INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ Yes, it's a matchup pitting a cute bulldog
against a devil, America's favorite underdog against the team
people love to hate.
Dig a little deeper, though, and basketball fans might see two
programs, Butler and Duke, who come from almost the same place.
The teams playing for the national championship Monday hail from
small, private schools that don't simply open their doors to
anyone. They're located in different parts of the America, but both
deep in the heart of basketball country. And neither pays mere lip
service to the classroom.
Either way, it's Duke going for its fourth national title and
Butler going for its first. The Blue Devils are 7-point favorites
against the Bulldogs, who have a nation-leading 25-game winning
streak.