SB Nation Denver - NCAA Tournament Championship: UConn Defeats Butler, 53-41https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48907/denver-fave.png2011-04-04T22:20:39-06:00http://denver.sbnation.com/rss/stream/18153582011-04-04T22:20:39-06:002011-04-04T22:20:39-06:00NCAA Championship Game 2011: UConn Huskies Defeat Butler Bulldogs, 53-41, To Win The National Title
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<p>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. </p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>The first half was a low scoring game, but the teams were exchanging baskets with the half ending on a Butler three-pointer by <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52849/shelvin-mack" class="sbn-auto-link">Shelvin Mack</a>, 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. </p>
<p>Butler had their worst shooting game of the year as they ended the game shooting only 18 percent from the field and their star <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/27063/matt-howard" class="sbn-auto-link">Matt Howard</a> 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.</p>
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<p>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 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52415/kemba-walker" class="sbn-auto-link">Kemba Walker</a> to seal the win.</p>
<p>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 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NCAA_Men's_Division_I_Basketball_Champions#Winners" target="_blank">1949 Kentucky team, which scored 46 points in their win over Oklahoma A&M</a>. </p>
<p>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.</p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/2011/4/4/2091533/uconn-vs-butler-final-score-ncaa-chmapionshipJeremy Mauss2011-04-04T10:27:27-06:002011-04-04T10:27:27-06:00NCAA Championship Game 2011: Butler Vs. UConn
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<p>For the second straight year, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/butler-bulldogs">Butler Bulldogs</a> are once again playing in the NCAA championship game, having lost to Duke, 61-59, last year. Meanwhile, the UConn Huskies seek their third tournament title, last having won it in 2004. Can the No. 8 Bulldogs overcome the No. 3 Huskies?</p>
<p>Butler entered the 2011 NCAA Tournament on a nine-game winning streak and a Horizon League championship. It took several tough games to reach this point. In the second round, the Bulldogs defeated Old Dominion by two points, 60-58, which put them in a third-round game against No. 1 Pittsburgh. They squeaked by the Panthers, 71-70, and then had their easiest win of the tournament against No. 4 Wisconsin, 61-54. In the Elite Eight, head coach Brad Stevens' team ran into the No. 2 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/florida-gators">Florida Gators</a> and needed overtime for the 74-71 victory. Butler then faced perhaps the hottest team in the tournament, the VCU Rams, in the Final Four. A close game for the most part, the Bulldogs came away with the 70-62 victory.</p>
<p>Butler's leading scorer is <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/27063/matt-howard">Matt Howard</a> at 16.7 points, though followed closely by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52849/shelvin-mack">Shelvin Mack</a> at 16.1 points. Howard leads the team in rebounds as well with 7.8 per game. Mack has picked things up during the tournament to average 21.8 points over five tournament games.</p>
<p>The story of the Huskies has been <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52415/kemba-walker">Kemba Walker</a>, who made shot-after-shot, key play-after-key play for the Huskies in the Big East Tournament. In the NCAA Tournament, Walker continued his hot streak with big games against Bucknell and Cincinnati. Having scored 33 points against Cincinnati, Walker put up 36 points on the No. 2 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/san-diego-st-aztecs">San Diego St. Aztecs</a> in a 74-67 victory. With the help of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123382/jeremy-lamb">Jeremy Lamb</a>'s 19 points, Walker added an additional 20 points to defeat Derrick Williams and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/arizona-wildcats">Arizona Wildcats</a> to advance to the Final Four. Against Kentucky, Walker's 18 points, six rebounds and seven assists helped the Huskies to a 56-55 victory.</p>
<p>SB Nation's Andrew Sharp says go with the Huskies for the victory, but expect Butler to cover the spread. I'll also go with UConn because of Walker's presence, but think the Huskies can pull off a five- or six-point victory.</p>
<p>CBS will have the broadcast starting at 7:00 p.m. MT, but tip-off won't take place until 7:23 p.m.</p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/2011/4/4/2090127/final-four-championship-2011-butler-uconn-time-predictionRuss Oates2011-04-02T22:57:16-06:002011-04-02T22:57:16-06:00Final Four: UConn Edges Out Kentucky For Trip To Title Game, 56-55
