Note: With the Horizon League celebrating the 10th anniversary of its name change, the League will be looking back at 10 significant moments from the last 10 years.
In an era in which fans and pundits debate the merits of paying student-athletes, and even the term "student-athlete," Butler stands as the example. Carrying the Horizon League banner to its highest points, the Bulldogs (and the Horizon League) have defined "student-athletes," showing that teams can still achieve at the highest level of NCAA competition while still excelling in the classroom.
Butler entered the 2010 NCAA Tournament a household name, having reached the tournament in each of the three previous seasons. But what the Bulldogs embarked on over the next three weeks captured the attention of the country - for all the right reasons.
An 18-point beating of UTEP opened the tournament for Butler (though the Bulldogs trailed at the half), and then the Bulldogs used stifling defense in the closing seconds to reach the Sweet 16 with a 54-52 win over Murray State, stealing the ball as the clock ticked to zero.
Working around mid-terms in San Jose, the Bulldogs were on to Salt Lake City, where they faced No. 1 seed and basketball machine Syracuse. Again the defense carried Butler, along with timely shooting. By the time Syracuse knew what hit them, the Bulldogs had advanced to the Elite Eight with a 63-59 win. One more game for the Final Four - in Indianapolis - again it was Butler blitzing its opponent early and a tired Kansas State team was the victim as Butler returned to Indianapolis victors, 63-56.
Now the story became extremely interesting - with the Final Four just over five miles away, the Bulldogs did something unparalleled - they went to class. Every day. With swarms of fans around, Butler continued to do what made the Bulldogs special - embodying the vales of the Horizon League and the Butler Way throughout.
A 52-50 win over Michigan State was the reward, as Butler even went to class the day of the national championship game. In an epic national title game, Butler fell agonizingly short, 61-59, to Duke, and that was where the story was supposed to come to an end.
Returning to the Final Four? For a Horizon League team? A long shot. But again, that's where Butler found itself in 2011, through tenacity, character and defense. There would be no blowouts in this run. Matt Howard, the men's basketball Academic All-American of the Year, would hit a buzzer-beater to knock off Old Dominion in the second round, then follow up the dramatics with a free throw to put Butler in the Sweet 16 in a classic upset of top-seeded Pittsburgh.
The closest Butler would come to a blowout came in New Orleans, when they locked down on Wisconsin, building a 20-point lead en route to a 61-54 victory. Depth would carry the Bulldogs to the Final Four, with Academic All-America nominee Zach Hahn connecting on a clutch three-pointer and freshman Khyle Marshall complementing Shelvin Mack's torrid shooting in a 74-71 overtime win over Florida.
Back in the national spotlight, Butler continued to march as it always had - with highly-talented, high-character players who bought into the message of team. The Bulldogs controlled their Final Four matchup with VCU, 70-62, returning to the national title game.
Though they would come up short against Connecticut, Butler continued to show that true student-athletes can rise to the top, serving as a beacon during the national debate about intercollegiate athletics.
