It wasn't a marquee season for Arizona's sports scene. While the BCS National Championship Game between the Auburn Tigers and the Oregon Ducks, a pivotal battle in the history of NCAA football, was played in Glendale, it did not feature an Arizona team and thus did not impact us in the same way.
First, we must eliminate teams that did not play in hugely significant games in 2011. That removes the Arizona State Sun Devils (both in football and basketball) and the Arizona Wildcats football team. Clearly, we're left with the 2010-2011 Wildcats basketball team, led by superhero Derrick Williams.
Amongst the games that took place in 2011, none is more significant than the Elite Eight showdown between the Wildcats and the NCAA champion Connecticut Huskies. Sure, Arizona threw a grenade in Duke's chicken coop, blowing them out 93-77 in their Sweet Sixteen matchup. But no game meant more to the fanbase than that heart-wrenching loss on March 26, 2011.
Derrick Williams got into foul trouble in the first half, unable to catapult his team to a strong start. Trailing 32-25 at halftime, Arizona was able to rally and take a one-point lead in the second half before it all came down to the final possession, trailing 65-63.
Both Williams and Jamelle Horne missed wide open three pointers, sealing the game for the Huskies (who went on to win the worst NCAA championship game ever against Butler) while securing a spot for Arizona back among the nation's elite basketball schools.
Below you will find highlights from that fateful game.