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<p>Most of the first half was a low scoring ugly game, but then Connecticut picked up their game and ended the half on an impressive 20-10 run to take a 31-21 led at intermission. During that run UConn's defense stepped up as well and held Kentucky to a cold stretch of 4-of-17 to finish the half. To start the second half Kentucky starting heating up by going on a14-2 run coming out of halftime and to secure 39-38 lead at the 12 minute mark. During that stretch Kentucky made three three-pointers. </p>
<p>From that point on the game was a back-and-forth affair until the final buzzer, and it was, of course, UConn's Kemba Walker who led the Huskies to victory by leading all players with 18 points. Kentucky's Brandon Knight did his best to keep Kentucky in the game during the second half and ended up with 17 points.</p>
<p>In the final moments of the game Kentucky had a chance to win when UConn's Shabazz Napier turned the ball over with 16 seconds left, but Kentucky's DeAndre Liggins was able to get off an unsuccessful three-point shot off. Napier was able to grab the rebound on the miss shot, was fouled and then made the ensuing free throws to secure the game for Connecticut. </p>
<p>Connecticut takes on Butler for the national title Monday night.</p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/2011/4/2/2087925/final-four-uconn-kentucky-ncaa-tournamentJeremy Mauss2011-04-02T22:01:32-06:002011-04-02T22:01:32-06:00Final Four: Butler Defeats VCU 70-62 For A Return Trip To NCAA Championship Game
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<p>Butler's 70-62 win puts them back into the NCAA title game for the second year in a row and it marks the first time a team from a non-major league reached the title game since the 1983 and 1984 Houston team. The battle between Butler and VCU was a back-and-forth game throughout the evening, and the main difference in the game was the rebounding advantage that Butler had. The Bulldogs out rebounded VCU 46 to 30 overall and 15 to five on offensive rebounds. Even with that disparity VCU was able to keep this game close and have the outcome in doubt until about one minute left in the game.</p>
<p>VCU made their run in the tournament and after starting hot in the first half they cooled off and eventually ended up shooting 36 percent from three-point range. Butler was in the same boat as well and was shooting even worse then VCU, but they made up for it from the free throw line where Butler had 26 attempts compared to VCU's 13 attempts. </p>
<p>VCU's Jamie Skeen did all he could to keep his team in the game as he scored a game high 27 points and was only one of two VCU players to score in double-figures. Brandon Rozzell who had been having an excellent tournament for VCU had one of hi worst games of the year by scoring only two points and five rebounds. </p>
<p>To start the second half both VCU rushed out to a 7-0 lead, but that was the last time they would take the lead as Butler responded witha 10-2 run of their own to take a 56-52 lead. Butler kept onto that lead and when Butler seemed to have the game won with a 61-54 lead, but then VCU guard Jamie Skeen hit a three-pointer to make it 61-57 and was fouled with 2:34 left in the game. After a television timeout, Skeen missed the golden chance of converting on a four-point play and cut the lead to three. That was the end of the game as Butler's Matt Howard scored the next four points to put the game out reach for VCU.</p>
<p>Butler now takes on Connecticut in the national championship game Monday night.</p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/2011/4/2/2087842/butler-vcu-final-four-score-2011-ncaa-championshipJeremy Mauss2011-04-02T11:20:32-06:002011-04-02T11:20:32-06:00NCAA Bracket 2011 Update: Connecticut Vs. Kentucky, A More Traditional Final Four Matchup
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/connecticut-huskies">Connecticut </a>against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kentucky-wildcats">Kentucky </a>is what fans are used to seeing in the Final Four and is the complete opposite of <a target="_blank" href="http://denver.sbnation.com/2011/4/1/2086225/vcu-butler-final-four">Butler vs. VCU.</a> UConn and Kentucky have already played once this season, but the game was played all the way back in November at the Maui Invite and ended with <a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=303280096">UConn destroying Kentucky 84-67</a>.</p>
<p>The two teams were much different back then as Kentucky was still meshing in a new group of talent to replace the four first round picks they lost in the 2010 NBA Draft. At the time UConn was just known for <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52415/kemba-walker">Kemba Walker</a> and were not ranked at the time of their win over Kentucky.</p>
