Whenever a team embarks on a journey through the NCAA Tournament that gains them national media recognition, it becomes more of a burden than a blessing.  Each individual receives more questions than usual, more calls of support from family and friends and even more ticket requests.  The team is put under the microscope – every detail about how they play and possible outcomes in the upcoming game is scrutinized to an almost boring extent.  The pressure that is placed by the media on these kids is an immense burden that threatens the ability of each of them to stay focused, though it is simply part of the experience for Final Four participants.

Pay attention Hayward: this is proper technique for handling pressure

And so, as the 5^th seeded Butler Bulldogs prepare for their Final Four matchup against Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans, I hope they are keeping their heads on straight.  Tom Izzo is now entering his sixth Final Four appearance during his coaching tenure at MSU.  He is perhaps the best coach in the NCAA at preparing his team for the NCAA Tournament.  It seems like every year his team overachieves according to popular opinion, although to Izzo he probably believes his team underachieves, because he knows his team’s potential and excepts the very best out of them.

On the other bench, Brad Stevens enters his first Final Four in only his third year as the head coach of Butler.  No words can fully capture the exceptional ability that Stevens has showed in guiding this team to the Final Four.  I whole-heartedly believe that he will be a successful coach for some time, and I know he is doing his best to keep his players’ minds on the right track.  What I do question, however, is whether or not the players are following suit and staying focused.

Obviously, the players have bought into what coach Stevens has preached, or else they would not be playing in Indy right now.  But the pressure on these kids is quite heavy.  Meanwhile, even though the Spartans are considered the favorite due to Tom Izzo’s experience, Butler is receiving all the media attention.

I know that MSU will be prepared and are basically flying under the radar right now.  They must love it.  They’ll let the Bulldogs have all the attention they can handle.  Then, the Spartans can come out focused and just play their game without having to prove anything to anyone but themselves.  That is why if you asked me who I think will win between MSU and Butler, I would say the Michigan State Izzo’s without question.

Don’t get me wrong; I want to see Butler win just as much as anybody – I think the story that they’re carrying on their backs is a fantastic story.  Lucas Oil Stadium will be ear-piercingly loud in support of the hometown Bulldogs.  But boy, what a weight that story is on their backs.

No Tom-foolery tolerated

Brad Stevens, an Indy native, and his Butler squad will have hometown support in this year's Final Four.

By: Brian Mosgaller

So, the eve of the Final Four is finally upon us. And beyond the standard hyperbole of, ‘This is the best tournament ever!’ recited perfunctorily by the experts, the week’s media coverage has gravitated heavily – and understandably – toward the Butler Bulldogs. It makes sense; it is inarguably a special story. However, some of the pro-Butler, overly schmoozy portrayals of the team’s run may have turned some off. Which is why, I think it’s necessary to revisit the reasons why this underdog for the ages deserves your support…

1.) Butler is the flag-bearer for all mid-majors seeking real respect

Now, don’t get me wrong, George Mason was a fantastic story. Jim Larranaga was a lovable front man, and the Patriots knocked off tournament mainstays Michigan State, North Carolina and Connecticut to earn their way to the national semifinals. Unfortunately, it was a lighting-in-a-bottle moment. George Mason is a solid program, in a solid, mid-major league, that caught fire and a number of breaks on their way to the most magical run in tournament history.

Butler is different. The program has reached the tournament nine times in the past 14 years, with an infamous 25-5 snub in 2002. It is a program that has given us a memorable, Darnell Archey-led run to the Sweet Sixteen in 2003, and another second-weekend run behind A.J. Graves in 2007. They have won seven Horizon League titles since 2001. Butler is a damn good basketball school.

Which is what makes this special. They aren’t a blind squirrel finding a nut. Rather, they are a quality mid-major that has built to this point and finally gotten to the promised land. It was commonly assumed that Gonzaga – the former posterchild for mid-major success – would be the first non-BCS university to crash the party. Instead, it’s Butler. But either way, their trip validates the long-term success of a handful of mid-majors that have been able to sustain success.

