NCAA Basketball: Top 25 NCAA Tournament cinderellas since 2000

5) 2010 Butler Bulldogs, No. 5-seed

Record: 33-5, National Runner-Up
Beat: (12) UTEP Miners, (13) Murray State Racers, (1) Syracuse Orange, (2) Kansas State Wildcats, (5) Michigan State Spartans

This was the start of possibly the least likely two-year runs by any team in college basketball history. The Butler Bulldogs come from a small school from Indianapolis, Indiana and introduced themselves to the country, almost toppling the giant known as the Duke Blue Devils. Led by Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack, the Bulldogs would roll off 25 straight wins before losing to the Blue Devils in the national title game.

This was a very good team and was ranked No. 12 heading into the tournament. Even with the high ranking, they were still seeded on the five-line. Many people had doubts with how good the Bulldogs actually were because of them playing in the Horizon League. Even though they went a perfect 18-0 in their conference, they were 1-3 against ranked teams. How would they react come tournament time?

Well, it didn’t take long to show that they had the toughness to compete with the big boys. After getting by the UTEP Miners and the Murray State Racers to make it to the Sweet 16, the Bulldogs would face the No. 1-seed Syracuse Orange.

Butler would build a 10-point halftime lead, but Syracuse would come storming back in the second half. The Orange would actually take a four-point lead late in the game before Butler would shut the door on their season and beat them, 63-59.

The Kansas State Wildcats would stand in the Bulldogs’ way for a trip to the Final Four, but the Bulldogs took care of them by seven and head to their first national semifinal ever. Butler would take on the Michigan State Spartans.

After trailing for most of the first half, Butler went into the break tied. The Bulldogs then took control and led the entire second half to make it upset No. 3 on their road to the title game. Hayward led the team with 19 points against the Spartans.

The cinderella run ended in the title game against Duke, but only by inches. Down by two Hayward took a missed free throw by Duke and after a massive screen threw up a half-court shot that bounced off the backboard and the rim. A mere inch is what kept the Bulldogs from pulling off one of the biggest upsets in college basketball and the most improbable champion.

Hayward and the Bulldogs carried the weight of the mid-majors on their shoulders and almost became champions. This was the start of what would change the landscape for Butler basketball forever. Now in the Big East, they would use this 2010 season and the next to show everyone that the Bulldogs could play with the big boys.