Shawn Vansant and the Butler Bulldogs Prevail

In the ongoing saga that could easily eclipse both Hoosiers and The Blind Side, It was Shawn Vansant and an offensive rebound that Butler, Michigan State, and the basketball world will long remember. A forgettable player interrupting what would otherwise have been a routine play, for a team, in a season, which will arguably go down as the most memorable one in the history of the NCAA tournament.

Scarcely 6-feet tall, Vanzant snagged a one-armed rebound off the offensive glass at a critical juncture in Saturday's semifinal game.  Falling out of bounds and certain obscurity, Vanzant caught a glimpse of Gordon Hayward cutting to the basket and zipped him the ball for the layup.

That basket was Butler's only field goal in the final 12:17 of the defensive struggle. Hayward's bucket gave the Bulldogs a 50-46 lead. A lead which they desperately needed to fend off the Spartans in their 52-50 upset win.

It is Dangerously Close to Midnight, and Cinderella is still at the Dance

Unbelievable. Butler shocks second-seeded Kansas State; 63-56, to advance to its first Final Four. Ladies and gentlemen, it is getting dangerously close to midnight and Cinderella is still at the dance.

I was reading this morning that the Bulldog’s home court was used in the filming of “Hoosiers”. That, coupled with the realization that the Butler campus is a mere 5-miles from Lucas Oil Stadium, undoubtedly makes this the best fairy-tale team remaining in the tournament.

The Bad News Baylor Bears are arguably the next best story to get behind now that most pools are in tatters at this point. Sure, they’re a three-seed, but they can grab a Final Four appearance today (their first?) if they can knock out the perennial favorite blue blooded Blue Devils from Duke.