NCAA National Championship Game: Butler VS. Duke Pick & Preview

I can’t believe I’m hearing this, but many people are calling this a boring Championship Game. I don’t know how I could disagree more. You have the Yankees of college basketball in the Duke Blue Devils – going up against a small market, low priced team like the Florida Marlins. You have the Dallas Cowboys going up against a little-loved Bengals team. This is David vs. Goliath and people aren’t falling head over heals for this match-up? I’m incensed!

I love Butler’s story, but I’m sorry to say, they are hardly unknown enough to play the role of David here. These guys were ranked in the Top 15 all year long, have won more than 20 games in a row in their current winning streak, and were only a 5 seed because the tournament committee never gives any small schools credit for their seasonal success.

But that all doesn’t matter, the bottom line is, the much-loved Butler Bulldogs are going up against the Evil Empire, always good, big market butt-kissing Duke Blue Devils. How much better can it get? What else, I think there’s a great chance at upset city. Butler plays very close games, they’ve beaten bigger teams, faster teams, more athletic teams, defensive teams, rebounding teams, zone teams, man teams – they’ve done it all. And now, once again, they are a big underdog. And this game just so happens to be the National Championship Game.

Don’t forget, these Bulldogs beat the Michigan State Spartans in a game where they couldn’t throw the ball in the ocean. They didn’t score a field goal for a stretch over 10 minutes in the 2nd half. They were in foul trouble, and two of their starters and most important players were out hurt with the game on the line. The Bulldogs are a great team, and as a 7-point underdog, they are my pick to cover. Go Cinderella, even if you didn’t need a fairy godmother to get you to the ball!

Butler Bulldogs (+7.5) Vs. Duke Blue Devils