Butler's future is bright, but there is work to be done to get there

You can find the rest of the features from the #BIAHRoadTrip here.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - John Calipari is not normal.

That's not an insult at the man. That's a compliment. The past two seasons, he's sent nine players to the NBA Draft, and this year he may have his most talented team since making the jump from Memphis to Lexington.

Its not supposed to work that way.
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Pics/Vids: Game 5 - Butler vs. Cleveland State

Friday, January 13th
Hinkle Fieldhouse, Butler University
Cleveland State 76, Butler 69

Game 4 - Indiana vs. Minnesota
Game 3 - Xavier vs. Duquesne
Game 2 - Kentucky vs. South Carolina
Game 1 - Belmont vs. Lipscomb

(Not everyone was spending their Friday night inside the Hinkle Fieldhouse watching hoops)

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Evansville beats Butler again, but not without a bit of controversy

Last year, Evansville shocked the world when they went into Hinkle Fieldhouse and knocked off Butler.

But that Evansville team was coming off of a dreadful, 3-15 performance in the Missouri Valley. The Bulldogs were coming off the first of their two national title game appearances. The Purple Aces notched what could legitimately be titled an upset in knocking off Butler last season.

In this year's rematch, the end result was the same -- Evansville again knocked off the Bulldogs, this time by a score of 80-77 in overtime -- but the situation surrounding the win is much different. The Purple Aces are a sleeper in the Valley while Butler is in the midst of trying to figure out how they are going to replace Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack.

Evansville barely hung on to win this game, however. After a layup from Ryan cut Butler's lead to 69-68 and a turnover from Chrishawn Hopkins on the ensuing possession gave Evansville the ball with 16 seconds left, Ryan was fouled with 0.9 seconds on the clock. He missed the first free throw but hit the second, giving Butler a prayer of a chance. That prayer was, apparently, answered. Butler threw the ball the length of the floor to Andrew Smith, who caught the ball and scored.

But the refs waived the bucket off. Now, Evansville doesn't have the lighted square in their backboard, but this -- admittedly blurry -- screenshot from (courtesy of @Schultz1260) appears the show that the refs got the call right:


*UPDATE: We got video:



This is where is got confusing.

The refs called a foul on the play and sent Smith to the line for two free throws. But they put 0.2 seconds on the clock. Why is this relevant? Because Smith missed both of the free throws. If he was fouled with 0.2 seconds left, wouldn't it make sense that the shot counted?

Not necessarily. According to rule A.R. 137 (1), if a shooter is "fouled in the act of shooting but time expires before the release of the ball ... [the shot] shall be disallowed since it was not released before time expired. [The shooter] shall attempt two free-throws since the foul was committed before the expiration of time. When one free-throw is successful, the game is over. When both free-throws are unsuccessful, the game continues with an extra period(s)."

It seems the only place that the referees erred was putting 0.2 seconds on the clock. There should have been no time remaining and Smith should have shot without anyone on the lane.

There are a couple of notes to take out of this game. For starters, Evansville managed to win this game despite an off-night from Ryan. He finished with 23 points, but he was just 4-15 from the floor. The Purple Aces put five players in double figures, including getting 27 points off their bench from Jordan Jahr and Lewis Jones. That's a good sign.

For Butler, Chrishawn Hopkins looks like he is the real deal. The sophomore finished with 23 points and five assists, but he needs to clean up his turnovers (he had five, including the back-breaker with 16 seconds left) and better his shot selection (he went 8-19 from the floor). Smith may have missed those two free throws, but he was a huge reason Butler was is a position to win at the end of the game. He had 21 points, nine boards and four blocks (but he, too, finished with five turnovers).

Of note: Khyle Marshall only had six points and four rebounds, but he was in foul trouble much of the game. Jackson Aldredge played well off the bench, finishing with seven points and three assists.
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2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: Nos. 45-41

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.


45. Kansas State Wildcats:

Last Season: 23-11, 10-6 (Big 12)

Head Coach: Frank Martin

Key Losses: Jacob Pullen, Curtis Kelly, Juevol Miles, Nick Russell

New Additions: Adrian Diaz, Thomas Gibson, Angel Rodriguez, Nino Williams, Jeremy Jones, James Watson, Omari Lawrence

Projected Lineup:

- G: Will Spradling, So.
- G: Rodney MacGruder, Jr.
- F: Nino Williams, Fr.
- F: Jamar Samuels, Sr.
- C: Jordan Henriquez-Roberts, Jr.
- Bench: Omari Lawrence, So.; Shane Southwell, So.; Martavious Irving, Jr.; Adrian Diaz, Fr.; Thomas Gibson, Fr.


Outlook: Jacob Pullen was, without a doubt, one of my favorite players to watch while he was a member of the Kansas State Wildcats. He was also one of the most valuable, as he almost single-handedly turned around K-State's season and led them to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. That kind of player is nearly impossible to replace. Also gone is Curtis Kelly, however, and with the Wildcats being a year removed from the midseason departures of Freddy Asprilla and Wally Judge, Frank Martin's club may actually be better off with fewer distractions. There is still some talent on the roster. Sophomore Will Spradling and junior Rodney McGruder form a solid back court, and both should have big years with the added chances that Pullen's graduation frees up. St. John's transfer Omari Lawrence, Shane Southwell and Martavious Irving will give K-State some depth on the perimeter. The x-factor may end up being Nino Williams, a top 100 recruit that enrolled at Kansas State early but redshirted last season after getting two concussions. Jamar Samuels is an experienced and athletic power forward who, when combined with Jordan Henriquez-Roberts, give the Wildcats a front line with some potential. The front court depth is lacking, as two freshmen and a couple of JuCo transfers are their back ups.


44. Georgetown Hoyas:

Last Season: 21-11, 10-8 (Big East)

Head Coach: John Thompson III

Key Losses: Austin Freeman, Chris Wright, Julian Vaughn

New Additions: Tyler Adams, Otto Porter, Mikael Hopkins, Jabril Trawick, Greg Whittington

Projected Lineup:

- G: Markel Starks, So.
- G: Jason Clark, Sr.
- F: Hollis Thompson, Jr.
- F: Nate Lubick, So.
- C: Henry Sims, Sr.
- Bench: Tyler Adams, Fr.; Otto Porter, Fr.; Mikael Hopkins, Fr.; Jabril Trawick, Fr.; Greg Whittington, Fr.


Outlook: It will be a changing of the guard in DC this year as Chris Wright and Austin Freeman have finally graduated after what felt like a decade as Hoyas. With a talented recruiting class coming in, and eight underclassmen in the rotation, this may be a rebuilding season JT III's club, but that doesn't mean they won't be able to compete with some of the Big East's big boys. The two guys that Georgetown is going to rely on the most will end up being Jason Clark and Hollis Thompson. Clark has been the third option the past two seasons, while Thompson could end up being a breakout star. He's got some talent, and this season he will be able to play the three, his more natural position. Henry Sims showed some improvements as a junior, especially with his ability to pass from the high post, while Nate Lubick is a solid rebounder and defender at the four. It will be interesting to see what the freshmen group will provide, especially considering how much potential there is on the front court. Otto Porter, 6'9" combo-forward and a Missouri native, is the rookie you want to pay attention to. The x-factor for the Hoyas will be point guard Markel Starks. Georgetown's offense stagnated late in the season with Chris Wright broke his wrist because the Hoyas lost that guy that can create a shot. If Starks can fill that void, Georgetown has a shot to be a tournament team. One thing to note -- will Georgetown's brawl out in China bring this team together?


43. Northwestern Wildcats:

Last Season: 20-14, 7-11

Head Coach: Bill Carmody

Key Losses: Michael Thompson, Mike Capocci

New Additions: Tre Demps, Mike Turner, David Sobolewski

Projected Lineup:

- G: Tre Demps, Fr.
- G: JerShon Cobb, So.
- F: Drew Crawford, Jr.
- F: John Shurna, Sr.
- C: Luka Mirkovic, Sr.
- Bench: Alex Marcotullio, Jr.; Davide Curletti, Sr.; Mike Turner, Fr.; David Sobolewski, Fr.


Outlook: There is an argument to be made that Juice Thompson, a four-year starter at the point for the Wildcats, will be the most difficult player to replace in the Big Ten next season. Everything revolved around Thompson, especially while Shurna was battling his ankle injury, and he was the unquestioned leader. Two freshmen -- Tre Demps and David Sobolewski -- were brought in to fill the void, but if they are unable to play that role, junior Alex Marcotullio will likely have to slide over and handle the point. The good news is that Bill Carmody's offensive system doesn't necessarily need a point guard; all they need is someone to get them into their continuity sets. If Northwestern is ever going to make an NCAA Tournament, this is the year. John Shurna was having a sensational season before he hurt his ankle. Drew Crawford has the potential to be an all-Big Ten player. So does JerShon Cobb, who averaged 7.4 ppg as a freshman despite being beat up most of the season. Luka Mirkovic is a solid and experienced big man, while Marcotullio and Davide Curletti will provide some depth. Northwestern has so many three point weapons that when they get hot, they will be able to play with anyone in the country.


42. Butler Bulldogs:

Last Season: 28-10, 13-5 (Horizon)

Head Coach: Brad Stevens

Key Losses: Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard, Shawn Vanzant, Zach Hahn,

New Additions: Roosevelt Jones, Jackson Aldridge, Kameron Woods, Andy Smeathers

Projected Lineup:

- G: Ronald Nored, Sr.
- G: Chase Stigall, Jr.
- G: Chrishawn Hopkins, So.
- F: Khyle Marshall, So.
- F: Andrew Smith, Jr.
- Bench: Garrett Butcher, Sr.; Emerson Kampen, Jr.; Erik Fromm, So.; Roosevelt Jones, Fr.; Jackson Aldridge, Fr.


Outlook: Butler will be an interesting team to keep an eye on this season. After making back-to-back national title games, the Bulldogs lost their two stars -- Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack -- and two other key back court players. With a young team this season and Arkansas transfer Rotnei Clarke ineligible until next year, this will be a rebuilding year. But there is still a chance this club competes for their league title and an NCAA Tournament trip. It starts up front, where Andrew Smith has developed into a rock on the block and Khyle Marshall has the potential to be Butler's next star. Ronald Nored, the team's unquestioned leader, is back to anchor a back court that includes a couple of young guys -- Chase Stigall and Chrishawn Hopkins -- that had promising moments last season. Garrett Butcher, Emerson Kampen and Erik Fromm provide Brad Stevens with some depth up front while freshmen Roosevelt Jones and Jackson Aldridge -- who led Australia to a U-18 title -- give the Bulldogs even more young perimeter talent. The future is bright for Butler, but how far away that bright future is is unclear.


41. Clemson Tigers:

Last Season: 22-12, 9-7 (ACC)

Head Coach: Brad Brownell

Key Losses: Demontez Stitt, Jerai Grant

New Additions: Devan Coleman, TJ Sapp, KJ McDaniels, Bernard Sullivan, Rod Hall

Projected Lineup:

- G: Andre Young, Sr.
- G: Tanner Smith, Sr.
- F: KJ McDaniels, Fr.
- F: Milton Jennings, Jr.
- C: Devin Booker, Jr.
- Bench: Bryan Narcisse, Sr.; Bernard Sullivan, Fr.; Devin Coleman, Fr.; TJ Sapp, Fr.


Outlook: Given the loss of Trevor Booker to the NBA and the change in coaching staff, its more than reasonable to say that Clemson's 22 win season and trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament can qualify as a resounding success for Brad Brownell in his first season. What's more impressive is that his team seemingly got better as the season progressed, meaning that his players really started buying into his system, which is focuses on half-court defense as opposed to Oliver Purnell's up-and-down style. This year, however, the Tigers will be quite young. The team will be anchored by their senior back court of Andre Young and Tanner Smith, two solid, well-rounded and experienced ACC guards. The rest of the perimeter rotation will be made up by freshmen -- TJ Sapp, Devin Coleman, KJ McDaniels, Rod Hall. The front court will be more experienced, with juniors Milton Jennings and Devin Booker likely starting. Those two both had hype as recruits, but have yet to live up to that potential. Senior Bryan Narcisse -- an athletic, 6'6" ball of energy -- and freshman Bernard Sullivan will provide Brownell with depth up front.
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Butler Likely to see increase in FG% with addition of Arkansas transfer

The Butler Bulldogs shot a combined 34-122 (27%) from the field in the past two National Championship games. If the Bulldogs happen to make it back to the title game in 2013, it's safe to say that they wouldn't be able to shoot that poorly if they tried.

Why?

Because they will have the services of Rotnei Clarke, one of the deadliest assassins in the college hoops game.

Clarke spent the past three seasons as the starting shooting guard at Arkansas,but decided to transfer after the school fired coach John Pelphrey in March and hired former Missouri coach Mike Anderson.

Initially, Clarke was not granted a release of his scholarship by the new head coach, but after a week of posturing, he was allowed to chose a new program.

Clarke was thought to be headed to Oklahoma, the state in which he set the all-time scoring record in while in high school. But with a NCAA investigation looming over the school, Clarke decided the better fit was with a program not typically known for high-octane scoring.

Clarke led the Razorbacks in scoring with 15.2-ppg and made a team-high 43.8 percent of his 3-pointers this past season. He has a career-high of 51-points, which he scored on 13-17 shooting from beyond the arc against Alcorn State in 2009. Clarke is known as being somewhat of a high-volume shooter, which is likely to give Brad Stevens a migraine or two.

But shooting 17% from the field in the National Championship game is likely to give a head coach a migraine too.


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NBA Draft Profiles: Shelvin Mack, Butler

Bjorn Zetterberg of SwishScout.com will be helping us out with all of our NBA Draft Profiles this year. You can follow him on twitter @swishscout.

To browse through the latest prospect profiles, click here. To see a complete list of the players we have profiled, click here.

Stats: 16.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.4 t/o's, 34.1 3PT%

Age: 21, junior

Size:

• Listed: 6'2", 210 lb
• Official: 6'1" (no shoes), 6'2.5" (with shoes), 6'7.5" (wingspan), 8'0.5" (reach), 209 lb

Strengths: Mack is a gamer. He's a proven scorer with the desire to have the ball in his hands with the game on the line, and arguably the biggest reason why the Bulldogs were able to make it to back-to-back national title games. Mack's biggest strength is scoring the ball. While his efficiency numbers were down this season, much of that can be explained by his increased role in the Butler offense; 34.1% shooting from deep does not reflect how dangerous Mack is from beyond the arc. He's capable of getting to the basket, but he lacks the vertical explosiveness and the quickness to really beat his man off the dribble. Mack was used primarily as a weapon in the pick and roll this past season, and he's pretty effective running it.

Weaknesses: Mack has never really proven to be a true point guard. Like many players at his position, he is a scorer with the ability to create for his teammates. There are also question marks about his quickness and his explosiveness. Will he be able to get by a defender in the NBA? Will be be able to guard NBA point guards? The biggest question mark, however, was exposed in the national title game. Mack was covered by UConn's Jeremy Lamb, who is a long and lanky defender that was able to challenge Mack's shooting from the perimeter. With his jumper taken away, Mack struggled to get into any rhythm offensively, and as a result the Bulldogs posted one of the ugliest national title game performances ever.

Comparisons:

• Best Case Scenario: Derek Fisher. Fisher is a 17 year NBA veteran, having carved out a terrific NBA career as a role-playing point guard. He protects the ball, he plays some defense, he gets the ball in the hands of his star teammates, and he knocks down open threes. Fisher also has a reputation for being a guy that hits big shots. Mack is a little bigger than Fisher and is more of a combo-guard than a point guard, but if Mack wants to have an NBA career, he should start modeling his game after another mid-major point guard. Another comparison I've seen that I like is a poor man's Chauncey Billups.


• Worst Case Scenario: The worst case scenario for Shelvin Mack will be a career in basketball's minor leagues, be it overseas or in the NBDL. That's not necessarily a bad thing. While he may struggle to score in the NBA, Mack will probably be more effective getting to the rim in a league with some lesser athletes.