2.) The hometown factor

Although the Michigan State in Detroit theme from last year’s Dance was neat, MSU is 90 miles away from Detroit. Butler is mere miles from Indy. They are the first school to legitimately have a hometown Final Four game since UCLA in 1972 – and I’m willing to wager the Bruins didn’t need the hometown boost. With Butler, though, the fans will be a very influential factor. Which leads me to…

3.) Hoosiers

Is there any place more deserving and fitting of this run than Butler and the state of Indiana? Butler, a small-school from basketball-crazy Indianapolis, knocks off more heralded foes en route to an unlikely destination in a prestigious championship event. Seriously? You can’t write this stuff. Someone check the roster, Jimmy Chitwood must be the leading scorer.

There isn’t a state in the union more frequently or passionately associated with the sport of basketball than Indiana. And Indiana is also a blue-collar Midwest state with a bit of an inferiority complex to it (see: ESPN’s Reggie Miller v. Knicks documentary). Now, we have the team that actually plays in the building that saw Milan High miraculously triumph over Muncie High (the basis of the famous movie, which also happened to be filmed at Hinkle Fieldhouse, Butler’s home arena), reaching the Final Four in its home city. It is nothing short of a fairytale.

4.) Team identity

Making the powerful story all the more fitting, is that Butler didn’t stray from the state’s basketball genetics in order to reach this peak. Two-thirds of the current roster hails from the Hoosier State, including first- and third-leading scorers, Gordon Hayward and Matt Howard, respectively. Head coach Brad Stevens grew up in an Indianapolis suburb and his team reflects the state’s basketball M.O.

The Bulldogs aren’t tall – Howard holds down the fort in the post at a relatively diminutive 6-8 – but they are efficient with the ball, shoot it well and play hard-nosed defense. As a team, the Horizon League champs shot a healthy 45 percent on the year, with four of the squad’s five starters gunning at clips in excess of 46 percent. They managed a respectable 1.7 turnover margin, and finished ninth in the country in defense, allowing just 59.6 points per game. In other words, not only does Butler represent Indiana this weekend, but they’ve reflected the state’s basketball values all decade.

5.) Who else are you going to root for?

Honestly, come on. Outside of Durham, the state of West Virginia and the state to the north of this year’s finals, there is no acceptable reason not to pull for Butler. Yeah, West Virginia is in its first Final Four since the late-1950s. But they also play in the Big East and have an enrollment more than five times that of Butler. And yes, Michigan State coping with and surviving the loss of its leader, Kalin Lucas, is pretty special. But the Spartans and Tom Izzo have been there six out of the last 12 years – not quite as special anymore, huh? And Duke, well, let’s just say, I don’t think I could come up with three reasons to root for the Blue Devils.

No, instead, indulge yourself and root for the hometown underdog. Let the story suck you in. And as soon as you feel like a chump for doing so, simply revisit this list.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – The Butler Bulldogs have been creating quite the riff in the Horizon League this season winning their last 17 games improving to 25-4 overall.

This isn’t even the most impressive stat of their 2010 basketball season either.

Undefeated in their conference, the Bulldogs have won 17-straight giving them the nations longest win streak of the 2009-2010 NCAA season. Led by Gordon Hayward, who averages 15.9 ppg, The Butler Bulldogs have been outscoring their opponents by just under 10 points. Hayward also pulls down an impressive 8.4 rebounds per game making him the marquee player of the nation’s 13th ranked squad. Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard and Willie Veasley have been averaging double-digits in the scoring column as well making it four total Bulldogs.

An impressive 13-0 at home has to make Coach Brad Stevens a happy man in Indianapolis, Indiana. It’s their 11-1 road record that he is more proud of being that they have gone into such places as Cleveland State, Northwestern and Detroit and have returned home winners. However, they have a less than stellar 2-3 record when playing teams in neutral locations. Yes, those loses were to such power houses as Clemson and Georgetown, but come March every game will be a neutral site and this has to worry the Bulldogs of Butler a tad.

Something that Butler does not have to be worried about come March will be their poise. They have been on the big stage before qualifying for the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons. Plus, they average a mere 12.3 turnovers per game which is 2.9 less than the #2 ranked Kentucky Wildcats. In addition their free-throw average is a superb 75.3% which means that close games will be going in the Bulldogs favor down the stretch. Lastly, Butler has been a fantastic 33.3% shooting team from beyond the arc meaning that their opponents won’t be able to play an effective zone defense.

I’m jumping on the Butler Bulldogs bandwagon and if you decide not to, then let me be the first person to tell you not to be surprised come March when they make some noise.