Defense Wins Championships

Both Butler and UCONN played tremendous defense in the first half. Few turnovers were committed, but numerous contested shots were taken. UCONN's superior length and athleticism enabled them to block several Butler shots. This left Butler skittish when it came time to shoot.

Still, Butler led at the half by the score of 22-21. In the second half, Butler's shooter woes went from bad to worse. They were clearly shaken by UCONN's defense, even when they were slightly open. UCONN managed to force Butler to take open shots from tough positions on the floor. Butler's field goal shooting hit historic lows. UCONN led 31-26 after a run led by Jeremy Lamb. At the point, the five point lead felt almost insurmountable.

Kemba Walker, UCONN's star, was not as bad as everyone else, particularly Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard, Butler's two stars who were unable to make anything. Butler still played solid defense in the second. UCONN managed just 30 points, including a spurt when Butler uncharacteristically played zone attempting to force turnovers and translate them into easy buckets. The zone was unsuccessful, one of coach Brad Stevens's only mistakes during the tournament.

In the end, UCONN won 53-41.