Butler's season ended the same as last with a loss in the title game, but this year's game against Connecticut did not come down to a last second shot as it did against Duke. UConn used a strong second second half to pull away from Butler to win 53-41.
In the pregame show analysts were saying that whoever would get to 70 points would win the game, and then Charles Barkley chimed in by saying whoever got to 60 points would win. The game was even a lower scoring game then Barkley thought himself.
The first half was a low scoring game, but the teams were exchanging baskets with the half ending on a Butler three-pointer by Shelvin Mack, giving Butler a 22-19 lead. Then the second half began and UConn started making shots and adjusted their game, pulling away to a double-digit lead and never looking back.
Butler had their worst shooting game of the year as they ended the game shooting only 18 percent from the field and their star Matt Howard shot a woeful 1-of-13 from the field and 4-of-4 from the line to score seven points. UConn was not doing much better, but when shooting 34 percent nearly doubles what your opponent is shooting, UConn looks much better.
With approximately two minutes left in the game and Butler trailing by 14 points, Butler's Shelvin Mack scored his first points of the second half by sinking two straight three-pointers to cut the lead to eight points. It looked like Butler was going to make a final run to get back into the game, but UConn squashed the comeback attempt with four free-throws by Kemba Walker to seal the win.
Walker, who had a poor shooting night by going 5-of-19 from the field, did lead all scores with 16 points. The last team to score less then the 53 points and win the NCAA tournament was the 1949 Kentucky team, which scored 46 points in their win over Oklahoma A&M.
This win by Connecticut gave the Huskies their third national title in school history, and all three have came under legendary head coach Jim Calhoun.