Outlook: You'd think that after playing for a team that made back-to-back national title games, Mack would be more of a known quantity. But at this point, his future as a professional player looks to be uncertain. Mack's biggest issue is that he is stuck in the dreaded tweener category. He's a scoring guard with point guard size but without ideal point guard athleticism. He needs the ball in his hands to be effective, but he may not be effective enough to warrant having the ball in his hands. I love Shelvin Mack. He was one of my favorite players to watch the past two seasons. He's terrific in crunch time and is, simply put, a winner. And while I think he will be a great teammate wherever he ends up, I'm just not sure there is a place for him in the NBA.

Draft Range: Early-to-Mid 2nd Round

And the experts say...

• Chad Ford: "Scouts had high expectations for Mack coming into the season, but for much of the year he really struggled to find his shot. That changed somewhat in the tournament. He had huge games against Pittsburgh and VCU, going a combined 18-for-27 from the field and 12-for-18 from 3. But against a longer, more athletic UConn backcourt, led by Lamb, he struggled once again. He shot 4-for-15 from the field in the title game, which was actually pretty good compared to the rest of the Butler team. Factor in rough shooting nights against Wisconsin and, to a lesser extent, Florida, and I'm not sure what you have."


• Draft Express: "Mack's development into primarily being a pick and roll half court guard is part an evolution in his game, and partly because of Matt Howard's development into a perimeter threat. Mack shows a good feel for the pick and roll game, showing an ability to drive to his right off the pick and roll, as well as good patience in waiting for the big to recover to get an open look from deep. Mack has NBA three point range with an ability to hit long distance shots off the dribble."


• Swish Scout: "Combo guard with a compact build, NBA 3-point range, and showed some ability to take over the game in the NCAA with some gutsy play. Mack isn’t a natural PG who can step in and run the show for a team, but he’s a secondary ball handler who can buckle down on D and knock down some big shots for a team. "

Highlights:


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Saying Goodbye: Matt Howard

In this world of NBA Draft early entry and one-and-done freshman, it is difficult to become attached to a college star. They simply don't hang around long enough. But when they do, that player becomes the fan favorite. There is nothing like watching a kid develop from a overwhelmed freshman into star as a senior. Those are the players that the fans connect with.

We reached out to some of the blogosphere's best, and over the next couple of weeks we will be running a series of posts saying goodbye to some of the country's best seniors.

Our third installment of "Saying Goodbye" is on Butler's workhorse Matt Howard. It is being provided by Dave McConnell from the fantastic Butler blog Victory Firelight. You can hit them up on twitter at @ButlerVictory

When the name Matt Howard gets tossed around, it can tend to sometimes be a bit of a polarizing topic for those around the Horizon League – and even around the country. Yet for the Butler faithful, the name Matt Howard embodies everything that is exceptional and unique about the Bulldog program, its players and the way it goes about its business.

Sure, plenty of opponents have had their frustrations with Howard. You’ve heard him called a flop. You’ve heard that he plays dirty. He’s everything opponents love to hate about a guy who goes hard for a full 40 minutes and beyond. And that’s just one reason why Butler fans adore and appreciate him perhaps more than any other figure in the school’s history.

Even for those who put Howard on a pedestal, there were some trying times during his career. Most notably, an absurdly frustrating penchant for committing dumb and unnecessary fouls. The kind of fouls that had no affect on a play, the kind that only resulted in putting him on the bench when his value in being on the floor was of utmost importance. But this year more than any other, Howard grew up and grew out of that. He proved everybody wrong, just like he had done in different ways throughout his four years as a Bulldog.

It has been noted time and time again what a quirky, and even odd, individual that Howard is. From riding his bike around campus in sub-freezing temperatures to not giving a damn about his socks that Goodwill wouldn’t put on its shelves, Howard marched to the beat of his own drummer. But for all of his supposed pitfalls, those are exactly what helped him be a cut above the rest. It’s about more than basketball for Howard – part of the embodiment of everything good about the Butler program – evidenced by his three-time honor as an Academic All-America. And that was capped of this season by being named the 2010-11 NCAA Division I Academic All-American of the Year.

On the court, Howard was just as decorated. He arrived on campus as a freshman as a top-100 recruit by several scouting services and joined a senior-laden team while earning the recognition of Horizon League Newcomer of the Year. As a sophomore, Howard blossomed into a star – named the league’s Player of the Year, midseason top-30 for the John R. Wooden Award and first team Mid-Major All-American by FoxSports.com while leading Butler in scoring, field goal percentage, rebounding and blocked shots.

Howard’s junior year was maybe his toughest individually, although the team had arguably its most success during his four-year run, and he was still named first team All-Horizon. The aforementioned foul troubled plagued him as he sometimes struggled to fit in as suddenly the third offensive option behind budding studs Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack.

As a senior, and with perhaps lowered expectations by some, Howard showed his value to the team in ways that will never show up on the stat sheet. Simply put, with the team muddling away at 14-9 and gone from the nation’s conscience, Howard put the Bulldogs on his back and willed the team to a highly improbable run to a second consecutive national title game appearance. He was all the guts with little glory. And he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
The experts thought Butler would be crippled by the loss of Hayward to the NBA after the 2009-10 season. They weren’t entirely wrong, but the real test from the program will come next year when No. 54 is no longer in uniform.


More from "Saying Goodbye"
2011: Keith Benson, Oakland
2011:Preston Knowles, Louisville


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Hard work turned UConn from a one-man show into a championship team

HOUSTON - March 6th.

It was a Sunday.

The previous afternoon, UConn had blown a late lead to Notre Dame despite carrying all the momentum into the final five minutes while Ben Hansbrough sat on the bench with five fouls. It ended an ugly finish to the regular season for the Huskies. The same team that had won the Maui Invitational and beat Texas at Texas had just lost four of their last five games. They had fallen to 9-9 in Big East play -- 4-9 against teams from the league that made the NCAA Tournament -- which was good for ninth place and a Tuesday game in the Big East Tournament.

But on that Sunday, Selection Sunday, UConn had their best practice of the year. It was a practice that would change the trajectory of the Huskies' season drastically.

"After our loss to Notre Dame, we had a great practice after that," Kemba Walker said during the Big East Tournament. "Everybody showed up ready to work and we knew it was a new season."

"Everybody stayed together and our coaching staff did a great job of keeping us positive."

UConn's run through March, their five wins in five days in the Big East Tournament and the program's third national title in 12 years, seemingly came completely out of the blue. UConn was losing games. Their superstar was no longer superhuman. Their supporting cast was about as supportive as a pair of boxers that are one size too big. Something changed with this team heading into March.

And to a man, every player I asked mentioned the March 6th practice as the season's turning point. What was so great about one practice that turned a team that had lost four of their last five games into the winner of the Big East Tournament and national title?

"Its hard to explain because you had to actually be there," Shabazz Napier said after the game. "Guys were just playing great defense, guys were just rebounding the ball. I don't think coach yelled at anybody that practice, and for him not to yell at anyone in practice? Wow."

"When you lose a regular season game, you come into practice like 'Man, I don't want to practice', but we all wanted to practice. We knew what we had ahead of us."

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The luster on this UConn team had faded.

What was once a 17-2 start ended up being a 21-9 finish. Much was made about the fact that the team that was predicted to finish 10th in the Big East had knocked off teams like Kentucky and Michigan State and Texas during the non-conference portion of their schedule, but by the time the regular season had ended the Huskies were sitting at 9-9 in league play.

A ninth place finish. That prediction didn't look so bad anymore.

The problems that were facing UConn had to do with the load that was being shouldered by their superstar. Kemba Walker spent the first month of the season wowing everyone in the country with his ability to dominate a game while only cracking six feet thanks to the rubber soles on the bottom of his basketball shoes.

But once Big East play started, teams had figured out how to stop the Huskies. They learned that UConn was beatable when you forced Kemba into taking tough shots by playing sloughing man-to-man defenses or compacted zones. Keep Kemba from going crazy and take your chances that the young players won't beat you. That was the blueprint. Those adjustments were what you needed to do to beat the Huskies.

