Can the Butler Do It?

National Championship Game Preview


Butler vs. Duke

Matchup to watch: Gordon Hayward vs. Kyle Singler. Hayward was one of the lone offensive standouts in a dire semifinal against Michigan State, and is the Bulldog's go-to scorer. His play against the Spartans shows that he can play against the toughest defenses, but Duke's D seems to be on another level right now. Singler was awful in the Elite Eight, but rebounded with a productive game to help oust West Virginia. Hes just one of the Big Three that--if clicking--has the potential to produce a rout--but perhaps the most crucial. Scheyer will stay on the perimeter with Nolan Smith, so it could be up to Singler to cut to the basket and feed the bigs underneath.

Can I see some ID?: Butler coach Brad Stevens looks 18, but coaches like he's 58. He seems to have the necessary savvy to outwit even the best coaches in the game, including Boeheim and Izzo. Next up: Coach K, who took over the Duke job when Steven's was all of 3 years old. A title tonight would give him his fourth national championship, and first since 2001, which would go along nicely with that Olympic Gold Medal.

Fenced In: Prepare for a low-scoring final. Both of these squads are two of the best defensive units in the country, and have shown it during the tournament. In its five tournament games, Butler has yet to allow more than 59 points. The Blue Devils did allow 71 points to Baylor, but that game was a drubbing, a lot more than the final tally indicates. Their length and quickness could really disrupt a methodical Butler offense, much like Florida was able to do in the 2006 final against slow-it-down UCLA.

Board Exam: The Duke big men--Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek--should be able to control the rebounding statistics much as they have throughout the tournament. As such, it will be crucial for the Bulldog's to keep second-chance points to a minimum. The Blue Devils aren't the most prolific three-point shooting team around, but are streaky and have caught fire over the past two games. Butler will be vulnerable to some of those second-chance long-range bombs, so having a bit of luck and a ton of bricks could keep them close.

Prediction: Duke 68, Butler 59.