Butler coach Brad Stevens speaks to the media after Butler's open practice on Friday, April 2, 2010, at Lucas Oil Stadium. (James Brosher / IU Student News Bureau)

By DEANTAE PRINCE
IU Final Four News Bureau

INDIANAPOLIS – The unselfish style of Butler has led to unusual conversation all week.

In descriptions of this team, the talk about any particular player has been subbed out for collective nouns.

The Bulldogs have played the role of a selfless group quite well all season, but their 52-50 victory over Michigan State in a 2010 Final Four semifinal at Lucas Oil Stadium Saturday was all about two players – for a half.

The second half saw a switch to defense, again making teamwork a necessity.

“Our guys did a great job defending in the last 30 minutes of the game – really made it difficult,” Butler coach Brad Stevens said.

The first half ended with a 28-28 tie. Shelvin Mack and Gordon Hayward, the Bulldogs’ two best players, scored 25 of those points for Butler, but scored a combined eight the rest of the game.

Partly as a result of the duo’s second-half performance, the Bulldogs went 10 minutes without scoring in the second half and finished the game 15 of 49 from the field. No other Butler player scored more than six points.

What would have been daunting for most teams wasn’t for the Bulldogs.

Hayward said Butler was aware of the scoring drought, but focused in on the defensive end to compensate.

“It did seem like it was a long time,” Hayward said of the scoring lapse. “But for us, as long as we guard we have a chance to win the game.”

Butler didn’t seem like it would face such a challenge to begin the game.

Hayward hit two 3-pointers in the first possessions of what was a quick game at the start. But the tempo soon slowed, and so did Butler. Ten minutes into the game, Hayward and Mack had combined for five points.

The rest of the team only produced 19 points for the entire game, with physical difficulties and a solid Michigan State helping to limit Butler in the second half.

Throughout the final 20 minutes, Michigan State forward Delvon Roe stayed with Hayward everywhere he went. Roe stepped above the 3-point line and cut him off on every drive, beating him to the desired spot.

Mack spent much of the second half suspended between the bench and elevated court placed in the middle of Lucas Oil Stadium. He was taken in and out of the game because of muscle spasms caused by dehydration and didn’t play much after halftime.

After being harassed throughout much of the second half, Hayward got his first clean look of the half with 4:33 remaining – an open 3-pointer. But the hassle Michigan State players put him through left Hayward tired, and his legs left the shot short.

Stevens said he would have expected a loss if he were told in advance how his team would perform on offense.

“Obviously, I didn’t think 15 for 49 was a great way to approach this game,” he said. “And I never would have dreamed that we would have won if we shot 15 for 49.”
With all these problems bubbling, there was one constant – defense.

Michigan State shot only 18-of-42 and was held in check for most of the second half.

When it came time for the Spartans to score in the final moments – like they have in so many of their other games in the tournament – Butler shut them down.

Draymond Green had been the Michigan State player most adept at scoring late. With Butler leading 50-49 in the final 10 seconds, Hayward stopped him from hitting a shot similar to one he put in against Tennessee in the regional final.

“I just tried to hold my ground a little bit,” Hayward said. “I’m not sure if I got a piece of the ball or a piece of his arm.”

Butler guard Ronald Nored came out with the rebound.

He was the player who made big plays for Butler late in the game, and converted two free throws in the closing seconds.

“If we didn’t score again and they didn’t score again, we won the game,” he said.

Norad and his team applied his philosophy on its final defensive possession. At 50-49 with 56 seconds left, Norad drove and saw a clean layup rattle out. It was on Butler to win or lose the game with defense.

Norad said there was not any doubt in his team’s heart when faced with that task.
“One thing about us is there’s never a sense of fear,” he said.

Hayward said the game shook out the way Butler wanted, recalling countless moments when his team was forced to defend at the end of a contest.

“I think it’s kind of fitting that on the last possession we had to get a stop,” Hayward said. “That’s what we’ve done all year, is try to guard people. So for us, I think it was fitting that we won the Butler way.”