NEW ORLEANS -- Butler’s basketball team wears T-shirts bearing the slogan, “The Game Honors Toughness.”
The Bulldogs were never more mentally and physically tough than they were here Saturday in New Orleans Arena when they overcame both their own shooting deficiencies, two double-digit deficits and the Florida Gators in overtime, 74-71.
The victory gave the Horizon League champions the NCAA Tournament’s Southeast Regional championship and a second straight berth in the Final Four. They will play the Southwest Regional victor next Saturday at Houston’s Reliant Stadium.
“These guys are fighters,” said Butler coach Brad Stevens during the jubilant, joyous post-game celebration. “There are no words to describe what they just did. And this was so much harder than last year.”
Florida coach Billy Donovan, whose teams had twice before (2000, 2007) eliminated Butler from the tournament, praised the Bulldogs for their “internal will and refusal to be denied.
“They had great, great heart tonight.”
Guard Shelvin Mack, playing with a sore ankle and a cut over his left eye, led Butler with 27 points, Matt Howard added 14 and Andrew Smith grabbed eight rebounds.
But two freshmen gave the Bulldogs an enormous lift. Khyle Marshall had 10 points and seven rebounds -- all offensive -- while seldom-used Chrishawn Hopkins hit a huge three-pointer that propelled Butler’s second half comeback.
Butler struggled from the free throw line (17 of 27) and the field (40 percent shooting, and only 9 of 33 on three-pointers) but made the shots and play when they had to. They also rebounded the bigger, brawnier Gators, 41-34.
Butler’s bench outscored Florida’s, 23-2. Ronald Nored made four critical free throws in the overtime. Zach Hahn knocked down two three-pointers in the first half that helped fuel Butler’s first comeback.
“We stayed together, stayed the course, figured it out and played resiliently,” said Stevens. “I’m just incredibly proud. They carried their coach today in a big way because I got out-coached big time.”
Florida had a 10-point lead in the first half and led by 11 with nine minutes to play. During a time our trailing by nine, Stevens told his team, “score, (defensive) stop, score.”
That’s what they did. Hopkins assisted to Howard for a basket, the Bulldogs got a stop, then Mack assisted to Hopkins for a three.
“The lead goes from nine to four and all of a sudden you get a ballgame and momentum late and that’s not a bad thing,” Stevens said.
Florida had the last possession in regulation but Erving Walker missed a three-pointer just before the horn. Erving misfired on another three-pointer with eight seconds left in overtime and Nored’s rebound sealed it for Butler.
The two big Bulldog plays in overtime were Mack’s three-pointer that gave the Bulldogs the lead for good and Marshall’s rebound putback of his own miss that turned into a three-point play when he was fouled.
It was a doubly sweet win for Marshall and Shawn Vanzant. They are both from Florida.
Butler becomes the first non-BCS team to make back to back Final Fours since UNLV in 1990 and 1991. It also is the first Indiana college to reach Final Fours in consecutive years. Butler also has knocked out the regional’s No. 1 and No. 2 seeds both years.
Butler stretched its winning streak to 13 and its overall record to 27-9. Florida closes at 29-8.
Butler had lost three overtime games this season before this.
“It doesn’t matter how you win, you just try to play the next one,” said Stevens.
The next one is in Houston. Incredible.
Tags: Butler - Men's Basketball · Horizon League - Men's Basketball
