Minute by minute, second by second, the NCAA title game got better and better.

The ball went sailing while the buzzer went off. Where it landed would be the difference between a shining moment for one team, a tearstained loss for another. Butler forward Gordon Hayward's halfcourt shot hit backboard, then rim, then barely careened out. Duke beat Butler 61-59 on Monday night. What a game! And what a way to end the season, even if America's favorite underdog came up a little short.

The Duke Blue Devils are national champions.

Butler didn't bring any tape measures to Friday's shootaround.

Duke is headed to another Final Four after showing it takes more than a cold night from one of the "Big Three" to stop the Blue Devils.

Nolan Smith scored 29 points and Duke returned to the Final Four for the first time in six years by beating Baylor 78-71 on Sunday in the South Regional final, ending the Bears' charming run to college basketball redemption.

Tweety Carter and LaceDarius Dunn are the Baylor version of Scottie and MJ, although a moment ago they looked more like Montana and Rice.

Duke always has a target on its back, and the fourth-ranked Blue Devils figure it's gotten bigger lately.

When Maryland's 2009-2010 basketball schedule came out, forward Landon Milbourne quickly checked to see when the Terrapins were hosting Duke.