Arizona 70 North Carolina 52 (West Regional Final)

ðWin No. 400 ö Feb. 13, 1993 Arizona 94 Washington state 72

ðWin No. 500 ö Feb. 11, 1996 Arizona 79 Cincinnati 76

ðWin No. 600 ö Jan. 8, 2000 Arizona 68 Stanford 65

45 Best Players

ðSean Elliot ö One of the greatest players in the history of Arizona. He is the all-time leader in points, field goals and free throws, just to name a few.

ðSteve Kerr ö One of two players in UA history to have his number retired. Kerr has had one of the best NBA careers ever for an ex-Arizona athlete.

ðKhalid Reeves ö Even though he never had the kind of NBA career some expected, he was a great college player. His 1993-1994 was one of the best in UA history. He averaged 24.2 points, the most ever for a Wildcat.

ðDamon Stoudamire ö One of the best to play the point guard position at Arizona. Many have followed ÷ Terry, Bibby, Gardner ÷ but all are still compared to him.

ðRonnie Lester ö Was an All-American for Olson in the year the Hawkeyes went to the Final Four.

45 Best Wins

ðKentucky, 1997. After defeating three No. 1 teams leading up to this game fifth seeded Arizona won the national title 84-79 in overtime at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis.

ðGeorgetown, 1980. Iowa's "Fabulous Few" defeated Georgetown 81-80 on a three-point play by Steve Waite with only five seconds to go to put Olson's Hawkeyes in the Final Four.

ðKansas, 1997. Considered one of the greatest upsets in school history, Arizona beat the No. 1-ranked Jayhawks 85-82 to advance to the Final Four.

ðNorth Carolina, 1988. An Olson first at UA. The school's first-ever Final Four appearance was locked up after this 70-52 victory against the Tar Heels.

ðCincinnati, 1996. Olson gets his 500th win on a full-court buzzer-beater by Miles Simon.