Butler vs. Uconn: Top 5 Questions You Need to Know
There are five questions about tonight's national championship game that every fan must think about before the tip-off. These five things will determine the outcome.
Both schools' stories are fantastic if you break them down piece by piece.
Uconn was picked to finish 10th in the Big East preseason poll. They won the Maui Invitational early in the season by beating Wichita State (NIT Champion), Michigan State and Kentucky.
They played reasonably well in the non-conference part of their schedule. They defeated Tennessee and Texas to in the midst of the season.
UConn was a Top Five team in college basketball at one point this season. They faded down the stretch, and ultimately lost nine Big East games.
The Huskies entered the Big East Tournament, and were forced to play on day one. They won that game and four more in four days en route to the Big East Tournament Championship.
Many people believed that they would be tired, but Kemba Walker and the Huskies proved people wrong. Five games later, Jim Calhoun is in the final game, looking for his third championship.
Butler lost Gordon Hayward in the first round of the NBA Draft last season after losing to Duke in the national title game.
They started the season 14-9 in the midst of the Horizon League schedule. Head coach Brad Stevens tweaked his starting lineup, and they haven't lost since.
They shared the Horizon League regular season crown with Cleveland State, but won the Horizon League Tournament.
Butler needed a game winning lay-in from Matt Howard against Old Dominion in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Bulldogs defeated Pittsburgh in one of the wildest finishes you will ever see. Once they won that game, you just got the feeling they would go the distance, and they have.
UConn or Butler, who will win when it's all said and done tonight? These five questions will give you something to ask yourself before the tip-off.
No 5: Which Jeremy Lamb Will We See?
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Jeremy Lamb has really poured it on since the Big East Tournament started. He has scored in double figures in every game since March 8.
In reality, Lamb has been up and down all season. He's scored in double digits in most of the games this season, but he has also scored in single digits 15 times this season. This includes zero points at Louisville, Texas and against Michigan State.
Which Jeremy Lamb will we see tonight?
No 4: Role Players
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What role players will contribute the most for their team?
Other than Kemba Walker, Jeremy Lamb, Shelvin Mack and Matt Howard, who will be the guy?
Shabazz Napier hit clutch free throws against Kentucky to ice the game. He also did a great job of getting others involved.
Alex Oriakhi was huge in the Big East Tournament after he grabbed 10 boards a game. He has done well in the NCAA Tournament, too. He will need to rebound the ball against pesky players like Andrew Smith and Matt Howard.
Will it be Roscoe Smith, Jamal Coombs-McDaniel or some other player who will hit a big shot late?
Butler has received great contributions from various players like Robert Nored, Shawn Vanzant, Zach Hahn and plenty of other guys.
Vanzant and Hahn are capable of hitting shots from beyond the arc. Vanzant hit clutch shots late against VCU to help win the game.
Andrew Smith against Oriakhi down low are the key role players in my mind. Defense and rebounding are going to keep this game close, and that is when they can hand the game over Walker or Mack.
No 3: Brad Stevens Vs. Jim Calhoun
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Can Brad Stevens out-coach Jim Calhoun?
Brad Stevens is looking for his first national title and Jim Calhoun is looking for his third. The experience edge favors UConn.
Stevens is a guy who is the ultimate tactician. He knows how exploit the other team's weaknesses. If he forces UConn to be a half-court team that they don't want to be, I expect Butler to be successful.
Most of the games that UConn has lost this season, they have been forced to use their half-court sets.
We will see what Stevens has in store for Calhoun and vice versa.
Does Stevens try to get Kemba Walker in foul trouble? What would UConn be like if that happened? Does Stevens do what Notre Dame did with Maya Moore? Do they let Walker get his and shut everybody else down?
Stevens will have a game plan going in, and I can't wait to see what he does.
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No 2: Shelvin Mack Vs. Kemba Walker
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Can Mack out perform Walker?
Shelvin Mack sat around for a day being forced to listen to all this talk about Kemba Walker and how clutch he is.
Mack has performed equally as well as Walker, if not better. He also carries that clutch gene.
Walker is the better overall player, but Mack isn't getting the credit he deserves.
No: 1 Can the Bulldogs Contain Kemba Walker?
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Can the Bulldogs contain Kemba Walker?
The Bulldogs will attempt solid team defense against Walker. Robert Nored and a host of others will get a chance to contain Walker.
They aren't going to stop him, but they have to contain him. They must execute on the defensive side of the ball by contesting all shots, gang rebounding and boxing out.
They will force Walker to be an outside shooter, and that is the weakest part of his game. He has improved greatly on that aspect, but that is something he will need to work on in the NBA.
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