The Aztecs, accustomed to profitable thru power, complicated to the nationwide championship game in probably the most skillful manner. This 72-71 victory Saturday night time over the Owls — who seemed like the simpler group for 90 % of this game — requested extra of them offensively than they’re used to giving. Contrary to belief, that they had the firepower to rally from down 14 issues within the ultimate 14 mins and scouse borrow a very powerful game in program historical past on the buzzer.
“It’s unbelievable,” Butler stated in a while, admitting he used to be nonetheless in surprise.
Said teammate Darrion Trammell: “When we are at each other’s weddings and we’re done with all this, we’re going to come back and remember that moment.”
The Aztecs aren’t constructed to come again. They aren’t constructed to win video games when the opponent is draining three-pointers and riding thru their vaunted protection. They aren’t constructed, with all that muscle and power, to permit groups to energy thru them. So that they had to win with their off hand this time, and in doing so, they confirmed a recent layer. They broadened their id. When we speak about toughness, the outline isn’t restricted to enjoying a bodily taste. It’s about competing and understanding how to excel when issues are arduous. It’s about being resourceful.
To succeed in Championship Monday for the primary time, San Diego State outlasted the trouble, profitable in spite of having the lead for best 6½ of the 40 mins. When Florida Atlantic took a 54-40 lead that felt extra like 64-40 since the Aztecs had been suffering offensively, the group cobbled in combination the entire defensive may and offensive execution it might to find to make the fifth-largest comeback in males’s Final Four historical past.
Matt Bradley, who scored 21 issues, attacked the rim. Jaedon LeDee got here off the bench and made difficult baskets within the paint, scoring 9 of his 12 issues after halftime. Aguek Arop made performs apparently out of nowhere.
For all the 2nd half of, the Aztecs nibbled on the deficit. At the top, they had been shut sufficient to pray for one defensive forestall, which might get them one closing shot at victory. After a Florida Atlantic timeout with 17 seconds last, Owls guard Johnell Davis neglected a riding layup. Aztecs ahead Nathan Mensah rebounded it with 9 seconds left, after which Butler took keep an eye on.
No timeout. Coach Brian Dutcher didn’t need it. He depended on his guys to play it thru to the top.
“I ran out of plays,” Dutcher stated. “So I decided not to take a timeout.”
“Lamont said, ‘If we get the rebound, let’s get downhill, send all three bigs to the rim,’ ” the trainer stated. “He got downhill and made the play.”
In the first half, the meager pregame expectations for offense turned out to be unwarranted. With San Diego State’s relentless defense and Florida Atlantic’s shape-shifting ability to win however necessary, there was concern about a rock fight — a lumbering and ragged game that would seem as if it were being played in concrete sneakers. Instead, the Owls and Aztecs used their Final Four debuts to showcase their versatility, speed and playmaking.
The rhythm and pace were astounding from the start. It wasn’t just that the Aztecs couldn’t slow down the game. They didn’t want to want to, attacking early with Bradley finally finding his shooting stroke. Stylish basketball ensued. Both teams committed only three turnovers apiece in the first half. They combined to make 11 of 25 three-pointers by halftime. Overall, Florida Atlantic shot 53.6 percent early, which seemed impossible with the way San Diego State defended most of this season.
The Owls led 40-33 at the break, and they did it their way, playing with freedom and attacking from every spot on the court. Their depth made an impact. Nine Owls played at least seven minutes. All of them scored. Five of them recorded between four and nine points. When Giancarlo Rosado started dancing in the paint and putting on a post-move exhibition, Florida Atlantic built its biggest lead at 38-28 late in the first half.
When requested about Florida Atlantic on Friday, Arop talked like maximum have all through the Owls’ run.
“I didn’t know anything about them before,” Arop stated, “but I do now.”
This has been a chaotic NCAA men’s tournament, but know this: As the Owls proved, they are not chaos agents. They’re just prolific winners, period. At 35-4, FAU was the winningest Division I team this season, and you don’t have to watch the Owls for long to understand why. They were not Cinderella. They were unknown and underappreciated as a No. 9 seed, and they made that resoundingly clearly. The chaos in this tournament happened around them, but they were a worthy team that navigated the drama perfectly and made history.
Alijah Martin, a powerful 6-foot-2 guard, was the best player on the court, finishing with 26 points and seven rebounds. Florida Atlantic was balanced and deep, and it was close to running away with this game. But San Diego State limited the Owls to 33 percent shooting in the second half, and one stop at a time, the Aztecs got back into the game.
“It’s a bittersweet moment,” FAU guard Nick Boyd stated. “I’m not dwelling on it much. I’m ready to get back to work. I’m happy for our team. I mean, we put FAU on the map. That’s most important to me. When I came to this school and I committed here, I said this is what we’re going to do.
“And we took it to a new height. All I can do is smile and be appreciative of the run we went on and know next year you’re going to hear it from FAU again. You’re going to see us in the same position, and it’s going to be a different outcome, I promise you.”
For now, though, Florida Atlantic must live with the heartbreak. Butler did it, nice and casual, never rattled.
During the postgame celebration on the court, Trammell looked at Butler, his backcourt mate, and bowed. Then he waved his hands as if to say, “We’re not worthy.”
Butler grinned shyly. The song “California Love” blared through the stadium speakers. San Diego State, relentless as ever, gets to play for the title Monday.