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

Matt Howard crumpled to the ground and covered his face with his hands. Gordon Hayward walked off the court, the sparkle gone from his eyes. Willie Veasley sat in the locker room, his jersey pulled over his head.

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.

Kansas - gone.

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

The school that never celebrates midnight madness to kick off the season finally held a late-night campus party. About eight hours after Butler beat Kansas State to reach the first Final Four in school history, the Bulldogs returned home to a large crowd and loud cheers.

New Mexico star Darington Hobson crashed hard to the court when he was fouled on a drive to the basket. He remained down for a couple of minutes and appeared to be holding his left wrist as he was helped to the bench. After a media timeout he returned to take the free throws and missed both.