Coming into this college basketball regular season, no one believed that the Butler Bulldogs (8) would be able to repeat what they had done in the 2010 NCAA Tournament and go the distance. Not only did Butler (8) lose their best player to the NBA in Gordon Haywood (Utah Jazz), but the consensus around the country and in college basketball was that this just wasn’t the same team and would have no chance this season without Haywood leading the way.

Even though this was the consensus and no one could argue with it, the Butler Bulldogs (8) were able to do seemingly the impossible on Saturday night as they were able to get the best of a very good VCU Rams squad and advance to the National Championship game for the second consecutive season.

If anyone had asked which team in the Final Four this season were in the Final Four last season the answer would have almost certainly have been the Kentucky Wildcats or maybe even the UConn Huskies, but no one would have anticipated this team do what they have done and reach the title game for the second year in a row.

One thing is for certain after this win over the VCU Rams on Saturday night in Houston, Texas, no one will ever label this team the underdog ever again as few teams in college basketball have ever been able to get to the National Championship game in consecutive seasons.

So even though VCU put up a valiant effort and at one point looked like they might be headed to the National Championship game, the Butler Bulldogs (8) were able to close the door on the Rams’ Cinderella run (70-62) and get yet another chance to win an NCAA title as they will face the UConn Huskies (3) on Monday night.

The online sportbooks have the following odds on the 2011 NCAA Championship Game

Diamond Sportsbook:
Spread: Butler Bulldogs +3.5 & UConn Huskies -3.5
Moneyline: Butler Bulldogs +155 & UConn Huskies -175
Over/Under: Butler Bulldogs 110 UConn Huskies110 under (128.5)

Bookmaker Sportsbook:
Spread: Butler Bulldogs +3.5 & UConn Huskies -3.5
Moneyline: Butler Bulldogs +155 & UConn Huskies -175
Over/Under: Butler Bulldogs 110 UConn Huskies110 under (128.5)

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