Jim Calhoun had a couple of adjustments of his own, however.

"We thought the way to disguise our youth was get better at defense every day," Calhoun said. "Down the stretch, we would take literally 50% of practice on nothing but defense. Two-on-two, three-on-three, shell, five-on-five, retreat. That's much more than almost any other team I've done."

"You need to understand that defense is going to really take you and hold you in any game till your offense gets going. I think that's what happened tonight."

That hard work paid off.

UConn's defense was legendary on Monday night. Record-breaking. The Huskies held Butler to just 18.8% shooting on the night. Seriously. 18.8%. It broke a record for the worst shooting performance in a national title game, a record that had stood since 1941, when Wisconsin held Washington State to 21.5% shooting from the floor.

Butler made just 12 field goals the entire game. They were 6-37 in the second half, at one point missing 22 of 23 shots. Their 9-33 performance from beyond the arc looks terrific compared to the 3-31 that the Bulldogs shot from two point range. Butler even threw in an 8-14 showing from the free throw line for good measure.

"From a purist's standpoint, you want to teach defense? Take a clip of both teams, you'd see some terrific defense," Calhoun said.

In an overwhelming defensive performance like this, its tough to label anyone the hero. There wasn't one person that shut down the Bulldogs. It was a team effort. Butler didn't have a single player on their roster shoot better than 27.3% from the floor Monday night. One person cannot do that to a team.

But there were notable performances. Like the job that Jeremy Lamb did on Shelvin Mack. Mack managed just 13 points on 4-15 shooting. All four of his field goals came from beyond the arc. Two of those -- his first field goal of the game with 4:00 left in the first half and the three he hit at the first half buzzer -- came when Donnell Beverly was guarding Mack late in the first half when Lamb was on the bench with two fouls. In the other 31 minutes, Lamb allowed Mack to make just two shots from the floor.

Then there was Alex Oriakhi. The 6'9" sophomore was once again a monster in the paint, living up to his "Warriakhi" nickname with 11 rebounds and four blocked shots. He helped hold Matt Howard to just seven points on 1-13 shooting and Andrew Smith to five points on 2-9 shooting. All told, those two managed to score just two points in the paint.

"To me that's beauty," Calhoun said. "That's what this game should be about."

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Back in November and December, the running joke was that UConn was the "Fighting Kembas", alluding to the fact that the Huskies were nothing more than what Kemba Walker could provide.

And while that theory looks silly after watching Jeremy Lamb and Alex Oriakhi carry the Huskies to a national title, back then the theory was anything but. They were young, freshmen and sophomores that not only had potential, but a ways to go to reach that potential.

There was plenty of criticism to go around. But it all came back to one thing -- the Huskies did not have the talent to compete with the best in the country all season long. Eventually, the thinking went, UConn's Kemba-well would dry up, and that is when the Huskies would struggle.

Lamb and Oriakhi both took what the national media was saying to heart. Their response? Hard work.

"People kept saying it was a one-man team, but we had confidence in ourselves," Oriakhi said in the locker room after the game. "We knew how good we could be. We definitely worked our tails off."

Oriakhi had developed the reputation of gym rat over the summer, lifting and working on his game every chance he got. There were two-a-day trips to the weight room in the summer, complimented by on-court workouts improving his back-to-the-basket game and jumper. Eventually, Oriakhi started to bring Lamb with him to these workout sessions, and before long the two budding UConn stars were spending every waking moment in the gym.

"I started getting Jeremy in there as well, and we just got addicted," Oriakhi said. "We really got addicted to it. The addiction got so crazy that we would go after games. Even if we had a good game, bad game, we'd still go after games."

"When I'm in the gym I don't like to waste my time."

Lamb may have been the biggest beneficiary of the late-night workouts.

Early in the season, it was difficult to see just how good Lamb could have been. He's a passive kid by nature. That laid back demeanor carried on to the court, when Lamb was satisfied with simply being a guy that tossed the ball around the perimeter. But as he gained confidence in his ability to make shots when he attacked, Lamb developed into a serious scoring threat at the end of the season. It was his 12 point second half outburst that will be credited with buoying the Huskies.

He was the difference maker for UConn.

"Jeremy, he's a hard worker. He's in the gym every night," Kemba said. "Coach would tell him, 'Jeremy, don't shoot. [Get rest]'. Jeremy would still go shoot. Jeremy would have a bad game and go straight to the gym after that. He's just a hard worker. All his hard work pays off."

The same can be said for Oriakhi. Early in the game, UConn was feeding him the ball in the paint. With Kemba Walker off target, the two early buckets that Oriakhi had helped to settle down the Huskies. The 6'9", 240 lb sophomore missed much of the first half due to foul trouble, but when he returned in the second half, he scored another early bucket in the post, and knocked down a pair of jumpers late in the game that helped extend UConn's lead.

"The hard work has definitely paid off," Oriakhi said. "That's definitely the best feeling. Going after practice when you don't feel like it, you're exhausted but you push through it, that's the best feeling."

"You know that all the paid has paid off."

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UConn's season had come full circle.

It started as the Kemba show. It started as a one-man army. It started with Walker etching his name into the Maui Invitational record books while carrying this team and program on his diminutive shoulders. It ended with one of Kemba's worst performances of the season. He finished with just 16 points on 5-19 shooting. He had two turnovers and not a single assist. As Jim Calhoun would have put it, Kemba had an expensive 16 points.

But the season also ended with UConn being a team. It ended with 11 points, 11 boards, and four blocks from Alex Oriakhi. It ended with 12 second half points from Jeremy Lamb. It ended with 10 guys getting into the score book, and all ten making their impact on the game felt.

Who could have predicted that four months ago? Who thought that UConn could win a national title on a night where the only noteworthy comment to make on Kemba Walker's play is that is wasn't noteworthy?

"From last season, the loss to Virginia Tech, coach, he gave me the keys," Kemba said. "From that point on, I just drove. I called these guys, told them that we gonna work hard. Just be ready to come and work hard."

"That's what they did."
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The loss hurts, but Butler still accomplished the incredible

This post can also be found at Beyond the Arc.

HOUSTON - The ending was far from story book.

If life were a movie, if the 2011 Final Four were to have happened in a Hollywood screenplay, the ending would have been quite different. Just one year removed from nearly taking down college basketball's villainous empire and playing without quite possibly the only lottery pick that Brad Stevens will ever suit up in a Butler jersey in Hinkle Fieldhouse, the Bulldogs would have taken down the UConn Huskies and their superstar point guard and their sanction-riddled head coach.

It was perfect.

After nearly pulling off one of the greatest postseason runs in the history of the sport, Butler struggled through much of the season before hitting their stride in February, winning nail-biter after nail-biter in March, and cutting down the nets in April.

But Hollywood just wasn't in the cards.


For the second straight year, Butler's season came to a disappointing conclusion as the Bulldogs were once again the national runner-up, falling to UConn 53-41.

The disappointment in the Butler locker room was palpable. It was full of hung heads and reddened, swollen eyes that had recently been wiped clean of tears. Last year, the Bulldogs were disappointed, but they were playing with house money. They were the loveable underdog, a team from the Horizon League leaving a trail of destruction through the big boys en route to the national title game.

This season?

Butler truly believed they belonged. This was no longer a mid-major with a feel-good story. This was a powerhouse program that plays the game the right way while being led by one of the country's best coaches, regardless of age. This was a team with a different swagger. In their eyes, they were a national championship program. Its why last season's disappointment became this season's devastation. Butler was, legitimately, crushed.

"We're just coming out of a locker room that's hurting, a locker room that's got a lot of pride because of the way our kids carried us this year and the way our five seniors have acted their entire career, what they've done for Butler," Butler head coach Brad Stevens said after the game. "It's hard to talk about the game and really care about the intricacies of the game when you're talking about the personal relationships and the things that you develop as a team over time."

