Free throws told the tale in the closing seconds of a wild finish in Washington, D.C., in a Southeast Region clash, when both teams drew controversial foul calls at inopportune times. With his top-seeded Pittsburgh team down one to No. 8 seed Butler with a second left, Gilbert Brown made the first of two free throws to tie the score at seventy, but missed the second. Inexplicably, Pittsburgh forward Nasir Robinson fouled Butler’s Matt Howard on the ensuing rebound. Howard made the first and intentionally missed the second, punching Butler’s second straight ticket to the Sweet Sixteen.
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Jim Young/Reuters
Butler University's Matt Howard (C) is fouled by University of Pittsburgh's Nasir Robinson (35) during the second half of their third round NCAA basketball game in Washington, March 19. The foul lead to a free throw to win the game for Butler.