March 14, 2024 / Modified mar 16, 2024 8:33 a.m.

UPDATE: The madness has started for UA

Conference tournaments signal the start of NCAA Basketball Championship season.

This story was updated on Friday night.

As Arizona fans gather in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena, otherwise known as "McKale North", for the last ever Pac-12 Tournament before most of the conference schools break off to join the Big XII, AZPM's Zac Ziegler reports from the sidelines.

UA Basketball Pac-12 Tournament March 2024 Zac Ziegler VIEW LARGER AZPM reporter Zac Ziegler takes a selfie with University of Arizona Wildcat fans at the 2024 Pac-12 Men's Basketball Tournament.
Zac Ziegler / AZPM

Day 1

Coming off a regular season conference loss to the Trojans less than one week ago, the top-seeded Wildcats defeated the 9th ranked USC 70-49 in their Pac-12 Tournament opener at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday.

University of Arizona band, Pac-12 Tournament VIEW LARGER Members of the University of Arizona band flash the Wildcat sign as they watch their team at the 2024 Pac-12 Men's Basketball Tournament.
Zac Ziegler / AZPM
UA Basketball Pac-12 Tournament March 2024 Oumar Ballo VIEW LARGER Oumar Ballo, the University of Arizona Wildcats' starting center, prepares to shoot against USC in Arizona's first-round Pac-12 tournament game.
Zac Ziegler / AZPM
UA Basketball Pac-12 Tournament March 2024 Caleb Love VIEW LARGER University of Arizona Wildcat guard, Caleb Love, defends against USC's Isaiah Collier in their first game in the 2024 Pac-12 Men's Basketball Tournament.
Zac Ziegler / AZPM
UA Basketball Pac-12 Tournament March 2024 Keshad Johnson VIEW LARGER Wildcat Men's basketball forward, Keshad Johnson, handles the ball against USC in Arizona's first-round Pac-12 tournament game.
Zac Ziegler / AZPM

Day 2

UA Oregon final scoreboard VIEW LARGER The scoreboard at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas showing the final result of Arizona's last Pac 12 basketball game.
Zac Ziegler, AZPM

Arizona was up by ten points at halftime, but Oregon started the second half strong, taking the lead for the first time with 12:35 left in the game and held it for most of the remaining time. Friday's result means Arizona doesn't close out its time in the Pac 12 with a tournament win, but the Wildcats top 10 Associated Press ranking means they are considered a lock for the NCAA tournament.

Fans enter T-Mobile VIEW LARGER A crowd dominated by Wildcat fans enters T-Mobile Arena on a rainy Las Vegas day.
Zac Ziegler, AZPM
Free throws VIEW LARGER Arizona's K.J. Lewis lines up to take free throws near the end of the first half.
Zac Ziegler, AZPM
UA Fan VIEW LARGER Most fans show up in a t-shirt of their team and maybe a baseball cap. Then there's Tucsonan David Badger.
Zac Ziegler, AZPM
Johnson defends inbound VIEW LARGER UA's Keshad Johnson defends a late-game inbound play against Oregon.
Zac Ziegler, AZPM
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