The Bulldogs have every right to be disappointed. They should be devastated. You aren't a true competitor if you can lose a national title two years in a row and not be upset. Hell, I was hurting just being in that locker room.

But the Bulldogs have no reason to be ashamed. Once the hurt wears off, once the pain of the loss begins to subside, one can only hope that the Bulldogs can look back and understand what they accomplished. They played for a national title two seasons in a row. That's an impressive accomplishment for anyone. For a team from the Horizon League, where getting into the tournament is usually considered a great season, its a truly remarkable and legendary feat.

"Its been really fun to be a part of these last two teams," Butler's junior leader Ronald Nored said after the game. "To be a part of a program that doesn't even necessarily care about the result of a game but more about each other? We can talk about what happened in the basketball game, but the thing in this locker room is all about the seniors. We're just upset that they have to go."

This was a team that accomplished something that no one thought possible. This was a team that showed that you don't need the budget of a power conference school to compete. This is a program that proved its not necessary to have a roster full of McDonald's all-americans to play for a national title. More than anything Butler showed the college basketball world that deep tournament runs are possible for teams that do things the right way.

The Butler way.

"Being such a competitor, [this loss] hurts a lot," Shelvin Mack said, just minutes after going 4-15 from the floor against a smothering UConn defense. "You work so hard to get to this stage and you're not able to get over the hump, its a very humbling experience."

"It's really hard to put that into words right now because, you know, we wanted a little bit more," Matt Howard said.

"Maybe at some point I can look back and be proud of what this group has accomplished."

There should be no maybe in that sentence.

It may take a day. It may take a month. It may take a year. But eventually, every single member of this Butler program should hold their head high.

Because the Bulldogs' two year run is one of the most incredible feats in college basketball history.
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Shaka Smart follows Brad Stevens lead, stays at VCU

The joke had been made thousands upon thousands of times -- Shaka Smart earned himself some money with VCU's improbable run to the Final Four.

On Monday afternoon, he did. Just not quite the way many of us expected.

Gregg Doyel of CBSSports.com broke the news -- tweeting during a radio interview, no less -- that not only had Shaka Smart turned down NC State's advances, he was re-signing with VCU. And, yes, he got the significant pay bump that he was due, seeing his salary more than triple as he inked an eight-year deal worth $1.2 million per.


The decision by Smart to stay at VCU may confuse some. There were reports that NC State was offering him as much as $2 million a year, and if Smart wanted more than that, he probably just need to give them a number. The same thing happened with Brad Stevens last season, when he opted to remain at Butler by signing a 12 year contract extension following the first of two Final Four runs.

Some people are going to ask why.

Why would a coach turn down an offer that could double his salary? Neither Smart nor Stevens will be hurting financially, but turning down an extra seven figures is significant regardless of you pay grade.

The answer is simple -- the right job wasn't available.

Smart is the latest hot, young coach riding a wave of postseason success. But that "heat" doesn't last forever. If his team struggles next season, the opportunity to move up to a bigger conference may no longer be there. That's why you see coaches use mid-majors as a stepping stone so often. You have to strike while the iron is hot, so to speak.

Smart didn't maximize his potential earnings, he still capitalized on his team's success.

Stevens is now in a different position than Smart. The fact that he has taken Butler to back-to-back national title games firmly entrenches him among the "greats". Whenever he decides to leave Butler, he can get just about any job that he wants. The "heat" is not going to subside on Stevens.

These two aren't the first coaches to make the decision to remain at a school sitting outside the power six conferences. Mark Few has remained at Gonzaga for over a decade now. Chris Mooney just signed a 10 year contract to stay at Richmond. Jim Larrananga didn't go anywhere after taking George Mason to the Final Four.

As they say, money makes the world go 'round. But there is no price that you can put on the happiness of you and your family. There is no price that you can put on enjoying the school you coach at and the town that you live in. I'm sure everyone reading this has had both good and bad experiences with a boss at some point in your life.

The coaches that opt to stay at the mid-major programs have job security. They already have financial security. They are already in a good working and living environment.

Is that really worth leaving for a coaching gig that is anything less than ideal?
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Its been real, folks

Its here.

The college basketball season ends tonight, and either the Butler Bulldogs or the UConn Huskies will walk away champions. It was a fun season, the best this site has ever had. We've made a lot of new memories this year. Hopefully, we'll get at least one more tonight.

This may not be the ideal Final Four for many folks, but it is was it is. If you can't get pumped for this game, then you aren't a college hoops fan:




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National title game x-factors

Everyone knows about Kemba Walker. Everyone should know about Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard. They are the three most important players tonight. But they are also just three of the ten players that will be on the court tonight.

Here are the five most important role players tonight:

Shabazz Napier, UConn: Napier plays a vital role for the Huskies in that he is the guy that allows Kemba Walker to move off the ball. The advantages to that are two-fold. Kemba is, at times, a more effective scorer when he is able to run off of screens. The star guard also gets his rest on the offensive end of the floor on the possessions that Napier brings the ball up. Napier is also UConn's best on-ball defender on the perimeter, meaning he will likely be spending quite a bit of time defending Shelvin Mack.


Jeremy Lamb, UConn: Butler does not have many big perimeter players. With the exception of Chase Stigall, who is about 6'3", all of Butler's back court players are right around six-feet tall. Lamb, on the other hand, is 6'5" with a big time wingspan. He's going to be a very difficult matchup for Butler. Lamb's biggest issue throughout the season was his aggressiveness and assertiveness. He's always had the talent, its been an issue of taking advantage of that talent. If he attacks the basket tonight, he can be a very effective weapon.


Alex Oriakhi, UConn: Oriakhi is probably going to end up being matched up with Matt Howard tonight, which is going to be a tough matchup for him. Howard is not the athlete that Derrick Williams is, but he has a similar skill set, and Williams played very well in the second half of the Elite 8 against UConn. Oriakhi is also a matchup problem for Butler thanks to his sheer size and strength in the paint. He will need to be on the floor, because the drop off after Oriakhi in UConn's front court is pretty big. This game may end up coming down to fouls. Will Oriakhi or Howard be forced to sit out with foul trouble?


Ronald Nored, Butler: Nored will be the designated Kemba-stopper for Butler. As Brad Stevens said in the press conferences, you cannot guard Kemba Walker with just one player. It has to be a team effort. But Nored will be the guy on the front line, chasing Kemba off of screens and guarding him one-on-one when he has the ball on the perimeter. UConn has other weapons, but containing Kemba is the first step towards beating the Huskies.


Khyle Marshall, Butler: There are things that Butler does very well, but offensive rebounding is necessarily one of them. That's where Marshall comes into play. He's an athletic, 6'7" freshman forward that is a terrific change of pace for what Matt Howard and Andrew Smith give the Bulldogs. UConn's defensive rebounding can be exploited, and Marshall is the guy that will be expected to take advantage of that.
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National Title game preview: No. 3 UConn vs. No. 8 Butler

Tonight, Butler and UConn will square off for the right to be named 2011 college basketball national champions.

One of them returns a roster full of players that have national title game experience, the other missed the 2010 NCAA Tournament. One of those two teams was ranked coming into the season. One of them has had a player picked in the lottery in the 2010 NBA Draft. One of them was actually expected to make the NCAA Tournament this season.

The one is Butler. The other is UConn.

And who is the underdog?

That is only part of what makes this Final Four so intriguing.


The Details: Butler is the small school. Coming out of the Horizon League, the Bulldog's back to back trips to the national title game are one of the most impressive feats in the history of college basketball. On the other hand, you have UConn, a team that has won two national title and been to three Final Fours in the last twelve years. The Huskies have earned the right to be labeled one of the best programs in all of college hoops.

Perhaps the most interesting -- or easiest -- storyline heading into the title game is the difference in perception of these two schools. The Bulldogs are the Golden Boys. They are headed up by the next great head coach in Brad Stevens, a guy that will be in the conversation as greatest ever by the time he is all said and done in this profession. They are the mid-major that has a roster full of upper-classmen playing for their degree, and not a higher ranking on the NBA Draft boards.

