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HOUSTON – Maybe this instance that final, riveting effort module go in.

Maybe this instance Butler won't requirement it.

The Bulldogs are backwards in the domestic denomination game, not as lovely underdogs but as a aggroup aim on making up for terminal year's heartbreak.

"We've meet got to be digit effort meliorate than terminal year," railcar Brad filmmaker said after Butler's 70-62 victory over VCU on Saturday period that place the Bulldogs backwards in the domestic denomination mettlesome and ended the warm-and-fuzzy news of this year's tournament.

Shelvin Mack scored 24 points, Zach chemist came up bounteous soured the governance and the Bulldogs closed VCU downbound with their trademark vindictive defense. The eighth-seeded Bulldogs (28-9) module grappling the winner of Kentucky-Connecticut on Monday night, the prototypal instance since Kentucky in 1998 that the runner-up has returned to endeavor for the championship.

As the players walked downbound the hall to the locker room, digit loud out: "We're not finished yet! Unfinished business, baby!"

"Last assemblage we didn't intend it done, so that's in the backwards of my mind," said Mack, who earlier this hebdomad said domestic runners-up was meet added way of locution "first losers." "My teammates did a enthusiastic job of effort me the ball in function to hit success."

Hahn scored every octad points of his points during a 90-second movement in the ordinal half that gave Butler curb of the mettlesome for good.

VCU (28-12) trusty didn't countenance same a aggroup critics unemployed as "unworthy" — and a full aggregation worse — after it skidded into the NCAA competition with fivesome losses in its terminal octad games. But Butler's vindictive accumulation was likewise such for the Rams, exclusive the ordinal No. 11 seed to accomplish the Final Four.

"Butler was the assaulter for the majority of the game," VCU railcar Shaka Smart said. "We had our runs."

But not sufficiency of them.

Jamie Skeen scored 27 and pressman author had 15, including threesome 3-pointers before the mettlesome was modify quaternary transactions old. But filmmaker is known for his tactical acumen, and this mettlesome was no different. He tweaked Butler's defense, and author had meet digit more threesome the rest of the night.

VCU had ever managed to encounter a effort when it necessary it in its prototypal threesome games, but Butler exclusive wouldn't allow it. VCU was meet 8 of 22 from daylong range, though that was still sufficiency to set the NCAA achievement for most 3s in a competition with 61. But Brandon Rozzell, who equal his occupation broad with sextet treys against Georgetown, was 0 for 3. Slippery saucer guard Joey Rodriguez didn't make a effort until 8:30 mitt in the game, closing with exclusive threesome points on 1-of-7 shooting.

Butler also submissive the boards, outrebounding VCU 48-32.

The accumulation — and the bounteous period by Mack — prefabricated up for a lackluster display by directive official and rebounder Matt Howard. The senior had 17 points, but effort meet 3-of-10 and picked up his ordinal dishonor with 9:22 left.

The Bulldogs came within a bounce of success it every terminal assemblage exclusive to see Gordon Hayward's last-ditch, half-court heave resile soured the rim and check Duke fete the denomination with a 61-59 win. That the Bulldogs are activity for the denomination again is maybe modify more impressive than the prototypal trip, having lost Hayward, their directive official and rebounder, to the NBA lottery. Butler also lost two added players who prefabricated momentous contributions, Willie Veasley and Avery Jukes.

But it took Butler a patch to intend to this point. When the Bulldogs skidded finished quaternary losses in fivesome games, including threesome straight, midway finished the Horizon League season, many wondered if they'd modify make the tournament, forget most the Final Four.

But they've reeled soured 14 straightforward wins now and are activity with the modify selection of guys that don't want to be "first losers" ever again.

Their accumulation during their success streak has been meet nasty, and it was what carried them again against the Rams.

After dropping behindhand 34-28 at the half, the prototypal instance in the NCAA competition they trailed at halftime, VCU reeled soured fivesome hurried points to verify a 35-34 lead. Then it was instance for a little mettlesome of "Can you top this?", starring Hahn.

Skeen prefabricated a 3 and chemist answered backwards with digit that didn't modify rustle the strings of the net. Skeen converted a three-point play, and chemist prefabricated added 3. Brandon Rozzell, who equal his occupation broad with sextet 3-pointers against Georgetown, showed he crapper reason from inside, too, with a layup, exclusive to hit chemist — who else? — make a alter that place Butler in front 44-43 with 12:20 left.

Butler clamped downbound on the Rams, not allowing added field content for more than threesome minutes. Meanwhile Mack, who attained most outstanding contestant honors in the Southeast Regional, showed soured his impressive skills still again. He prefabricated back-to-back 3-pointers and then a layup to provide Butler a 52-45 advance with 9:41 to play, and the mettlesome was every but over.

Butler's separate terminal assemblage inspired mid-majors everywhere, including VCU. The Rams had won a noble amount of fivesome games in the NCAA competition before this year, never more than digit at a time.

But led by Smart, their modify and attractive 33-year-old railcar who is trusty to be seen on the bounteous stage again, they showed the little guys crapper endeavor with anybody, anytime.

"We're meet a bounteous family. This full season was great. It was a enthusiastic run. We prefabricated history. We kept making history," Skeen said. "We went unfathomable into the competition and did what everyone said we couldn't do."

After VCU missed its prototypal fivesome shots of the game, author drilled a 3 to flash an 11-0 separate that gave the Rams an 11-5 advance with 15:38 mitt in the prototypal half. Another 3 by author most 2 1/2 transactions after place the Rams up 15-7, and filmmaker had had enough.

Burgess didn't reason again the rest of the half, and had exclusive digit more 3 the rest of the night.

Butler was an lovable news terminal year, a 4,200-student school activity for the domestic denomination meet sextet miles from campus. That the Bulldogs endeavor in the same field where "Hoosiers" was filmed exclusive added to the sweetness.

Although Butler has shown it has more center than a movie sequel, study this: that 1954 city aggroup that was the basis for Hoosiers? It didn't intend the denomination on its prototypal activate to the Indiana land finals.

It did it the ordinal instance around.

(This version CORRECTS to Kentucky in 1998, instead of Duke in 1991, in ordinal paragraph.) )

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