San Diego State's Lamont Butler hit a buzzer beater in the Final Four to advance to the national championship game against either Miami (FL) or Connecticut. The Aztecs defeated Florida Atlantic 72-71, despite the Owls being a tough opponent. FAU started strong, scoring the game's first five points, but the Aztecs took control during a 14-unanswered point streak, helped by three straight 3-pointers from senior forward Matt Bradley. The Owls locked up the paint, denied penetration and contested every shot, allowing them to climb back into the game and become only the third team this season to reach the 40-point mark before halftime against the Aztecs.

San Diego State has had a dream season with their latest win now putting them in position to become national champions. Meanwhile, FAU has made history by getting to the Final Four for the first time in school history. They have a young basketball team, having only introduced the basketball program in the early 1980s, and have been part of three different conferences before moving to the American Athletic Conference next season. FAU's 20-game winning streak this season was a school record and the longest streak of any team in the nation. Despite their loss to San Diego State, the team has been compared to the Beach Boys by their head coach, Dusty May, due to their relaxed attitude and "play loose and free" mentality.