Lamont Butler hit a bounce shot on the buzzer, sending San Diego State to its first nationwide championship recreation with a 72-71 win over fellow mid-major Florida Atlantic within the Last 4 on Saturday evening.
The Aztecs (32-6) gave the impression to be in bother because the free-flowing Owls (35-4) picked them aside whereas constructing a 14-point second-half lead.
San Diego State bought again in it, because it all the time does, with protection.
The Aztecs shut down FAU and pulled inside one when Jaedon LeDee hit a brief jumper with 36 seconds left. After FAU’s Johnell Davis missed a contested layup, the Aztecs did not name timeout and bought the ball to Butler.
The clock ticking down, Butler dribbled to the baseline, discovered that minimize off and circled again. He stepped again to create somewhat room and hit a jumper that despatched the Aztecs racing out onto the ground — and into Monday’s championship recreation in opposition to UConn or Miami.
“The plan was simply to get downhill,” Butler mentioned after the sport. “They minimize me off somewhat bit. I appeared up and there was two seconds left, so I bought to a shot that I am comfy with, and I hit it. I am blissful.”
The Aztecs had one timeout left once they bought the ball on that closing possession, however head coach Brian Dutcher mentioned he had “ran out of performs, so I made a decision to not take a timeout.”
San Diego State’s 14-point second-half comeback was the third-largest in Last 4 historical past, in response to CBS Sports activities.
Tyler Schank/NCAA Photographs through Getty Photographs
San Diego State’s protection has performed a key position in its run to the ultimate. It clamped down on 4 straight opponents to open the NCAA Event.
The Aztecs had no reply for the swaggy Owls within the first half, permitting them to hit 5 of 11 from 3-point vary to construct a 40-33 halftime lead.
FAU stretched the result in 14 halfway by the second half.
Then the Aztecs bought gritty.
Contesting almost each shot and move whereas flattening a string of offensive rebounds, San Diego State rallied right into a tie at 65. Matt Bradley led the offense within the second half and completed with 21 factors after struggling together with his shot within the earlier three video games.
Alijah Martin stored FAU in it, scoring 19 of his 26 factors within the second half, seeming to have a solution for each Aztecs transfer.
He did not get an opportunity for a closing one.
