Will the real underdogs please stand up

Nearly three weeks ago ESPN’s Jay Bilas sounded off on two teams making the tournament. Those two teams were UAB and VCU. “These are horrible decisions”, Bilas said. “I wonder if some people on the committee even know if the ball is round.”

After those comments, one thing’s certain, VCU certainly knows the ball is round. The Rams have rattled off five wins in a row to win the Southwest Region. With their 71-61 win over top seeded Kansas, the Rams advance to their first Final Four in school history. The win is drawing many comparisons to the Cinderella-run made by the George Mason Patriots back in 2006, also via the Colonial Athletic Conference (CAA).

Ironically, the Patriots were also seeded 11th and knocked off the number one seed in their region, which was the UConn Huskies. However, there wasn’t nearly the same amount of controversy back in 2006 regarding the Patriots making the tournament as there has been for VCU this year.

The Rams finished with a 12-8 record during the regular season on the road/neutral courts. They also entered the month of February playing sub-par basketball, only winning three of their last eight, including a loss to Northeastern, a bottom-feeder in the CAA.

But the past is the past. After five straight wins over the likes of USC, Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State, and Kansas, the Rams are dancing. They’re dancing all the way to Houston for a match-up against a team who has long embraced the underdog role better than any team in the last decade. The Butler Bulldogs, out of the Horizon league, have advanced to their second Final Four in a row under head coach Brad Stevens. The Bulldogs topped the number two seed Florida Gators 74-71 in an OT thriller.

Yet, it’s arguable whether Butler should be considered an underdog anymore, since they’re presence seems common nowadays. Butler is the first team from outside the six power conferences to make the Final Four consecutive seasons since UNLV did it back in the 1990-91.

This year, it’s VCU rockin’ the glass slipper. As most remember, the Bulldogs reached the National championship game last year and lost to Duke after a half-court heave by Gordon Hayward banked out. Hayward moved onto the NBA but his teammates Matt Howard, Shelvin Mack, and Ronald Nored remember the bitter taste of defeat.

On Saturday, when Butler and VCU meet in Houston, they will combine to be the two lowest seeds to play each other in the Final Four, Butler as the 8th seed and VCU as an 11th seed. It’s only the third time, since the 1979 that the Final Four is without a number one seed, the last time it happened was 2006.

All eyes for the Butler vs. VCU game won’t strictly be on the court as the game features two of the top 10 youngest coaches in college basketball. Brad Stevens, 34, is the youngest coach in NCAA history to get his team to consecutive Final Fours.

The head coach for VCU, amidst all of the controversy and naysayers has stayed true to his last name. Shaka Smart, 33, is a coach said to be a “quotes kind of coach”, referenced one from the baseball cult-movie “Major League”. “Sometimes you’ve just got to go win the….thing,” said Smart post-game after the Kansas win.

If the Indians…I mean the Rams are going to beat an excellent defensive team in Butler, similar to Florida State, they’re going to need the “Wild Thing” to step up for them. The only question is who will be the Charlie Sheen for the Rams pre-tiger blood and bi-winning days? Joey Rodriguez?

Bradford Burgess? Brandon Rozzell? Regardless of who it is, the Rams have already accomplished more than all Cleveland franchises put together. VCU should wear their glass slipper proudly heading into the matchup against Butler and college basketball fans should be on the lookout for a Hollywood ending in this year’s Final Four.