Tournament Tracker: April 3

HOUSTON -- Butler head coach Brad Stevens often speaks about his dislike for talking with his senior about their final collegiate game.  However, for the second straight year, the Bulldogs' seniors will play in the last final basketball game of the season - the National Championship.

Stevens said postgame: "We've just got to be one shot better than last year.  That's the bottom line."  Shelvin Mack would not be denied on Saturday.

Butler has been focused on this moment since last April.  The Bulldogs have valued every possession.

The beauty of the Bulldogs comes in watching them take away what the opposition wants to do, writes Joe Posnanski.  There will be no settling for second among Butler, scribes Pat Forde.

This Final Four has taken on a business-trip feel for the Bulldogs:

Ronald Nored's biggest play of the game came before it, says Dana O'Neil.

Zach Hahn scored eight straight points midway through the second half to lift the Bulldogs.  The senior met with WTHR-TV after the game:



FOX-59 caught up with Nored postgame:



All Matt Howard does is win.  His understudy, freshman Khyle Marshall, has rapidly developed in this tournament.

Both Butler and Connecticut share Cinderella traits this Tournament.  Maybe we shouldn't be surprised to see Butler here.  The dream remains alive.  Discipline has been the key for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs have joined the elite programs in America, doing it the right way, says Bob Ryan.  Andy Katz sums it up: "The Bulldogs will do something the elite programs often only dream about: They will play for a national championship two years in a row."

Butler is scripting a follow-up to Hoosiers.  To borrow a phrase from the film, Butler can win it for all the little guys. The Bulldogs have earned their trip to the national championship.

Matt White, a Butler alumnus who gave the Bulldogs an inspirational speech during the Final Four last season, did the same again this year.  Luke Winn has the details of that letter.

Blue II has been living the high life in Houston.

Focus turns to the players in the national title game.

NCAA.com has the highlights: