San Diego State's Blowout Win vs. Yale Praised by March Madness Fans; Will Face UConn
Mar 25, 2024
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 24: Lamont Butler #5 and bench players of the San Diego State Aztecs celebrate in the first half against Yale Bulldogs during the second round of the 2024 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on March 24, 2024 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
San Diego State is heading back to the Sweet 16 after an 85-57 rout over Yale on Sunday.
The No. 5 Aztecs wouldn't allow another upset for the No. 13 Bulldogs, who upset No. 4 Auburn in the first round, and now they're on their way to the second weekend in back-to-back seasons.
Senior forward Jaedon LeDee led the way for the Aztecs, dropping a game-high 26 points, and Darrion Trammell also put together a solid game with 18 points.
San Diego State's offense as a whole was firing on all cylinders, shooting an efficient 52.7 percent from the field and 48.1 percent from deep. If the Aztecs' offense can stay hot, they could be dancing well past the Sweet 16.
After the dominant win, fans praised San Diego State for taking care of business against the lower seed.
Known blue blood basketball school: San Diego State University
San Diego State now has a matchup with UConn, which beat the Aztecs in last year's national championship. The Huskies boast one of the best offenses in the country and were the top overall seed for a reason, but San Diego State is looking for a redemption game.
Report: SDSU Plans to Remain in Mountain West amid Pac-12 Move Rumors
Jun 30, 2023
San Diego State celebrates after their win against Florida Atlantic in a Final Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, April 1, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
San Diego State will remain in the Mountain West Conference despite previously telling the league in a June 13 letter that it intended to resign.
ESPN's Pete Thamel reported the news on Friday.
Source: San Diego State is expected to deliver a notice to the Mountain West today that it will not withdraw from the league, as the school previously stated it intended to do. San Diego State plans to move forward as part of the Mountain West.
Thamel reported on June 16 that San Diego State president Adela de la Torre wrote a letter to the MWC noting its intention to resign. SDSU later clarified to the MWC that the letter was "not the official notice of resignation."
Per Thamel, SDSU had until Friday to give a full year's notice before withdrawing in June 2024. The exit fee would have also more than doubled from nearly $16.5 million to nearly $34 million if San Diego State waited to officially resign past that deadline.
However, it appears the school is remaining in the Mountain West, where SDSU has served as one of the conference's charter members since 1999.
There have been rumors connecting SDSU to the Pac-12, as Thamel wrote, but they have not led to a concrete offer from the conference to join.
"SDSU has long been linked to the Pac-12, which is in the midst of a protracted process of landing a television contract. There has been no formal invitation for the school to join the league, and the timeline for such a move has been linked to either the Pac-12's television deal or the departure of a Pac-12 member. 'San Diego State does not have an offer from the Pac-12,' according to a source."
A source also told Thamel at the time that SDSU was exploring all of its options if the Pac-12 didn't get a television deal done by Friday.
Ultimately, SDSU is remaining in the Mountain West, for now at least. The Pac-12 still needs to figure out its future, especially with UCLA and USC set to depart for the Big Ten. Perhaps that leads to an offer to SDSU down the road if the conference wants to get back to 12 teams, but the Aztecs will be staying put for the moment.
Report: SDSU Informs Mountain West of Plan to Leave Conference amid Pac-12 Rumors
Jun 16, 2023
San Diego State reacts after their win against Florida Atlantic in a Final Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, April 1, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
San Diego State University president Adela de la Torre sent a written notice to the Mountain West Conference on Tuesday that it "intends to resign" from the league.
ESPN's Pete Thamel reported the news on Friday. He also relayed that SDSU later clarified in a "terse" back-and-forth with the Mountain West that the letter was "not the official notice of resignation."
Stewart Mandel, Nicole Auerbach and Chris Vannini of The Athletic confirmed the SDSU news and explained further logistics behind the university's letter, which also included a request for a one-month extension before giving an official letter of resignation.
In essence, SDSU has until June 30 to officially resign in time to leave in 2024. The exit fee would double from around $17 million to around $34 million if the school doesn't meet that deadline. A source told The Athletic that it's unclear why the MWC would agree to the extension request.
As The Athletic noted, SDSU's notice is in anticipation of a move to a Power Five conference "that's widely assumed to be the Pac-12."
A source told Thamel the conference doesn't have an official offer from the Pac-12 to join at this time. Thamel also added that the timeline for an invitation "has been linked to either the Pac-12's television deal or the departure of a Pac-12 member."
Should the Pac-12 not have a deal done by June 30, then SDSU will explore all of its options. The school has also reportedly spoke with the Big 12 about a move as part of the league's realignment, but "neither side has prioritized each other to this point," per sources to Thamel.
The Aztecs' potential move comes a few months after the men's basketball team reached the national championship game for the first time in school history.
SDSU also asked the Mountain West to consider a four-year installment plan for the exit fee amid the school generating an estimated $10 million from NCAA units for the conference after the March Madness run, per Thamel. SDSU would not see any of that money if it leaves.
SDSU has called the Mountain West home since the league's inception in 1999.
SDSU's Lamont Butler: Late Sister Asasha Was 'with Me' During Buzzer-Beater vs. FAU
Apr 3, 2023
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 01: Lamont Butler #5 of the San Diego State Aztecs reacts after making a game winning basket to defeat the Florida Atlantic Owls 72-71 during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game at NRG Stadium on April 01, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
As he watched his buzzer-beating shot rip through the net on Saturday night to send San Diego State to its first national championship game, Lamont Butler couldn't help but feel a bit of divine intervention at that moment.
And it was huge for his whole family for so many reasons.
Asasha Lache Hall, Butler's sister, was shot and killed in January 2022. He felt her presence with him throughout the Aztec's win over FAU, especially when he became an NCAA tournament hero.
"I think about her every day," Butler said. "Ever since she passed. She was one of my biggest supporters, and I know she's up there happy right now, watching me play the game that I love. And I think she was with me with that shot. She probably guided the ball in a little bit. I miss her, and I'm just happy I'm able to do this for her."
After taking some time to grieve his sister's death, Butler decided to commit himself more to the sport he loves, finding solace in basketball and the SDSU program that gave him the necessary time to heal.
And after celebrating with his teammates and coach Brian Dutcher, he had the incredible opportunity to drink in the moment with nearly 20 of his friends and family, who all made the trip to Houston for the Final Four.
He got a chance to spend time with his father, Lamont Butler Sr., and the rest of his loved ones in the hotel later that night.
"This is who I do it for, so I just love being with them, and it was just a great moment," Butler said.
It'll be a happy moment that Butler's family won't soon forget either, regardless of what happens in the national championship game against UConn on Monday, finding joy and happiness in the face of a tragedy.
A national championship game no one saw coming is on tap, with the 2023 NCAA men's tournament concluding with a matchup between the San Diego State Aztecs andâŠ
Midnight Strikes for Cinderella FAU, SDSU's Dream Lives After Stunning Buzzer-Beater
David Kenyon
Apr 2, 2023
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 01: Lamont Butler #5 of the San Diego State Aztecs celebrates with teammates after making a game winning basket to defeat the Florida Atlantic Owls 72-71 during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game at NRG Stadium on April 01, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Florida Atlantic wasn't supposed to be here.
Yes, the Owls put together a fantastic regular season, rattling off 31 victories and sweeping Conference USA championships before landing a No. 9 seed in the 2023 men's NCAA tournament. Given that success, FAU cannot be described as an inconceivable Final Four team. More accurately, the Owls were an unlikely, fairy-tale story.
Cinderella wasn't supposed to lose that way, either.
Not after winning four previous gamesâthe first-ever March Madness victories in program historyâby a combined 19 points. Not after leading for what will be remembered as 31 minutes and 42 seconds of exhilarating, devastating action in a 72-71 loss to San Diego State.