<p>Back to the present and UConn won the Big East tournament as a nine-seed and has made their fourth Final Four run under head coach Jim Calhoun. Kentucky did not win the regular season or post season in the SEC and was not expected to make a Final Four run this year, but here they are as a completely different group of talent from last year's team.</p>
<p>The obvious player to watch for UConn is All-American Kemba Walker who has the ability to take over games with his scoring, especially from three-point range. Teams have tried to use a zone defense to limit Walker's ability to drive to the bucket, but that did not work as he just shot over the zone regardless if it was a 2-3, matchup zone or really any type of zone opposing coaches would throw at him. Since the Big East tournament, Walker has been aided by the scoring of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123382/jeremy-lamb">Jeremy Lamb</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123385/shabazz-napier">Shabazz Napier</a>. Lamb is also does a great job of getting Walker the ball in position's where he can catch and shoot, and Napier is a pure scorer who can not knock down the deep shot.Outside of those three the Huskies are not that deep and their front court is where could have issues.</p>
<p>As for Kentucky, they are led by Brandon Knight and Terrence Jones. Knight is a player that must be guarded at all times on the court as he has the type of range that must be respected as deep as 30-feet from the basket. The freshman also has a knack for draining big time shots and Kentucky wants him to have the ball when the game is on the line. Jones is one heck of a talent, but if he is not on his game then he is just a decent player. He has the versatility to shoot the three-point shot and can post up smaller defenders down low. Jones can create mismatches for the opposing team and could be the difference for Kentucky. Center <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/53436/josh-harrellson">Josh Harrellson</a> has perhaps been the reason that Kentucky has made it to the Final Four. He has been playing out of his mind</p>
<p>Perhaps the most important player to the Wildcats down the tournament stretch has been Josh Harrellson. The unheralded senior center has played out of his mind in the last two weeks. He has had two double-doubles in the tournament so far and has doubled his scoring average from just over seven per game to 15 per game.</p>
<p>Both of these coaches are two of the best over the past 20 years and the game will come down to who can out coach the other and create the matchups to their advantages.</p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/2011/4/2/2086877/ncaa-bracket-2011-uconn-kentucky-final-fouurJeremy Mauss2011-04-01T23:04:45-06:002011-04-01T23:04:45-06:00NCAA Bracket 2011 Update: VCU Vs. Butler Is A Historic Final Four
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<p>VCU comes into the game as the biggest Cinderella story in the history of the <a href="http://denver.sbnation.com/2011/3/15/2051317/march-madness-2011-schedule-trutv-uab-clemson" target="_blank">NCAA Tournament</a> since many experts felt they should have not even made it into the field of 68, and some fans have even retaliated with<a href="http://www.mwcconnection.com/2011/3/31/2083152/just-awesome-this-comes-from-kburke" target="_blank"> t-shirts against ESPN's Jay Bilas</a>. While, Butler is trying to become the first non-major school to make it to back-to-back trips to the title game since University of Houston's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakeem_Olajuwon#University_of_Houston_and_.22Phi_Slama_Jama.22" target="_blank">Phi Slama Jamma</a> made the title game in 1983 and 1984.</p>
<h3><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; font-weight: normal;">Butler has two key players that VCU needs to look out for and the are forward Matt Howard and guard Shelvin Mack. Both players were in the title game last year and have become the leaders of this team now that last year's star Gordon Hayward is in the NBA with the Utah Jazz.</span></h3>
<p>Howard is a power forward who is capable of scoring down low as well being able to step back and shoot the long-range jumper, including being able to make the occasional three-pointer. So far in this tournament Howard has hit two game winning points, first against Old Dominion in their first game and then again to beat PItt to advance to the Sweet 16..</p>
<p>Shelvin Mack has taken advantaged of Howard's newfound outside shot which has allowed Mack to have a more free flowing game. Mack was able to use the open space all season, and especially against Florida due to the threat of Howard's improved outside shot. </p>
<p>As for VCU they are led by Bradford Burgess and Jamie Skeen who run an exceptional inside-and-outside game. The two average just under 30 points per game as well as 13 rebounds between the two. VCU is a deep team with Brandon Rozzell and Joey Rodriguez who round out the scoring as each average in double figures. Rozzell has been the key to the Rams tournament success as he is shooting about 53 percent from three-point range, and is the teams third scorer.</p>
