NCAA Bracket 2011: NCAA Championship Game Preview and Prediction

Brandon Berg

EE Sports World

The Butler Bulldogs have put together a sensational run. There has been much discussion as to whether they should even be discussed as a Cinderella.

Butler came out to the VCU game ready to play, but so did the Rams.

The game was back and forth and in the second half, the Bulldogs had a slim lead for the majority. However, each time that VCU made a basket or two to close the gap, Butler answered.

VCU had quite a run in this year’s tournament. They had the best three point shooting percentage (around 40 percent) of any team in the tournament, but they were not built to win a championship.

It is quite remarkable how they kept shooting so well in each game, but we all knew it could not last the entirety of the tournament even though they shot decently again on Saturday (36 percent).

The Connecticut Huskies, on the other hand, needed the closing seconds to win their match-up with the young Kentucky Wildcats.

The game was hard fought both ways, and all in all was ugly.

Kentucky shot 33 percent from the field, but found a way to stay in the game throughout. UConn struggled from three-point-land, only making one of 12 shots.

However, when UConn needed him, Kemba Walker came through and led them to victory.

Now we have an intriguing match-up that features UConn and Butler. Butler was in the championship game last year, but fell short to Duke in a heartbreaker.

UConn won five games in five days to survive the monster that is the Big East and advanced to the tournament as a three seed. They’ve been led by Walker all season long, and that has not changed during the Big Dance.

The thing that people want to know, though, is who will win.

I have picked against Butler for the entirety of the tournament, but I am going to change that right now.

They have repeatedly gone against the odds and beaten every team they faced, whether it be by a bunch or a last second shot.

The same also goes for UConn, who beat everyone somewhat comfortably until their past two games.

These teams are both geared for one more physical game, but I give the edge to Butler, who may as well be picked again to overcome the odds.

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