TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — University of Arizona fans in the Old Pueblo are getting ready to support their team from about 1,700 miles away as the Wildcats face the Wolverines on Saturday.
It was a typical Friday on University Boulevard, but the scene is expected to be very different come Saturday as fans cheer on the Wildcats.
"I’m sure everyone’s going to go wild and everyone will be very proud of their home school," U of A student Dominic Mayo said.
Before the game, fans like Mayo are making sure they have the perfect gear. Merchandise stores and booths have been staying extra busy throughout the tournament.
Some fans are taking their support a step further. 12-year-old Joseph Marin got a special haircut for the occasion.
"It’s like a miracle. We’ve been in an over 20-year drought, and now we make it back into the Final Four. Honestly, this might be our year," Marin said.
The super fan traveled to San Diego earlier in the tournament to cheer on the team and is feeling confident heading into Saturday.
"I know we have a lot of fans that have been waiting for this for years after this drought. I think they deserve it, we all deserve it. Tommy Lloyd has set us up with this great heck of a team," Marin said.
He has one message for the team.
"Win or lose, they played their hearts out. Great heck of a season. We made it to the Final Four – it couldn’t get any better than that. Bear Down.”
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Madison Thomas joined KGUN 9 in July of 2023 as a multimedia journalist. She graduated from Arizona State University in May of 2023 with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She has lived in Arizona her entire life and grew up in Douglas. Madison is thrilled to share the stories from the community she grew up in. Share your story ideas and important issues with Madison by emailing madison.thomas@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
