Butler does it again -- at the buzzer!
The Butler Bulldogs celebrate defeating the Old Dominion Monarchs 60-58 during the second round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament. (March 17, 2011) Credit: Getty Images
WASHINGTON -- For a contest to determine which was the more cuddly NCAA underdog, Butler and Old Dominion Thursday offered something closer to a fight at recess. The rough-and-tumble battle for rebounds and loose balls wasn't decided until Butler's Matt Howard scored in a wild scramble as the buzzer sounded for a 60-58 victory.
In what Old Dominion coach Blaine Taylor called "a man's game, not a boy's game,'' ODU had just clawed back from a six-point deficit, 58-52, with 2:43 to go, tying it at 58 on Kent Bazemore's two free throws with 31.2 seconds left.
And Butler, working for a final shot, apparently was stopped when guard Shawn Vanzant, falling as he drove to the baseline, flung either a desperation shot or hopeful pass toward 6-11 Andrew Smith and the basket.
In a forest of Old Dominion trees, fellows who had led the nation in rebounding margin this season, Smith could only tip the ball over the rim. But Howard, Butler's leading scorer (16.7), pounced on the ball just to the left of the basket and flipped in a rebound as the game-over red lights glowed.
An official review was needed to determine if Howard, who played most of the second half with three fouls, had gotten off the shot in time to score his 14th and 15th points.
"Andrew made a great play to keep it alive,'' Howard said. "I was thinking there wasn't enough time, so I was trying to get it up as quickly as possible.''
ODU's Frank Hassell, who had 20 points, said Howard's basket left him "in shock, really.''
By winning -- barely -- the heated skirmish on the boards, 32-29, Butler (24-9) blunted a primary Old Dominion strength during the intense scuffle that had 21 lead changes and 10 ties. So that Butler, last year's "once upon a time'' tale of a mid-major coming within two points of the national championship, was able to move on to Saturday's next round and face top-seeded Pittsburgh. ODU, which had reason to believe it could be this year's Butler, is out with a 27-7 record.
"It's part of the madness, part of the magic," Taylor said, "but this game will give your heart an extra beat many times, and it will break your heart. And right now we're kind of heartbroken."