UConn, on the other hand, will be cast as the bad guy, as the team that embodies everything wrong with college sports. They have an old, curmudgeonly head coach that doesn't care for the NCAA's rules. They just had a punishment handed out for NCAA violations committed during the recruitment of Nate Miles, and with Miles opting to speak to the media and the NCAA now, more hammers may end up dropping.


Key Matchup: Kemba Walker vs. Shelvin Mack

There are two things that are ironic about this matchup. On the one hand, Mack and Walker are friends. They played and worked out together the past two summers in Vegas with Team USA. They texted throughout the season, congratulating each other on big games, and things of that ilk. The only ironic part is that, while both players are excellent defenders and both play the same position, it is unlikely that they will actually be guarding each other tomorrow night.


Butler's best perimeter defender is Ronald Nored, with Shawn Vanzant following closely behind him. In his Sunday press conference, Brad Stevens said that he wouldn't be defending Kemba with "just one guy", but it will be Nored that does the heavy lifting trying to slow down Walker. Walker struggled a bit last night dealing with the length and athleticism of DeAndre Liggins, and Nored is a much different kind of defender. He's got terrific feet and really understands the intricacies of one-on-one defense, things like positioning, how to get around screens, and the like.

As far as UConn is concerned, they will likely have Shabazz Napier guarding Mack. Napier is a bit like Nored in that he's not all that big and not all that strong, but he understands how to defend and how to avoid getting out of position. He did a terrific job slowing down Brandon Knight last night, but Knight and Mack play a different style of basketball.

Mack and Walker are both so important to what their teams do offensively. If either can be somewhat contained, it will be a huge advantage.


X-factors: Matt Howard and Jeremy Lamb

It sounds weird calling the second best player on these two teams the x-factor, but they could very well end up determining who wins the national title.

Jeremy Lamb is going to be a very difficult cover for the Bulldogs. At 6'5" with a ridiculous wingspan, Lamb is going to have a size advantage over whoever ends up guarding him. As good as Butler is, they don't have a small forward on their roster this season. Lamb will be able to shoot over any of butler's back court players, and if he puts the ball not the floor, he should be able to get into the paint at will.

Howard is going to e a difficult cover for the Huskies. While Howard is not the athlete -- and, frankly, not the player -- that Derrick Williams is, they have similar skill sets. Both can score in the post, both have perimeter skills, and both are very good three point shooters. Howard is too strong and crafty for Roscoe Smith on the block, but putting Alex Oriakhi or Charles Okwandu on him on the perimeter is a just as much of a mismatch.


Key Stat: Fast break points and offensive rebounds

In terms of half court execution, UConn is not a great team. There is a reason that they ranked in the 200's in effective field goal percentage. The reason that UConn is able to be a top 15 team in offensive efficiency is that they get themselves easy looks at the rim.

UConn is terrific on the offensive glass. Alex Oriakhi is a beast in the paint, carving up space and earning extra possessions. He not only grabs offensive rebounds, but he is able to tip them out to UConn's guards. The Huskies back court is also very good on the glass. Combine the offensive rebounding with UConn's ability to protect the ball, and the Huskies make up for their lack of efficiency with more opportunities and shots at the rim.

The other thing UConn does is score in transition. Their pace on Kenpom's site is going to look slow, but UConn really does like to get out in transition. But if they don't end up getting an easy basket, the Huskies are terrific at pulling the ball out and running their offense. I hate to sounds like Jimmy Dykes here, but UConn is either going to score in the first five seconds of the shot clock or the last 10. They look for quick points, and if that isn't there, they are a very patient team.

If Butler is going to win the national title, they need to limit UConn's easy baskets. The Bulldogs are much better than the Huskies at executing in the half court, so if they can make every UConn basket tough to earn, they will win this game.


And the winner is?: UConn Huskies

Kemba Walker is not going to be stopped right now. The kid is playing with the look and the determination of a champion. Believe me, I love Shelvin Mack. I love his game, I love his toughness, and I love his "intestinal fortitude" when it comes to big shots late in a game. But there is no one in the country who I would rather see with the ball in his hands late in the game.

The other issue is that I think Alex Oriakhi and Jeremy Lamb will be too much for Butler. Oriakhi is a warrior on the block, and I'm not sure Butler has anyone with the strength to keep him off of the offensive glass. Lamb is going to be a difficult matchup for Butler's small guards.
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Final Four Crowd Control

You would be hard pressed to find a more diverse pairing of Final Four teams this season. From talent level, to head coaches, to team profile, to school size, athletic funding, program prestige, and tournament experience. Everything about these four teams is completely different.

The uniqueness of the teams and their fan bases was on full display at Reliant Stadium on Saturday afternoon. For VCU alumni and fans, there is no telling if or when the Rams will make a return trip to the Final Four. For members of Big Blue Nation, this was just another chance to remind the country that they are the most powerful fan base in college basketball. For people like myself, with no dog in the fight, mingling amongst the masses, it was a chance to take in the varying fan support from the four remaining teams in the country.

There was no denying fans of Virginia Commonwealth the opportunity to wear their school's colors on their sleeves in Houston. Of the four schools being represented at Reliant Stadium, VCU was the only one not wearing blue.

There was no ignoring the large section of bright yellow Ram supporters, not even if you had tried. On the concourse, small hoards of VCU fans walked with a slight bounce in their step.

They were smiling, they were cheering, they were goading other fans into shouting matches, basically anything they could do to acknowledge that their team had made it, and at least for the moment, there was nothing we could do about it.

During the contest, the VCU faithful cheered with an unadulterated ferocity. You could hear every word of every cheer they recited. It was almost like the fans knew this might be their only chance to support a Final Four team. If any of the supporters were to have bled, I am more than certain that their blood would have been yellow.

But it wasn't just the alumni and fans. The Ram's pep band hit their strokes with a combination of passion and soul. They weren't just playing music, they were setting the tone. The conductor did more than just conduct, he flailed his arms, thrust his hips, and perspired enough to necessitate multiple wardrobe changes. The student section was more mosh pit than anything else. They were provided with more than enough space to fit their faithful followers, but the co-eds clearly are not fans of "personal space".

Overall, watching the VCU fans express themselves was refreshing. There wasn't the feeling of a routine, like they had been there before. It was off-the-cuff, make-it-up-as-you-go, and displayed with a sense of reckless abandon.

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Of the four fan bases being represented, the Butler support group provided arguably the most realistic view of their program and school. Their entourage was not overwhelmingly large, but it was prominent. They were loud and proud, but never with the slight tinge of hysteria that the VCU fans provided.

It seemed like, after having been here once before, the Bulldog fans knew the routine. It wasn't cut-and-dry, but it wasn't over-the-top. Their support was very well, blue-collar. Every Butler fan could be identified, but none made themselves an eyesore. Their band was loud, and energetic, but their musical selection seemed to draw inspiration from the classic standard-issue band numbers. This is not to say that they were boring, just that their creativity was limited. But their passion was most certainly not.

On a somewhat-unrelated note, I had made it a personal goal of mine before this adventure began that I would seek out Butler's Blue II for a photo-op. I circled the lower level of the stadium numerous times in hopes that he would be out greeting the fans on the concourse level, but came up empty. Monday night will be different.

Back to the topic at hand, Butler's crowd support was a perfect representation of what school's public opinion: bigger and better than you would expect for a school of that size, but with a traditional style lacking the feathers, ruffles, bells and whistles.

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Only 847 miles separate Lexington Kentucky and Houston Texas. But based on the number of royal blue shirts roaming the grounds and the percentage of seats filled by "Big Blue" it would be understandable if you believed this game was being played in Kentucky.

Big Blue Nation's presence is and was overbearing. They were everywhere. T-shirts, hats, signs, pom-poms, costumes, face paint, and body paint. There were blue-and-white versions of Darth Vader and Ironman’s headgear. I saw an elderly lady donning a personalized #33 blue Kentucky jersey with the name "Shea Butta". As long as you were in blue, anything was allowed. The t-shirt selections we all over the place: "Free Enes", "UK2K", "Got Jorts?", "Calipari is my Homeboy", and even an "I Hate Louisville".

