According to Internet Media: The Butler Bulldogs have advanced to the Final Four, and many people insist on calling them a “Cinderella” team. This is far from the truth, however, as Butler has now advanced to the Final Four for the second year in a row.
A Cinderella team is one that no one expects to advance out of the first round. It can also be a team that few people besides the team’s fans even know anything about.
Butler has bona fide March stars in Brad Stevens, Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard, and Ronald Nored, and is the defending national runner-up. The Bulldogs are not a Cinderella story.
But Shaka Smart and VCU? Now there is a Cinderella story.
Before we look at VCU, it is worth noting regarding Butler that while their success in last year’s tournament makes their Final 4 appearance this year not unexpected, the Bulldogs certainly did not look like a Final 4 team early in the year.
Many people counted out Butler after a 14-9 start and a loss to the lowly Youngstown State Penguins. They were 6-5 and in the middle of pack in the Horizon League. They lost every tough game they had against teams such as Duke, Louisville, and Xavier.
The Bulldogs responded though by winning their last nine regular season games, including the Horizon League championship. They received an eight seed, which I believe was wrong. Although they had a tough season, they did finish the year with 23 wins and a conference title. The Horizon League is no longer dominated by Butler as is features talented teams such as Cleveland State and Milwaukee.
Butler was considered a Cinderella as a 5 seed last year, which makes even less sense than them being considered one this year. Either way, they are in the Final Four for the second straight year and coach Brad Stevens is building a dynasty at Butler.
shaka-smart-vcuBut the true Cinderella team of this year’s tournament is Virginia Commonwealth University, more commonly known as VCU. Coached by the energetic Shaka Smart, the 11th-seeded VCU is on a magical run this season. The Rams face off today against Kansas looking for their first Final Four berth in school history.
VCU qualifies as a Cinderella because they were not even expected to be in the field. They were among the last four teams in and played in the First Four. Most people believed that they did not even deserve to be among the last four in. To go along with that, they were expected to lose in the First Four against USC.
The reason that their Cinderella status is intact is because of the lack of attention and respect that VCU received not just entering the tournament but all season. They play in the Colonial Conference, which receives little attention even though it produced three tourney teams in VCU, George Mason, and Old Dominion. VCU ended the year with a loss in the Colonial championship game to Old Dominion, which then went on to lose in the first round to non-Cinderella Butler.
A win over Kansas would give VCU the same status as George Mason in 2006. They would both be Colonial teams making it to the Final Four, which does not happen very often. A win would also set up a VCU vs Butler Final Four matchup.
A Cinderella team is one that no one expects to advance out of the first round. It can also be a team that few people besides the team’s fans even know anything about.
Butler has bona fide March stars in Brad Stevens, Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard, and Ronald Nored, and is the defending national runner-up. The Bulldogs are not a Cinderella story.
But Shaka Smart and VCU? Now there is a Cinderella story.
Before we look at VCU, it is worth noting regarding Butler that while their success in last year’s tournament makes their Final 4 appearance this year not unexpected, the Bulldogs certainly did not look like a Final 4 team early in the year.
Many people counted out Butler after a 14-9 start and a loss to the lowly Youngstown State Penguins. They were 6-5 and in the middle of pack in the Horizon League. They lost every tough game they had against teams such as Duke, Louisville, and Xavier.
The Bulldogs responded though by winning their last nine regular season games, including the Horizon League championship. They received an eight seed, which I believe was wrong. Although they had a tough season, they did finish the year with 23 wins and a conference title. The Horizon League is no longer dominated by Butler as is features talented teams such as Cleveland State and Milwaukee.
Butler was considered a Cinderella as a 5 seed last year, which makes even less sense than them being considered one this year. Either way, they are in the Final Four for the second straight year and coach Brad Stevens is building a dynasty at Butler.
shaka-smart-vcuBut the true Cinderella team of this year’s tournament is Virginia Commonwealth University, more commonly known as VCU. Coached by the energetic Shaka Smart, the 11th-seeded VCU is on a magical run this season. The Rams face off today against Kansas looking for their first Final Four berth in school history.
VCU qualifies as a Cinderella because they were not even expected to be in the field. They were among the last four teams in and played in the First Four. Most people believed that they did not even deserve to be among the last four in. To go along with that, they were expected to lose in the First Four against USC.
The reason that their Cinderella status is intact is because of the lack of attention and respect that VCU received not just entering the tournament but all season. They play in the Colonial Conference, which receives little attention even though it produced three tourney teams in VCU, George Mason, and Old Dominion. VCU ended the year with a loss in the Colonial championship game to Old Dominion, which then went on to lose in the first round to non-Cinderella Butler.
A win over Kansas would give VCU the same status as George Mason in 2006. They would both be Colonial teams making it to the Final Four, which does not happen very often. A win would also set up a VCU vs Butler Final Four matchup.
