Morgan is a key as Spartans, Bulldogs get first shot at title game; WV, Duke to follow

Morgan a key as Michigan State, Butler set for tip

Something to watch for in the first national semifinal: Michigan State is undefeated (6-0) when Raymar Morgan has a double-double.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo talked about Morgan during media availability earlier in the week and had to choose his words carefully in describing his career so far. Izzo wouldn’t tread on the word “disappointment,” but he made it clear that he expects more of the forward.

Morgan has delivered in the NCAA tournament, though, embarking on perhaps the best four-game run of his college basketball career. Does he have another one in him?

Magic Johnson made his way to his seat moments ago, flashing that enormous smile, slapping high-fives with the face-painted Michigan State fans in the front row of the student section.

Even for the Magic Man, this never gets old.

“This is what you live for. This is what it’s all about,” he said. “I love it.”

The MVP of Michigan State’s epic 1979 NCAA title, Johnson was in St. Louis last week to cheer on the Spartans in both rounds of the Midwest Regional, and entered Lucas Oil Stadium for the national semifinal against Butler like a conquering hero returning home.

“It’s a great moment. We’re back again and I think this year is more special because nobody expected us to be here,” Johnson said. “It’s so special.”

Talk about a nice way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Indiana state high school basketball tournament: Butler playing in the Final Four in Indianapolis.

The Bulldogs are left to carry the banner in a state that calls basketball its own, where you’re more likely to see a backboard and rim attached to the side of barn than you are to see a soccer field in suburbia.

Indiana missed out on the NCAA tournament again, as the once-proud program continues to rebuild. Notre Dame was eliminated in the first round and Purdue was ousted in the regional semifinals by Duke, which plays West Virginia in one of the national semifinals.

That leaves Butler on the big stage against Michigan State.

From small towns like Connersville and Yorktown to bigger cities like Indy and Bloomington, blue Butler shirts are popping up everywhere. Hoosier fans are even joining the bandwagon.

At Victory Field, home of Indy’s minor-league baseball team, the words “Go Dawgs” have been scripted into the stands. At the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in New Castle, home of two Butler players and an assistant coach, growing crowds are asking more questions about Butler.

It’s been a long time since Indiana State and some kid named Larry Bird played Michigan State in the Final Four, but there are certainly some parallels. And they’re evident all over the state of Indiana.

It hasn’t been easy for Butler or Michigan State on the road to Indianapolis.

The Bulldogs had perhaps the easiest game of anybody left in the opening round against UTEP, breezing to a 77-59 victory. The Bulldogs then squeaked by 13th-seeded Murray State by two, upended No. 1 seed Syracuse by four, and struggled to a seven-point win over second-seeded Kansas State in a game that was much closer most of the way.

If that’s impressive, consider that Michigan State won its four games by a whopping 13 points — combined. It was the lowest margin for a Final Four team since the NCAA tournament expanded to 64 in 1985.

The run began with a 70-67 win over New Mexico State, then came a two-point victory over Maryland in which the Spartans lost star guard Kalin Lucas to a ruptured Achilles’ tendon. The injury hasn’t slowed them down, though, in a 59-52 win over Northern Iowa and a 70-69 thriller in the Midwest Regional final against Tennessee.

Colts president Bill Polian brought his son and daughter-in-law to the Final Four.

Just 2½ months ago, Lucas Oil Stadium was the site of the AFC championship. Now it’s been turned into a basketball arena where Michigan State, Butler, West Virginia and Duke will play.

And it was no surprise who Polian, architect of Super Bowl teams in the small-market towns of Buffalo and Indy, was rooting for Saturday. Of course he wanted the small-school guys.

“It’s been an exciting year for Indianapolis sports,” Polian said. “We pull, for the ‘Dawgs every week, so today is no exception.”

He plans to watch Monday night’s title game, too, whether the Bulldogs win or not. But if they do win it could give Polian a glimpse into what the 2012 Super Bowl venue would be like if the Colts were to make it.

“Exciting, very exciting,” Polian said.

Butler fans are ready to party — six miles away from Lucas Oil Stadium.

With ribbons tied around trees and street posts, students, parents and alums started lining up outside of historic Hinkle Fieldhouse more than 2½ hours before tipoff and 75 minutes before doors opened for the school’s viewing party.

Some fans pulled coolers on rolling carts around campus, clearly preparing for a long night, and one Greek organization painted a basketball and Butler’s logo on its front lawn.

Nobody was complaining.

“Hey there’s nothing wrong with camping out, right?” asked freshman Stephanie Holgin.

That’s right.

Every team has a mantra, a few words that define the program, the players and everybody who wears the jersey. In Indianapolis, it’s simply called “The Butler Way.”

“The Butler Way demands commitment,” the official credo reads, “denies selfishness, accepts reality, yet seeks improvement every day while putting the team above self.”

Want evidence of what that means?

On Friday, Butler star Matt Howard broke a shoelace before practice. Little-used freshman Emerson Kampen quickly untied his left shoe, handed over the shoestring and spent the next 50 minutes shooting baskets with, essentially, one good foot.

“I think it’s a lot easier to give up your shoelace than it is to give up your shoes,” coach Brad Stevens said. “But that is something we never talk about unless it’s asked. We want to show what The Butler Way means with our actions.”

It’s gotten them to Lucas Oil Stadium and the Final Four. Now the hometown faithful is hoping it carries Butler through at least one more game.

It begins at last, after three weeks of thrillers and failures, dreams made and dreams dashed. Nearly every office bracket has been turned to confetti, so all that remains are four teams that have weathered the madness to reach college basketball’s biggest stage.

Lucas Oil Stadium. Indianapolis. The Final Four.

The scrappy hometown school, Butler, begins the festivities by taking on Michigan State, which is playing in its second straight Final Four under a coach who is better than just about any other when it comes to tournament play.

The Bulldogs will certainly have the homecourt advantage, but the Spartans know something about that. They played in the championship game against North Carolina at Ford Field a year ago, just a short drive from their East Lansing campus. The Tar Heels routed Michigan State.

The first game will be followed by West Virginia and irascible coach Bob Huggins, still in search of his first national championship, against the blueblood Blue Devils and coach Mike Krzyzewski, who consider it a disappointment when they miss the tournament’s final weekend.

They’re here now, all four of them are, but only two can play on.