(Credit: Kentucky Sports Radio)

Prior to Saturday, I tried to prepare myself for BBN and what we would be in store for. I envisioned entire families decked out in "jorts", knee-high socks, fanny-packs and mullets. By the end of Saturday night, I saw no mullets, maybe one or two fanny-packs and only seven pairs of "jorts". Well, let me change that. I saw a lot of extremely attractive females wearing jean-skirts and jean-shorts, but I saw little-to-no homemade "jorts".

The announced attendance for Kentucky/UConn semifinal was said to have been a record of 75,421. OF these 75-thousand people, 25-thousand of them must have been Kentucky fans. They were loud, really really loud. But if there would have been the same number of VCU or Butler fans, Big Blue Nation would have been drowned out.

Yes, BBN had power in numbers, but nothing about their crowd presence was overwhelming, other than the sheer size and well, the noise level. It's interesting, because that is the perception of the Big Blue fan base. Yes it's the largest fan base in college basketball, but nothing about their presence during the game was unique, or original.

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No team or fan base had to travel further this week than UConn. 1530 miles separate the small New England town and the massive southwestern metropolis.

Less than a month ago, UConn fans took over Madison Square Garden for the Big East Tournament. Chants of "UCONN...HUSKIES" echoed through the arena and drowned out other cheering sections. Even against Syracuse, who travels as well as UConn on the East Coast, was no match for the UConn support group.

But in Houston, Husky fans were few and far between. By the end of Saturday, there were as many lingering VCU fans in the student section as there were UConn fans.

(Credit: Luke Winn, Sports Illustrated)

It seemed somewhat pathetic. This is UConn after all. They've won two national Championships since 1999 and have to be another Final Four.

So, with the seemingly non-existent student section, and only one un-color coordinated section of the stadium, you would not expect them to have been drowned out by Big Blue Nation. And this could have not been further from the truth.

Led by "Big Red", UConn's cult-icon, Husky fans were as loud and as supportive as Big Blue Nation was. The student section could not have had more than 60 members in attendance, but based on noise level, you would have never noticed.

Visually, everything about UConn was unassuming. They lacked size and had little-to-no color coordination. But what they lacked in size they made up for in school spirit.



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Shelvin Mack will be UConn's first priority on Monday

There are a litany of factors that you can point to and say "this was why UConn beat Kentucky."

DeAndre Liggins and Darius Miller combined to shoot 2-14. Terrence Jones never got into a rhythm offensively. The Wildcats have just five second chance points despite getting 15 offensive rebounds. Josh Harrellson looked like Josh Harrellson from the past three years, not the past three weeks. All of those assertions would be correct.

But the biggest problem Kentucky had was that Brandon Knight, the guy that had been the Wildcat's sparkplug all season long, struggled. He was 6-23 from the floor and 3-11 from deep. He finished with 17 points, but as Calhoun put it last night, those were "expensive points".


The credit -- or blame, depending on your perspective -- for that 6-23 performance lands squarely on the shoulders of Shabazz Napier and Kemba Walker. Those two did a terrific job of keeping Knight in check. They hounded him when he had the ball in his hands and made coming off of every screen difficult. They gave him no room to breathe offensively, cutting down driving lanes and forcing him to take tough, contested shots all night long.

And that is exactly what the Huskies are going to need Walker and Napier to do against Shelvin Mack on Monday night.

Mack plays almost the same role for the Bulldogs that Knight plays for Kentucky. He's technically their point guard, but he's more of a scorer that handles then ball than anything. He's the guy who has the ball in his hands when Butler really needs a back or at the end of a clock. He's Butler's play maker. He's the guy they rely on to take, and make, big shots.

He's also going to be a much more difficult matchup for Walker and Napier.

Brandon Knight is quick and agile. He's tough, but he's not all that strong. When he is playing well, he is beating defenders off of the dribble. Mack is a much stronger player. He can bull his way to the rim and keep a defender on his hip. As good as Walker and Napier are defensively, their real strength on the defensive end of the floor comes in their quickness and agility.

Mack will be a tough matchup for the UConn guards.

Then again, Mack is a tough matchup for anyone. That's generally the case when you are an all-american.

And slowing down Mack, keeping him from having the kind of performance he had against Kentucky, Pitt, and Florida, will be UConn's first priority on Monday night.
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Butler's unsung heroes have been the difference makers

HOUSTON - Butler may be the team playing in the second consecutive national title game, but I don't think anyone would disagree with the fact that the UConn Huskies are far and away the more talented basketball team.

And I don't say that as a diss to Butler. Truly.

UConn has three guys in their starting lineup that will likely play in the NBA in Kemba Walker, Jeremy Lamb, and Alex Oriakhi. They have kids getting minutes off of their bench that were top 50 or top 100 recruits coming out of high school. Butler? For as good as Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard, and company are, they rely on much more than natural ability to survive.


Matt Howard is a relentless worker around the basket. He's one of those guys whose engine is always running, who is always trying to get better position. He's a blue collar glue guy that just so happens to be a 42.6% three point shooter with an excellent post game.

Shelvin Mack has what I would term as old man game. He's not going to jump over or blow by you. But he's strong with his dribble and understands how to use that strength to bully defenders. The best aspect of his game, however, is his jumper. He doesn't need much space to get it off, he has range out to about 28 feet, and he seems to shoot better and better when there is more riding on the shot.

But what makes Butler so dangerous is that the rest of their guys, the players that should be intimidated by the moment and opponent, play like they are all-americans as well. The last two games, the most important run of the game has been sparked by unlikely sources.

Last weekend, with Butler down 51-40 to Florida midway through the second half, seldom-used freshman Chrishawn Hopkins -- he had played just seven minutes in four games since mid-January -- came in and had an assist and a three in the span of about 30 seconds. Those two plays changed the momentum of the game and allowed Butler to make a run that forced overtime.

Last night against VCU, the Rams had erased Butler's six point halftime lead with an 11-2 run. But senior sharpshooter Zach Hahn -- who had scored all nine points and made all of four field goals in four tournament games -- buried back-to-back threes and then gave Butler the lead for good with a crafty, up-and-under layup. The efforts of Khyle Marshall, an athletic 6'7" freshman forward, in the first half should not go unnoticed either. VCU was on fire early, and Marshall's work on the offensive glass and in the paint early in the first half kept VCU at arm's length.

Butler probably doesn't make the Final Four without those two plays from Hopkins. They may not have made the title game without eight straight points from Zach Hahn or that early hustle from Marshall.

None of those three players would be labeled a hero after their performance. That moniker goes to Mack, who put Butler up seven late in the second half with 10 straight points, and Howard, who followed up a miss with an offensive rebound and putback with less than a minute left. The post game press conferences still featured the team's stars. But Butler's unsung heroes are who have gotten them to this point in the season.

That is part of the luxury of having made back-to-back national title games. The Bulldogs won't be tight on Monday night. They've been here before. They came up two points short of a national title just one year ago. Butler will not be nervous. Their role players will not be blinded by the bright lights in Houston.

That's a dangerous quality for a team like Butler to have.

So who steps up against UConn on Monday night?
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Shelvin Mack, Zach Hahn spark Butler's victory

This post can also be found at Beyond the Arc.

HOUSTON - Shelvin Mack and Zach Hahn are not easily confused.

In appearance or in style of play.

Mack is a ball-dominating point guard, a penetrator with deep range on his jump shot. He's built like a full back which allows him to bull his way to the rim and bounce off of defenders. He's developed a reputation for hitting big shots in the clutch, meaning he is just as strong mentally as he is physically.

Hahn may as well be Mack's polar opposite. He's a scrawny, left-handed jump shooter. He had taken all of 32 shots from inside the arc this season coming into tonight's game. The muscle definition in his arms is reminiscent of an 11 year old's.

But it was Hahn who sparked, and Mack who carried, the decisive run in Butler's 70-62 win over VCU in the first semifinal on Saturday.

After VCU went on an early run, Butler had regained control of the game late in the first half, taking a 34-28 lead into the break. But another hot VCU start -- they opened the second half on a 11-2 run -- had the Rams in a position to take control of the game.

