Lamont Butler, the standout guard for San Diego State, made waves during the 2023 NCAA Tournament with his iconic game-winning shot against Florida Atlantic in the Final Four. However, in a surprising turn of events, Butler recently expressed that his memorable victory against Kentucky in the regular season was even more special to him than his buzzer-beater that propelled the Aztecs to the national championship game.
Butler’s Kentucky win came earlier in the 2022-2023 season and was a moment of personal significance that went beyond just a team victory. The game, played in Rupp Arena—a hallowed ground in college basketball—was a high-stakes contest for the Aztecs, as they looked to assert themselves on the national stage. The magnitude of the win, coupled with the fierce competition of going head-to-head with a program of Kentucky’s stature, made it a moment Butler will never forget.
“It felt more memorable,” Butler explained, reflecting on the sense of accomplishment that came with knocking off the Wildcats in front of their passionate home crowd. “It was something that we had been working for all season. And to do it against a program like Kentucky, it felt like it was a statement.”
For Butler, the game represented more than just an individual moment. It was a team effort, one where the Aztecs showcased their resilience and determination to compete with the nation’s elite. In many ways, it was a preview of the mentality they would carry into March Madness.
While the Final Four buzzer-beater against Florida Atlantic will forever be etched into the history of the NCAA Tournament, Butler’s Kentucky victory was a pivotal milestone in San Diego State’s journey that year. It set the tone for what would be a magical tournament run and demonstrated the team’s potential to achieve greatness, even against one of college basketball’s blue-blood programs.
For Butler, the Kentucky game solidified his belief in his team’s ability to compete with the best, and it reaffirmed the idea that success in basketball isn’t just about individual moments but about collective effort and overcoming challenges as a unit. It was a win that carried more weight than any single shot, and that’s why, in his eyes, it remains more memorable than the unforgettable buzzer-beater that followed.
