San Diego State’s Lamont Butler hits game-winning shot to send Aztecs to national title game

Lamont Butler delivered one shining moment for San Diego State on Saturday night in their Final Four appearance against Florida Atlantic.

Butler got the ball with less than 1 second remaining in the game, rose up and fired the ball into the hoop to give the Aztecs the 72-71 victory over the Owls. San Diego State will be headed for its first national championship game appearance against either UConn or Miami.

Butler finished with nine points on 3-of-6 shooting.

San Diego State was down by as many as 14 points and needed just one Florida Atlantic miss in the final minutes of the game to take advantage. Johnell Davis made two free throws with 1:20 to go and Jaedon LeDee answered with a layup.

On the next possession, Florida Atlantic’s Alijah Martin made a sweet reverse layup to go back up three points. It was two of his 19 points in the second half. But LeDee would answer and keep the deficit at one point.

Davis would try to put the Owls back up three points with the shot clock winding down. However, Davis would miss the layup and Nathan Mensah would clean it up. Butler would find the ball in his hands and put San Diego State into the national championship game.

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LeDee finished with 12 points off the bench.

Matt Bradley led San Diego State with 21 points on 5-of-12 shooting. Bradley and LeDee were the only Aztecs players in double figures.

Florida Atlantic took a seven-point lead into halftime.

Martin and Nicholas Boyd were the only two Owls players in double figures. Martin led the way with 26 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Boyd had 12 points on 4-of-8 from the field.

It was the first time either team was in the Final Four. One improbable run continues on Monday night and the other improbable run has come to an end.