Butler became the first team from Indiana to advance to two straight Final Fours. That means such basketball powers as Indiana, Purdue and Notre Dame have not.
“It does mean a lot,” center Matt Howard of the achievement. “It speaks volumes of how hard it is to do something like that. It takes a special group of guys and coaches. I feel fortunate to be sitting here (at a Final Four news podium).
“I know it’s not easy. You’ve got to feel fortunate. You have to have things go your way. Three of the four games (Butler has played in the tournament) we could have easily lost.”
Jerry Tipton of the Lexington Herald- Leader has covered Kentucky basketball since the 1981-82 season. That time includes five coaches, five Final Fours, four athletic directors, two interim athletic directors and many memories. Before coming to Lexington, Tipton worked eight years for the Huntington (W.Va.) Herald-Dispatch. He covered Marshall’s basketball team for two seasons before coming to the Herald-Leader.
