Final Four Preview Game 1
No. 11 Virginia Commonwealth (28-11) vs. No. 8 Butler (27-9)
Tip: 5:09 p.m.
Line: Butler by 2.5
What?: VCU is winning by an average of nearly 15 points per game in this tournament. Other than a 1-point win against Florida State in OT in the Sweet 16, they have smoked everyone. USC, Georgetown, Purdue and Kansas were all double-digit margins.
Crazy to Think: VCU was one second from not getting the ball in bounded for the game-winning shot against FSU. If the ref's hand went into one more chop motion, VCU is called for a 5-second violation and FSU gets the ball thus preventing the game-winning layup in OT.
Along those same lines, Butler has had about a dozen of those "What if?" plays in this tournament.
Who Do We Want to Win: Since we're all about loving the little school that could, this is a win-win situation. We just want one of these teams to win the whole thing on Monday night.
The Pick: No way VCU keeps up their painfully hot shooting from outside. No way. Not for the third straight weekend. Butler has the best defensive guards in the tournament, and Shelvin Mack (right) and Ronald Nored make the difference.
- Mac Engel
Follow me on Twitter
@MacEngelProf
Comments