Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Tough to think of a more dramatic finish to the NCAA Tournament; a half-court shot for the national title...that bounces off the rim.
*******
Duke and Butler gave the country quite a show last night--a 61-59 Duke win that was played the "Butler way."
The Bulldogs embodied their team mascot, tenaciously hanging on to the collective leg of the Blue Devils. Butler's slow-it-down, lock-it-down, knock-it-down style was on display all night long, all tournament long, and it almost paid off in a national championship.
Last night, the 'Dogs shot 34%, were outrebounded, went almost eight minutes without a field goal, and were right there at the end. When Duke intentionally missed a free throw with 3.6 seconds to play (more on that ahead), the Bulldogs' best player got as good a look as he could have hoped for under the circumstances, and had Gordon Hayward's shot dropped, "Hoosiers" would have had a worthy sequel.
*******
Evidently, Brian Zoubek was given conflicting instructions by the Duke coaching staff after he made the first of two free throws in the closing seconds. A second free throw make would have made it practically impossible for Duke to lose the game in regulation, while the intentional miss gave Butler just what it got--a rushed shot, but a good look to win the game.
Granted, Butler was out of timeouts, and needed to expend time collecting a rebound before firing up a desperation shot, but if that Hayward shot drops, Dukes loses the game! How does Duke intentionally give Butler that chance to win? If Duke makes the free throw, then properly defends the inbounds play, chances are the Bulldogs won't get a much better shot than they ended up getting anyway. And even then, a three-pointer only ties the game. Duke's game-ending strategy was unusual, and one that came thiiiiiiis close to backfiring.
*******
Duke's championship credentials and the pedigree of head coach Mike Krzyzewski are unassailable. When the Blue Devils win national titles, you are not surprised. All of the elements of a consistent championship contender are in place: from great coaching, to blue-chip recruiting, to player retention--and it's accomplished with high-character players and lofty institutional standards. By any measure, Duke is to be admired.
*******
By the same token, what Butler accomplished this season may end up turning into a blueprint of sorts for teams both in and out of the Power Six conferences.
The Bulldogs were not without talent, but they were in essence a home-grown product, with ten Indiana natives on the roster, and not a single McDonald's All-American in the bunch. By contrast, Duke has only two North Carolinians on its roster, and six McDonald's All-Americans, including four starters.
Yet, Butler was a few inches away from beating mighty Duke last night in Indianapolis, and you know that coaches from teams around the country were taking notice and taking notes.
Butler averaged 61 points a game for the NCAA Tournament and shot 36% or worse in half of its six tournament games; hardly the model for a long tourney run. But the Bulldogs demonstrated the value of tempo control, physical defense, extraordinary hustle, one or two go-to shot-makers, and forcing favored teams to tighten up as the games remained tight.
*******
In the end, Butler didn't need to beat 333 other teams--the Bulldogs needed to beat six teams, and took care of five in whichever way was required to win those five games.
The ability to implement particular strengths and exploit particular matchups is one of the great things about the NCAA Tournament, and the tourney's unique format and appeal were on prominent display over the last two-and-a-half weeks.
*******
The NCAA Tournament's expected expansion to 96 teams and Butler's tourney run may combine to create an unintended by-product: shakier job security in the coaching profession.
On the one front, the field of 96 will represent a new cut-off line of sorts; a coach not making the field will in essence be on notice, whether for a season, or two, or whatever. Making the field of 96 becomes the new standard--a more forgiving standard, to an extent, but a more easily-defined litmus test.
Then, you might have ADs holding coaches to the "Butler Standard." You can almost imagine the conversation, with the AD saying "if that team with ten Hoosiers and no high school all-Americans and a 33-year old coach can come within a shot of the national title, then how come we (can't make the tournament/can't advance in the tournament/can't win the tournament)?"
Good news for Butler may be bad news for some coaches (except Brad Stevens, who is in great shape).
*******