<p>Butler has the experience by being in this situation last year and is a very smart team, but they do have their own issues in this game. The Bulldogs have had turnover issues with three of their four games where they had more then 10 turnovers and almost blew a 20-point lead against Wisconsin. </p>
<p>VCU has made it through the tournament by playing above their heads during this Final Four run as has Butler, but with the experience Butler has VCU will still need to force their way against Butler and take control of the game early to make it to the championship game.</p>
<p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">No. 11 VCU vs. No. 8 Butler, 6:09 p.m. ET, CBS (Nantz/Kellogg/Kerr/Wolfson)</span></p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/2011/4/1/2086225/vcu-butler-final-fourJeremy Mauss2011-03-27T18:51:46-06:002011-03-27T18:51:46-06:00Final Four 2011: Kentucky Joins Butler, UConn, VCU In Final Four
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<p>The No.4 seed <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kentucky-wildcats">Kentucky Wildcats</a> entered the Final Four of the 2011 NCAA Tournament following their 76-69 victory over the No. 2 seed <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/north-carolina-tar-heels">North Carolina Tar Heels</a>. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/127888/brandon-knight">Brandon Knight</a> led the Wildcats with 22 points, part of a balanced offensive attack. He shot 7-of-18 from the field (5-of-11 from beyond the arc), pulled down seven rebounds, dished the ball out for four assists and stole the ball three times.</p>
<p>Josh Harrellson and DeAndre Liggins each scored 12 points, and Terrence Jones and Darius Miller each added 11 points for Kentucky.</p>
<p>Tyler Zeller led the Tar Heels with 21 points and nine rebounds. John Henson added nine rebounds, helping North Carolina outrebound Kentucky, 35-30. They couldn't hit the trey all game long, making only three on 16 shots. Kentucky, on the other hand, made 12-of-22.</p>
<p>Here is the remaining schedule:</p>
<p><b>April 2</b><br><i>Final Four, Houston</i><br>No. 11 VCU vs. No. 8 Butler, 6:09 p.m. on CBS<br>No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 3 UConn, 8:49 p.m. on CBS</p>
<p><b>April 4</b><br>National Championship, 9 p.m. on CBS</p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/2011/3/27/2075773/final-four-2011-ncaa-bracket-update-butler-uconn-vcu-kentuckyRuss Oates2011-03-27T14:52:20-06:002011-03-27T14:52:20-06:00Final Four 2011 Update: VCU Upsets No. 1 Kansas, 71-61, Will Face Butler
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<p>The No. 11 seed <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/va-commonwealth-rams">Va. Commonwealth Rams</a> defeated the No. 1 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/kansas-jayhawks">Kansas Jayhawks</a>, 71-61, on Sunday afternoon to advance to the Final Four of the 2011 NCAA Tournament. The Rams led by as many as 18 points in the contest before earning passage to the next round with a 10-point victory.</p>
<p>In the first half, the Rams finished with a 14-point lead, 41-27, and then saw it shrink to 46-44 with 12 minutes left to play. However, Kansas' poor shooting ended their chances at a comeback. The Jayhawks shot 35.5 percent from the field and made only 2-of-22 from beyond the arc. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52448/marcus-morris">Marcus Morris</a> gave his best in the game, but 20 point and 16 rebounds weren't enough. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52447/markieff-morris">Markieff Morris</a> finished with 13 points and nine rebounds.</p>
<p>VCU's <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/25720/jamie-skeen">Jamie Skeen</a> hada game-high 26 points and pulled down nine rebounds. He shot 6-of-17 from the field (4-of-7 from beyond the arc). He was successful 10 out of 12 times from the line. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52918/bradford-burgess">Bradford Burgess</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/26995/joey-rodriguez">Joey Rodriguez</a> combined for 18 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/26993/brandon-rozzell">Brandon Rozzell</a> scored 12 points off the bench.</p>
<p>With Kansas' loss, there will be no No. 1s in the Final Four, the first since 2006.</p>
<p>George Mason in 2006 and LSU in 1986 were the only previous double-digit seeds to make the Final Four. Neither team advanced to the championship game. Can the VCU Rams turn the tides and do it? Find out on April 2 when the Rams face the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/butler-bulldogs">Butler Bulldogs</a>.</p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/2011/3/27/2075380/final-four-2011-update-vcu-basketball-kansas-butlerRuss Oates