TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Wildcat fans, businesses, and law enforcement are preparing for the University of Arizona to play in the Final Four this weekend.
The Tucson Police Department is placing barricades on University Blvd. People should expect a heavy police presence on University Blvd, 4th Avenue, and Congress Street.
The U of A's Office of Public Safety is asking the community to make plans to celebrate responsibly. Officials are stressing not to drink and drive, and to call campus police if help is needed.
The last time U of A basketball made it to a national championship, riots broke out along 4th Avenue. Now, over 25 years later, businesses have plans to make sure everyone has fun and stays safe.
KGUN 9 stopped by Bison Witches, where manager Karena Gragotta and Chad Salazar are expecting a big turnout for the game.
"We're just having extra staff work on Saturday. I'm going to have an extra bartender and an extra server, especially out at our back bar, which is where we'll be busiest for sure," Gragotta said.
Gragotta is taking extra steps to keep her business safe. She remembers when the Wildcats made it to the championships in 1997 and 2001.
"I was serving, and I was serving at the game, during the game, and so I witnessed the crazy riots on 4th Avenue," Gragotta said.
While those games had two different outcomes—a win in 1997 and a loss in 2001—the aftermath was the same. Fans destroyed storefronts and set cars on fire, ending with police in riot gear.
"I just, I really hope that people have matured and that they're not going to be rioting in the streets," Gragotta said.
"We'll make sure nobody's leaving with any glassware, no one's bringing their drinks outside, definitely over served, and we just hope to have a really fun time watching the Wildcats win," Gragotta said.
More information on U of A watch parties across Tucson can be found here:
Read More: U of A Basketball Watch Party Sites
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JJ McKinney joined KGUN 9 in July of 2025 as a multimedia journalist. He graduated from Colorado State University in May of 2025 with a degree in journalism and media communications and a minor in law. With a background in investigative reporting and documentary filmmaking, JJ is dedicated to giving a platform to the voices of his community. Share your story ideas and important issues with JJ by emailing jj.mckinney@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