The cruel, charming juxtaposition of the Big Dance is encapsulated in a singular moment: Lamont Butler's magnificent buzzer-beater sent FAU into miseryâand it vaulted SDSU to the national championship.
Nearly four decades ago, the NCAA tournament began its modern era with an iconic story. Back in 1985âthe year the field expanded to 64 teamsâeighth-seeded Villanova stormed to a national title that remains the most improbable run in March Madness history.
FAU looked destined for a shot at supplanting Villanova as the most accomplished Cinderella ever. Although SDSU raced out to an early nine-point lead, the Owls recovered and built a 14-point advantage in the second half.
Never before had a ninth seed or worse won a Final Four game. It appeared the Owls would become the first of nine programs to secure that elusive victory in a national semifinal.
To the very end, that feeling held true.
San Diego State stormed back midway through the second half, turning a contest on the verge of a blowout into a hard-fought showdown for the last nine minutes. At no point, however, did the Aztecs actually take the leadânot until Butler plastered himself onto NCAA tournament highlight reels for approximately forever.
Even then, as the final seconds rolled off the clock, FAU seemingly had the upper hand.
With 7.5 ticks remaining and FAU up 71-70, Butler received a pass around 65 feet from the basket. He sprinted toward the lane, but FAU's Nick Boyd eliminated a path to the hoop. Butler stopped near the end line, crossed over between his legsâthree secondsâdribbled to the leftâtwo secondsâand hadn't created much space.
But itâone secondâwas enough.
The buzzer echoed through NRG Stadium, Butler's shot splashed through the net and FAU's dream season ended with a nightmare.
Rather than breaking a trend and furthering NCAA tournament history, the Owls suddenly were forced to settle with being a fun Cinderella story that ended in a familiar place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVPLO1ZEsZs
Meanwhile, as the ball drifted toward the rim, the mood around the Aztecs was of simmering heartache. They'd started fast but failed to sustain it. They'd been close to FAU for nine minutes, but not close enough.
San Diego State wasn't supposed to win this game.
The Aztecs surrendered 40-plus points in the opening half for only the third time all season. Leading scorer Matt Bradley raced out to 11 quick points, then didn't score for more than 22 minutes. Darrion Trammell, the South Regional MVP, mustered five points on 2-of-8 shooting.
Not after wasting five potential go-ahead possessions during the last four minutes. Not after missing a three, a two and 3-of-4 free throws with two turnovers, scoring a single point in those clutch moments.
However, the Aztecs' ordinarily suffocating defense made its return at the perfect moment. They limited FAU to just six points on a 2-of-7 shooting mark and forced four turnovers in the last 7:46 of the game, carving an unexpected but necessary path for Butler's heroics.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 01: Lamont Butler #5 of the San Diego State Aztecs makes a basket as the clock expires to defeat the Florida Atlantic Owls 72-71 during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game at NRG Stadium on April 01, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Butler's shot doubles as a bit of catharsis for a program that dreamed of this moment in 2020 but never had an opportunity to chase its vision of a national title. That season, the 30-2 Aztecs would've been a top-two seed.
While the disappointment of the unknown from 2020 may linger, the intensity of that sting will be lighter.
No longer will an asterisk follow San Diego State. Even as those what-if fantasies won't completely disappear, the team that could've beenâone viewed as the nation's sixth-best squad, according to KenPomâcan willingly take a backseat to the team that actually did.
The team, finally, with a chance to win a national title.
San Diego State will again need its outstanding defense on that championship stage. On paper, SDSU isn't built to win a back-and-forth showdown that creeps much higher than the 70s. The opponent, whether it's Connecticut or Miami, will be an offensive-driven group.
But the Aztecs, despite all of the factors that leaned in FAU's favor, managed to find a way Saturday night. They broke Cinderella's heart to continue chasing their own magical dream.
San Diego State isn't supposed to be there.
One legendary shot later, though, the Aztecs are a single win away from a national championship.
