Butler’s buzzer-beater lifts SDSU over FAU and causes Twitter frenzy

8:59 PM ET

The San Diego State Aztecs are off to the 2023 NCAA tournament national championship.

They punched their ticket to the title game Saturday in rather dramatic fashion after Lamont Butler‘s buzzer-beater secured a 72-71 win over the Florida Atlantic Owls in Houston.

With the victory, San Diego State looks to become the second team in the past 50 years to win the title after making its first Final Four appearance. After trailing 40-33 at halftime, Matt Bradley led the Aztecs’ second-half comeback by scoring or assisting on 27 points.

Notable numbers

5: Butler’s only shot of the second half was the fifth game-winning buzzer-beater in Final Four history. San Diego State’s 14-point comeback was the fifth-largest rally in a Final Four game. It’s also the largest deficit the Aztecs overcame this season.

2: The Aztecs won on the second game-winning buzzer-beater in a national semifinal game since the tournament expanded in 1985, joining Jalen Suggs‘ shot for the Gonzaga Bulldogs against the UCLA Bruins in 2021.

10: SDSU is 10-1 in games decided by five points or fewer this season.

20: San Diego State’s bench outscored Florida Atlantic’s reserves 20-2 in the second half. The Aztecs’ bench shot 54% from the field, going 2-for-2 from behind the arc.

Here’s how San Diego’s finest reacted to the game:

LAMONT BUTLER WINS IT AT THE BUZZER ????
THE AZTECS ARE #NATIONALCHAMPIONSHIP BOUND ????#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/2sqxu5g05j
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 2, 2023

Dance, sing, or get out of the way because the AZTECS ARE GOING TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP#TheTimeIsNow | #MFinalFour pic.twitter.com/70YqitR8zr
— San Diego State Men’s Basketball (@Aztec_MBB) April 2, 2023

What a finish pic.twitter.com/dofIyWv2NB
— Myron Medcalf (@MedcalfByESPN) April 2, 2023

Scene from Petco Park when the #Aztecs WON pic.twitter.com/2ypszqkrAs
— Annie Heilbrunn (@annieheilbrunn) April 2, 2023

Sports Twitter goes off

THAT. JUST. HAPPENED. ????#MFinalFour x @Aztec_MBB pic.twitter.com/mPEz7eXnYb
— NCAA Men’s Final Four (@MFinalFour) April 2, 2023

Wow celebration party time in San Diego ! Yes @Aztec_MBB heading to the @MarchMadnessMBB championship . The Star of Stars – LAMONT BUTLER with the winner !
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) April 2, 2023

Lamont Butler’s game-winning buzzer-beater was the 5th in a Final Four game all-time.
He joins:
????Jalen Suggs (GONZ, 2021)
????Kris Jenkins (VILL, 2016)
????Lorenzo Charles (NCST, 1983)
????Jerome Whitehead (MARQ, 1977) pic.twitter.com/C83ZGLrXzX
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 2, 2023

POV: You’re a San Diego State fan watching the Aztecs hit a buzzer beater to advance to the National Championship ????#MarchMadness @Aztec_MBB pic.twitter.com/zheVeQsLTe
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 2, 2023