Cue Zach Hahn.

The senior hit a three with 13 minutes left in the game to put the Bulldogs up 39-38. After scored on a layup and drew a foul, putting VCU back ahead by two, Hahn drilled another three. Brandon Rozzell gave VCU the lead back, but Hahn hit a tough, up and under layup with 12:22 left in the game that gave the Bulldogs a 44-43 lead.

All told, Hahn scored eight straight points. Coming into tonight, he had hit four shots and scored nine points in the four tournament games.

"There's certain guys that think they should be playing in these games," Butler head coach Brad Stevens said after the game. "He's one of those guys. He just has a mindset of, 'When I'm open, I'm gonna make it'. I'm gonna take big ones."

"He's not the most athletic guy in the world. He's not the biggest guy in the world. But there's a reason why he's playing major minutes in the national semifinals. Just another great senior in this program."

Butler never trailed again after Hahn made that up-and-under layup.

And while Hahn deserves the credit for getting Butler back into the lead, this game was won by Mack. Two possessions after Hahn hit that layup, Mack drilled a deep three to extend the Butler lead to four points. After two Skeen free throws, Mack hit another three. After a driving layup and a tough, fadeaway 15 footer from the wing, Mack had scored 10 straight points and given the Bulldogs a 54-47 lead with less than nine minutes left.

VCU never got closer than four the rest of the way.

"An incredible basketball player, he has a will and determination that's unlike some other guys," Matt Howard said after the game. "You know, he many times has carried this basketball team, and that's still playing within our offense."

"That's what Shelvin is, he's a great basketball player. Again, you saw evidence of that again tonight."

Howard is exactly right.

Mack is not as highly regarded as his point guard counterparts playing in the second semifinal. He's not going to be an NBA player. His physical limitations are the reason that a kid from Lexington -- a kid that turned out to be a college all-american -- didn't end up at Kentucky.

What makes Mack special is his heart. His leadership. All those cliched sayings that coaches have about "intangibles" and "things you can't teach"? That's all Mack. At some point, you have to look past how tall a player is or how high he can jump. Mack is a shot maker. He is the kind of player that a coach not only can trust, but wants, to have the ball in his hands late in a game.

"He was a killer tonight. He stepped up and made some huge, huge shots, particularly from behind the arc," VCU head coach Shaka Smart said after the game. "He's a high-level player. I think he's as good of a college basketball player as any of the guards in the Final Four."

"I'm not an NBA guy. I don't know how all that works. But I would take Shelvin Mack on my team just as quickly as I would take any of the other guards that played in this tournament."

All told, Mack finished with 24 points on 8-11 shooting from the floor and 5-6 from three. But for how well he shot the ball, Mack had just a single assist. It came with 3:04 left in the game. With just six seconds left on the shot clock, Mack drew the VCU defense and gave the ball up to senior Shawn Vanzant. Vanzant buried a three that put Butler ahead 61-54.

It was arguably the biggest bucket of the game.

That's why Brad Stevens trusts, and wants, the ball in Mack's hands at the end of the game.
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Final Four Preview: No. 8 Butler vs. No. 11 VCU

This is the matchup that fans of mid-major basketball have been dreaming of.

The fourth place team from the Colonial and a 13-5 tri-champion from the Horizon square off for the right to head to the title game. The only problem? Who do you root for? Butler, who almost seems like the bad guy, coming off of last year's title game? Or do you root for plucky upstart VCU, the team with the coach with a funny name and a bunch of guys that bomb away from three?

In all reality, it really doesn't matter who you side with. The bottom line is that for a second straight season we will be having a true mid-major playing for the national title. And that is amazing.


The Details: VCU taking on Butler is the most unlikely matchup in the history of the Final Four.

I don't think that can be denied. A No. 11 seed and a No. 8 seed meeting up for the right to play for a national title? That is unprecedented.

But unprecedented and undeserving are two completely different things. You may have qualms with the fact that VCU or Butler got into the NCAA Tournament, but you cannot argue the fact that both teams absolutely earned their way to the Final Four. Butler beat three of the top four teams in their region. VCU only took out two of the top three seeds, but they also had to win a play-in game for the right to make it this far.

Both of these are quality basketball teams. Both of them are playing their best basketball of the season right now. That is a dangerous combination.

What will be interesting here is Butler and VCU play very different styles. The Bulldogs are almost a station to station team. They don't get out in transition all that much. They don't try to push the pace. They would much rather play one possession at a time, getting a stop at one and patiently executing their offense at the other.

VCU? They play at a much more kinetic pace. The Rams aren't exactly an up-and-down team like, say, a North Carolina, but they do like do pressure in the back court. The goal is to either force a turnover or force their opponent to rush on the offensive end of the floor. If Butler's veteran back court can avoid getting flustered by VCU's press, the Rams are not a very good half court defensive team. Offensively, VCU spreads the floor and likes to shoot the first open three that they get.


Key matchup: Bradford Burgess

For much of this tournament, I've said that Jamie Skeen was the guy that created the matchup problems for VCU. And while that was true for much of the tournament, the same could be same for Matt Howard. Both are big, strong senior forwards that can score in the post, defend, rebound, and knock down a three. That matchup will be one of the things I look forward to watching the most in the first game on Saturday night.

But the key matchup is going to be Bradford Burgess, VCU's 6'6" small forward. Burgess is not a post player. He doesn't have the size or the strength for it. He doesn't have a back to the basket game, either. The majority of his scoring comes as a result of his perimeter jumper -- either he's knocking down a three or using the threat of the three to put the ball on the floor and get by his defender. Burgess is almost like a shooting guard in that regard, but since he stands 6'6", Shaka Smart slides him over to the four quite a bit. In fact, playing Burgess at the four is VCU's best lineup. He makes their offense that much more dangerous, especially when paired with Skeen, and he plays the top of their 1-2-1-1 press.

Who on Butler guards him? If the Bulldogs go big, its going to have to be Howard, who would get toasted defensively on the perimeter. If that's the case, Howard (or Andrew Smith) would also have an advantage of their own in the paint. Khyle Marshall, an athletic 6'7" freshman, might be a better option, but it eliminates the mismatch Butler would receive.


Key stat: Butler's turnovers

While VCU has played some terrific basketball on the defensive end of the floor over the last two weeks, they are not a great defensive team. They struggle in the half court, in large part because they are not a very good defensive rebounding team.


Where VCU is effective, however, is in their press. They run a 1-2-1-1 press, which is very aggressive. They try and trap the first pass in bounds, looking to force turnovers and to get their opponent to play out of control. It worked against Kansas, as the Rams were able to build their lead by forcing the Jayhawks out of their rhythm. VCU doesn't force a ton of turnovers, but they are very good at creating steals, live ball turnovers that lead to easy basket.

Butler, however, has an experienced back court. They are one of the best teams in the country at not turning the ball over. If VCU;s pressure is effective, they have a great chance at winning this game.


X-factor: The wings

The stars for these two teams are at the point and in the post. Joey Rodriguez and Shelvin Mack are the two guys that makes their teams hum. Matt Howard and Jamie Skeen are the bread winners of the club. You pretty much know what you are going to get out of those guys.

What you don't know is which Brandon Rozzell is going to show up. He's one of the streakiest shooters in the country, which means that I would not be surprised to see him go for 25 points or fro three points on 1-9 shooting. Rozzell's Butler counterpart? Zack Hahn and Chase Stigall. Both of those kids have the ability to knock down a couple of threes in a row. Darius Theus and Rob Brandenburg of VCU are two youngsters that have made some big plays and had some big games for VCU as well this year.

Perhaps the x-factor, then, will be Ronald Nored and Shawn Vanzant of Butler. Nored is known as one of the best defenders in the country, and Vanzant is not that far behind. How well the fair against Rozzell and company will be an important factor.


And the winner is?: Butler

I'm taking Butler's experience. This is a team that just knows how to win. And with all due respect to VCU, the Rams have played out of their minds for the past five games. At some point, that run has to come to an end.
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