Despite 'mid-major' status, Butler belongs

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Indianapolis — Butler doesn’t look like the typical Final Four team.

The Bulldogs’ top players don’t look like typical college stars and head coach Brad Stevens doesn’t look like a coach, as evident by a security guard asking him if he was a player.

But don’t be fooled by the No. 5 that sits next to Butler’s name.

Instead, look at the numbers next to their last two victims: 1 and 2.

While the Spartans didn’t beat a team seeded higher than fourth on their road to the Final Four, the Bulldogs went through two top-tier teams in Syracuse and Kansas State in the West Regional.

“I don’t think it has anything to do with the seeds,” Stevens said about the Final Four teams. “I think it has a lot do with there are four teams that very much believe in their teammates, they very much believe in their systems and styles of play and they very much believe in defending. That’s been obvious.”

Defense has been the calling card for the Bulldogs. In their four NCAA Tournament games, the Bulldogs have given up just 56.5 points per game and have not allowed more than 59 points in a game.

“Both teams are defensive-minded,” Butler forward Willie Veasley said. “Our focus is defense and their focus is defense. When their star player got injured, they had different guys step up. They regrouped from top to bottom, and I’ve seen that with us.

“When (forward Gordon Hayward) or I had to miss a game this season, we’ve just had different people step up.”

Hayward leads the Bulldogs with 15.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. He likely will match up with MSU senior forward Raymar Morgan. Both are versatile players who could see time at several positions.

“He’s a great player. He can do it inside and out,” Morgan said of Hayward. “He posts up pretty well, he handles the ball pretty well, he can shoot the three … so it’s going to be a fun game, I enjoy the challenge and hopefully we can win the game.”

On the perimeter, the Bulldogs are led by Veasley and guard Shelvin Mack, whom Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim said were part of the best defensive guard unit in the country.

But the Butler guards can do more than defend. Mack also averages 14.2 points and 3.8 assists per game.

The Bulldogs are coming into Saturday’s game with well-deserved confidence. Butler hasn’t lost since Dec. 22, 2009, and only has given up 70 points or more three times all season. Their confidence will be fueled by the crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium, which will be full of hometown Butler supporters.

“Their fans are going to do everything they can to say things to us and cheer their guys on,” MSU junior guard Durrell Summers said. “You love when your fans come support you, especially in an event like the Final Four. I don’t think the fans really affect us. We play in a lot of hostile environments.”

The Bulldogs are riding a wave of confidence that comes from their coach, who vowed that despite the security guard’s inquiry, he won’t be suiting up and playing.

“It’s obvious he didn’t see me shoot, handle or run,” Stevens said of the security guard. “Then he would have been like, ‘What are you doing here?’”

It seems to be a question many are asking the Bulldogs.

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