Wow.   What a game.  It may have been the best final game ever, but it would have ranked up there with the 1980 U.S. Hockey victory over the Soviets had Butler hit either of those two final shots.   A few quick thoughts about the game:

-          Butler is beyond mentally tough – they are mentally tenacious and serve as a great example of just how powerful the mental approach to the game can be.  They were stunned – completely in shock – that they lost that game.  After the game, it was almost as if they were the Houston of 1983 or Georgetown of 1985 that were the overwhelming favorite to win, only to be upset.

-          Kyle Singler from Duke can flat out play.   He was impressive off the pass and on the move.  Other than his last bad miss, he was the definition of an automatic shooter.

-          Butler had three plays that cost them big– all on defense and all on inbounds plays – and one in particular that was mind numbing to watch.  Before I could get the final word of “WATCH OUT FOR THE LOB!” out of my mouth,  Duke had executed the inbounds play.  Butler had somehow not only put a 6’1’ defender on a 6’5” inbounder, but also another 6’1”  defender on the receiver of the inbounds pass (Singler, who is 6′9″).  BOTH defenders had their back to the ball with Singler right under the basket.   It was painful to watch to play unfold as Duke easily lobbed the inbounds right up to the rim for the easy two.    Two points that would have been the difference at the end.

-          Both programs are class programs with tough, highly skilled players.  We couldn’t help but to watch though as the most dangerous players on both teams were outstanding ballhandlers (Scheyer , Singler, and Smith from Duke and Hayward from Butler)  Hayward and Singler both are great examples as to why all players, regardless of height, should learn to handle the ball.

Overall, it was a game that I could write about for days, and one that we will remember for a long time to come.  Butler I think officially set its mark that it is no longer just a nice little program that dominates its league – don’t be surprised to see them back in the final four.