It\u2019s no secret that the Butler Bulldogs had a disappointing 2018-19 season, ending the year below .500 for the first time in nearly seven years. While the Bulldogs will be watching the Final Four from the couch like the rest of us, two pairings of elite college basketball teams will be taking center stage in Minneapolis. Virginia is the lone one-seed, but Michigan State, Texas Tech, and Auburn can all still stake their claim as the best team in the country. Each team took a different path to the Final Four and each team has key differences that separate themselves from everyone else in college basketball. Here are four key things that the Final Four teams possess that Butler lacks.<\/p>\n
Virginia: Tony Bennett\u2019s Pack Line Defense<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Since Tony Bennett took over the Cavaliers in 2009, no team in the country has displayed a similar type of defensive dominance. In fact, since his fourth season at the helm of Virginia, his teams have been in the top ten of defensive efficiency all but one season. The secret behind Bennett\u2019s wizardry is his so called \u201cPack Line Defense\u201d. This system lives by two principles: Limit fast breaks and deny in-the-lane penetration. While this seems simple, it\u2019s extremely hard to execute game after game \u2013 let alone year after year. Basketball is a game of runs and fast break opportunities tend to spark large one-sided scoring bursts. Virginia sacrifices offensive rebounds (12th<\/sup> in the ACC) so that they can get back and limit in-transition baskets. Offensive penetration also seems like a simple thing to stop, but over-helping and allowing shooters to get open on the perimeter is a serious problem if not done right. Much too often this year, Butler allowed shooters to have open shots due to too much aggression in the paint. Butler allowed nearly 36% of opposing three point shots to go, which trails only DePaul for worst in the Big East this season. With the Pack Line system, Virginia\u2019s opponents shot just 28% from three.<\/p>\n NEXT: Michigan State<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Michigan State: Quality secondary scorers<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n It’s no secret that Michigan State’s run to the Four Four has been fueled by the play of star guard Cassius Winston. The junior has averaged 18.4 PPG and 6.6 APG during the NCAA Tournament, but the Spartans are not led by Winston alone. In fact, Tom Izzo’s team has four other players averaging double figures in scoring this season. In Winston’s two worst games this season (made just six field goals combined), the Spartans won by an average of 18.5 points. Both of those contests featured different players taking the bulk of the scoring burden away from Winston. Far too many times this season, if Kamar Baldwin wasn’t hitting his shots, the Bulldogs weren’t winning. For Butler to hold their own in the Big East next season, the team as a whole will have to do more on the offensive end. The Spartans knew the burden couldn’t always be on Cassius Winston, and that balance got them to the Final Four.<\/p>\n NEXT: Texas Tech<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Texas Tech: No weak links<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n If there is one team left in the NCAA Tournament that has the fewest deficiencies, it’s Texas Tech. It’s true that no team is perfect, but how did we not see this Red Raiders team coming? While Virginia has possessed the most consistent defense over the years, Texas Tech’s the is the premier unit this season. Their 87.9 defensive rating is a whole two points better than the next closest team. With shooters like Matt Mooney and an NBA-ready prospect in Jarrett Culver, they also possess one of the most potent offenses in the Big 12. Length is just about as important as anything in college basketball, and they have it with the aforementioned Jarrett Culver and the 6’10” St. John’s grad-transfer Tariq Owens. All too often, Butler relied heavily on their offense, or heavily on their defense. It never seemed like the team could find the balance between making shots consistently and making stops on defense. It’s a simple thing, but Texas Tech does it better than almost any team in the country.<\/p>\n NEXT: Auburn<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Auburn: Consistent three-point shooting<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Bruce Pearl’s Auburn Tigers came into the tournament as a five-seed, but beat the likes of Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky to get to the Final Four. You don’t beat three blue bloods without a blueprint, and Auburn had a basic one: shoot the three pointer lights out. That is easier said than done, but the Tigers did it well all season long. The team made 454 threes this season \u2013 the next closest in the SEC? Mississippi State with 292. This Auburn team has been prolific and historic from beyond the arc throughout the whole year. While Butler was fifth in the Big East at 36% from three, those numbers dropped in big games. In the four showdowns against Villanova and Marquette, they shot just 28.3%. Sure, Auburn took a lot<\/em> of deep shots, but they also hit a lot of deep shots. If Butler continues to lack size down low, perimeter shooting will continue to prove to be the lifeblood of the team. Can we get some consistency now?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s no secret that the Butler Bulldogs had a disappointing 2018-19 season, ending the year below .500 for the first time in nearly seven years. 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