SDSU's Lamont Butler Breaks Down 'Unbelievable' Final Four Buzzer-Beater vs. FAU
Apr 2, 2023
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 01: Lamont Butler #5 of the San Diego State Aztecs celebrates with Aguek Arop #33 after making a game winning basket to defeat the Florida Atlantic Owls 72-71 during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game at NRG Stadium on April 01, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Lamont Butler finished with just nine points in San Diego State's Final Four win over FAU on Saturday night. But his last shot may have been the biggest one of his basketball life as he hit a buzzer-beater to send the Aztecs to the national championship game on Monday.
His mid-range jumper sent NRG Stadium into bedlam as SDSU made a furious comeback in the second half to make its first title game appearance in program history.
The junior guard wrote himself into March Madness lore with his heroics.
While talking with CBS after the game, an elated Butler broke down the biggest shot of the night with a few simple words, speaking to how the entire Aztecs fanbase is feeling at the moment.
— CBS Sports College Basketball đ (@CBSSportsCBB) April 2, 2023
As the No. 5 seed in the South Region, San Diego State's run to the championship game has been one of the most unlikely of the tournament, having to take out top overall seed Alabama in the Sweet 16.
They Aztecs await the winner of the UConn and Miami matchup, who will likely be the favorite going into the championship game.
SDSU's Lamont Butler Electrifies Fans with Epic Final Four Buzzer-Beater vs. FAU
Apr 2, 2023
San Diego State guard Lamont Butler (5) celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning basket against Florida Atlantic during a Final Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, April 1, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Lamont Butler made a game-winning, buzzer-beating jumper to lead San Diego State to a 72-71 win over Florida Atlantic in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Final Four on Saturday.
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 2, 2023
"This is what I came here to do!"
Lamont Butler says he was comfortable taking the final shot that lifted San Diego State past Florida Atlantic at the buzzer đ #MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/nr61uUSkkI
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 2, 2023
SDSU trailed for much of this game (and by as many as 14 points) for three reasons: FAU scored first-half 40 points against KenPom.com's fourth-rated defense, Alijah Martin dropped a game-high 26 points and the Aztecs made just four of their final 12 free-throw attempts.
Despite all that, SDSU found itself down just one after Jaedon LeDee made a jumper with 38 seconds left.
FAU's next possession ended after a strong contest from Aguek Arop forced a Johnell Davis miss. Nathan Mensah corralled the rebound, and the ball found its way to Butler, who sent the Aztecs to the national championship for the first time ever.
Simply put, Butler authored an electrifying finish to a fantastic game, and Twitter was set ablaze after the shot.
You know Butler was practicing that shot in his driveway since he was a little kid. Absolutely amazing.
SDSU will now play the winner of the Miami vs. UConn Final Four matchup in the national championship on Monday.
Watch March Madness Live to stream every tournament game through the Final Four.
2023 NCAA Men's Final Four Won't Feature Top-3 Seed for 1st Time in History
Mar 26, 2023
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 25: The Florida Atlantic Owls celebrate after defeating the Kansas State Wildcats in the Elite Eight round game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 25, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
It turns out anyone who felt like there weren't any overwhelmingly dominant teams in men's college basketball this season may have been on to something.
Miami's win over Texas in Sunday's Elite Eight game meant history was made, and not the kind the typical powerhouses will like. ESPN's Field Yates noted this is the first year that there will not be a top-three seed in the men's Final Four.
Instead, the Final Four will consist of fourth-seeded UConn from the West Region, fifth-seeded Miami from the Midwest Region, fifth-seeded San Diego State from the South Region and ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic from the East Region.
In a typical year, any of those teams might be the Cinderella story.
Yet the distinction goes to the Owls from the Conference USA, even though they are now 35-3 on the season after Saturday's dramatic win over Kansas State. They reached their first Final Four in program history and are just two wins away from taking home the national title.
And there won't be any top-three seeds in their way.
Watch March Madness Live to stream every tournament game through the Final Four.
