March Madness: 10 shining moments from historic Final Fours

March Madness: 10 shining moments in Final Four history

Michigan State guard Earvin Johnson and Indiana State forward Larry Bird answer questions for reporters during a press conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. Tomorrow, the two players will face off when their teams meet in the NCAA Final Four Championship, a game many feel will be a classic matchup of two collegiate superstars. /

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Butler’s Gordon Hayward (20) last-second shot doesn’t fall during the second half of the NCAA Final Four championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, Monday, April 5, 2010. Duke defeated Butler, 61-59. (Photo by Ethan Hyman/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT via Getty Images) /

10. Gordon Hayward’s prayer is almost answered

The 2010 NCAA Championship game between Duke and Butler was one of the more hyped matchups in recent memory. On one side you had the established Blue Devils, led by coach Mike Krzyzewski, who had three national championships on his resume.

The opposing Bulldogs were the upstarts, led by hot-shot coach Brad Stevens and possessing a future NBA star in Gordon Hayward. Coming out of the Horizon League, Butler toppled traditional powers like top-seed Syracuse in the Sweet 16 and Michigan State in the Final Four to earn their shot at the Blue Devils.

This contest was a nip-and-tuck affair throughout, with Duke heading into the locker room with a slim one-point lead. After trading baskets for most of the first seven minutes in the second half, Duke struggled to maintain more than a four or five point advantage on Butler, which kept coming back for more just as it looked like the Blue Devils were going to put the game away.

The contest came down to an interesting strategic choice from Coach K, who saw big man Brian Zoubek get fouled with three seconds to go and Duke up by a point. Knowing that Butler was out of timeouts, Krzyzewski ordered Zoubek to make the first free throw and miss the second in order to start the clock.

That left precious little time for Butler to get the ball up the floor, with Hayward launching a half-court heave. The ball actually went off the backboard and front rim before falling to the floor, leaving Butler just inches from a title in a finish that will go down as an all-timer in March Madness history.