Competitive Standing
Despite playing in a mid-major conference, Butler rose to national prominence in recent years. They ranked in most media polls for all but a few weeks from the 2006-07 season to the 2011-12 season, and competed in the post season every year since 1997, except for 2004 and 2005. In the 2010 NCAA Tournament, Butler was runner-up to Duke, advancing to the National Championship Game after defeating Michigan State in the Final Four. With a total enrollment of only 4,500 students, Butler is the smallest school to play for a national championship since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. The Bulldogs also went to the championship game in the following NCAA Tournament, falling to UConn after defeating VCU in the Final Four. With the victory over VCU, Butler became the first mid-major program to reach the championship game in successive seasons since 1979, when seeding of the tournament began, and the only team from the state of Indiana to reach back-to-back championship games.
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Famous quotes containing the words competitive and/or standing:
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—Jean Rhys (1894–1979)