Final Four

NCAA final four my money riding on the bulldogs to take it Overall Record: 32-4
Conference Record: 18-0, Horizon League
Conference Highlights: Regular season and tournament champions
Final AP Rank: 11
Current Winning Streak: 24

HOW BUTLER ADVANCED:
Round One: Defeated No. 12 UTEP, 77-59
Round Two: Defeated No. 13 Murray State, 54-52
Sweet Sixteen: Defeated No. 1 Syracuse, 63-59
Elite Eight: Defeated No. 2 Kansas State, 63-56

TOP STORYLINE:
The hometown angle is going to be unavoidable if you're in Indianapolis or just watching the Final Four. Butler's campus is only about six miles from Lucas Oil Stadium. When Michigan State played in Detroit last year, the city was abuzz for the Spartans. I would expect nothing less from Indianapolis. Butler is this year's Cinderella team, and it should have unprecedented fan support. Can this support help Butler help get a title? That remains to be seen.

PLAYER OF INTEREST:
Matt Howard is Butler's best and most reliable defender in the post. He also has a tough time sticking around for all 40 minutes. The 6-foot-8, 220 pound forward has fouled out eight times on the year, and has been in foul trouble for several more. He has, however, demonstrated much more control in the second half of the season and has not fouled out yet in the tournament. The Bulldogs need his presence down low.

BY THE NUMBERS:
59: No team has scored more than 59 points on Butler in the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs surrender an average of 59.6 points per game this year
33: The amount of 3-pointers Butler has made in the NCAA Tournament. No team has made more. This is also the age of coach Brad Stevens.
13: The amount of games since Matt Howard has fouled out.
7: Years since coach Brad Stevens embarked on a coaching career.
0: The amount of home losses Butler has this year.

CAN WIN IT ALL IF:
Butler can win the title if it is carried by the hometown crowd and its 3-point shooting. The Bulldogs have the nation's longest winning streak at 24. If they can just get that number to 26, they'll be the champs.