Losing a game is often the least desired result for players and coaches in college basketball. However, some losses are not all that bad as they serve as an omen for more good to come in the future. Just as you can take away negative points from a close win, you can also take away positives from a competitive loss.
There are always those teams with very few losses – Kentucky, Duke, Arizona, etc. – and those losses can be singled out so players and coaches can emotionally prepare for future challenges. We'll look at how Arizona has fared in a critical time period to help determine if there is a strong correlation between season results and tournament success.
Must Reads
Rarely do the Wildcats miss out on the tournament. When it does happen, it is probably for good reason. In fact, Arizona put together a streak of 25 consecutive tournament appearances from 1985-2009. All excuses aside, that streak ended because the program needed an overhaul with the departure of Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson.
It took a couple years, but Coach Sean Miller was able to take the program under his own wing and rejuvenate its greatness. Miller has a lofty .750 winning percentage in regular season games but has failed to reach the Final Four in his five previous seasons with Arizona. Some refer to him as the greatest coach who has never made it to a Final Four.
To put it in simple terms, a loss can be referred to as a "wake-up call." For even a non-basketball fan, that should make logical sense. However, as I described, it goes much deeper than being fueled by a close loss or something of that nature. We tend to focus on winning most in our society because it resembles greatness.
Must Reads
Since Miller likely has many more years to come at Arizona and Lute Olson already has a full slate of history, we’ll look at Lute’s objectives as longtime Wildcat coach: Olson possessed a 75.35 winning percentage while at Arizona with an astounding record of 587-192. His first year coaching was the only time ever missing the tournament as he qualified for 23 straight postseasons.
Arizona has advanced to four Final Fours and seven Elite Eights during the Olson era. Olson got bounced in the first round nine times, three being in his first three years. Most importantly, he did collect that one championship ring in 1997 and it would probably be fair to say his failures set him up for his well-deserved championship. Olson also suffered a pair of Final Four losses preceding the 1997 National Title.
As I have put it, there are two certain ways of looking at the art of redemption from a loss: a historical perspective in which the NCAA Tournament is always included and individual games from a single season. For example, the Wildcats fell in an upset against Oregon State in January, which marked their first conference loss. From that loss, it was demonstrated that the Beavers were able to make the superior Wildcats vulnerable by shortening the game or milking the clock and using less possessions.
It is valuable information like that you learn when moving on after a loss and that is just the mental aspect of it. The emotional side is another story as nerves in your body trigger at certain times and players show spurts of confidence.
Sean Miller’s status has steadily improved as he has grown over the years coaching at Arizona. At this point in time, consistency is what the Wildcats should be striving for. If the coaches and players take all the right mental notes and stay on the same page, this year could be Arizona’s – as long as it stays on its feet and realizes the unexpected can happen at anytime in college basketball.