Non wrote: Duke should win but I think it could be a mistake to just go by these two semifinals games.

Butler only shot 31 percent and had to grind it out.

Duke hit everything.

If that's how they both go Monday Duke will kill 'em but Butler is capable of shooting better and defending better than WVU on the outside.

FairwoodKing wrote:They have nothing to lose.

mtrulz wrote: My signature says everything.

swamisez wrote: how is it that before every Duke game opponents keep saying things regarding the quality of defense Duke is about to play, and how Duke will struggle.

They outlast Purdue and their defense, then posters talk of how Baylor's defense will be too tough.
Then they hang on versus Baylor and it turns into a story of how the best defense in the nation, the one who shut down Kentucky, will lock down the Devils.
Now Butler is in discussion, and suddenly Duke hasn't seen a defense quite like this before.

I would take Georgia Tech's, FSU's, Carolina's, and probably Virginia Tech's defense over Butler.
Butler is great defensively, don't get me wrong. However statistically they are lower than Purdue, Baylor, Florida State, and Georgia Tech (all teams Duke beat).

we'll get the "the field was weak this year" complaint.

RiverRat13 wrote: And David put his hand in the bag and took out a stone and slung it. And it struck the Philistine on the head and he fell to the ground. Amen.

Non wrote: If you follow college basketball regularly it's a stretch to label this as a "David vs. Goliath" theme.

But it's easy to use that angle to trick a casual viewer into thinking that Butler is a bigger cinderella story than they actually are.

Not that there is anything wrong with that. Just an attempt to attract more of an audience, which wouldn't be the junkies that have watched 300 games over the past few weeks but the people who may need that extra reason to stay up until 9:22 or whatever on a Monday night and watch the championship game.

killer_ewok wrote: I can only speak for myself when I say I do follow it regularly. It's definitely not George Mason from a few years ago or even '85 'Nova, but name-wise.......it is David vs. Goliath. Butler has been a solid program on and off recently but they're a mid-major and this is Duke we're talking about. Can a Horizon league team actually win the national championship? Against the big, bad Blue Devils and Coach K nonetheless? I follow college hoops closely....not as much as Azubuike24 but pretty darn closely. I think it's an extremely compelling matchup because it's a tradition-laden "big dog" program vs, well.....Butler. Hardcore and casual fans alike should find this interesting IMO. Who doesn't love an underdog? And as hated as Duke is.....that just adds to it. Sure, Butler is no slouch. In fact, they're a very good team and a solid program. However, all that considered......I still think that it has a David vs. Goliath feel to it. And frankly.....I think it's warranted to an extent and in a certain context.

Ironman92 wrote: Duke never has all 3 guys being great....last game was fluke that made me very happy. Odds are strong Duke will struggle to slightly below average shooting and Butler will be slightly better......I'm guessing a Duke player or two has severe foul trouble much of the game.

This has shaped up to be Cinderella's year.....Butler deserves to be there and Duke will struggle. I see Butler having someone unusual catch fire and win the game for the Bulldogs.

Non wrote:

killer_ewok wrote: I can only speak for myself when I say I do follow it regularly. It's definitely not George Mason from a few years ago or even '85 'Nova, but name-wise.......it is David vs. Goliath. Butler has been a solid program on and off recently but they're a mid-major and this is Duke we're talking about. Can a Horizon league team actually win the national championship? Against the big, bad Blue Devils and Coach K nonetheless? I follow college hoops closely....not as much as Azubuike24 but pretty darn closely. I think it's an extremely compelling matchup because it's a tradition-laden "big dog" program vs, well.....Butler. Hardcore and casual fans alike should find this interesting IMO. Who doesn't love an underdog? And as hated as Duke is.....that just adds to it. Sure, Butler is no slouch. In fact, they're a very good team and a solid program. However, all that considered......I still think that it has a David vs. Goliath feel to it. And frankly.....I think it's warranted to an extent and in a certain context.

Well when I say "people who watch regularly" that's certainly a lot of the posters on here.

I agree with a lot of that. Namewise if you just said Butler vs. Duke, Horizon League vs. ACC, it's extremely rare.

But I just think if we all were honest about it, Butler was a Top 15 team to begin the year. They were looked at as a team that could make a strong tournament run at the beginning of the season. They were on a long winning streak entering the tournament, earned a respectable No. 5 seed and a lot of experts had them as a potential Elite 8 or Final Four team. We've also been in an era of parity where the George Masons, Northern Iowas, Cornells have been taking down the Giants quite a bit.

For this game it's better not to think about all that and just sell it as another Hoosiers story.

Ironman92 wrote: I give Butler FAR more chance this year than Mich St last year.