2007 Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship
Championship Game--Ervin J. Nutter Center
No. 1 Wright State 60, No. 2 Butler 55
Notes and Quotes

Wright State Head Coach Brad Brownell On the game:
"It was a great basketball game. Our guys competed all year. But we really improved throughout the course of the tournament. We did not make a couple of baskets in the second half, but the kids didn't panic. We remained composed and we made good shots down the stretch to win it."

On when Butler took the lead late:
"Our kids believed all along that we could win this game and that we were going to play well. We just didn't know what it was going to come down to. In every huddle we told them to relax, stay calm, play the next play and fortunately Will (Graham) stepped up and made some big free throws."

On the NCAA automatic bid:
"We're not worried about the NCAA's for at least another 48 hours and we're going to enjoy this with our fans."

On Butler's start:
"Butler's a good team, they made their shots to start the game. I knew once we made our first shot that we'd relax and play better."

Wright State player DaShaun Wood
On the win:
"It's a great feeling. As far as our team, we are just as happy and that makes me even more proud. This win was not just for the team, but it was for everyone."

On winning the league and moving on to the NCAA Tournament:
"Nobody believed we could do this, so we have to keep going and make things happen in the (NCAA) tournament. We'll see where we go on Selection Sunday."

On the ending:
"I have been working hard all season and the team has worked hard all season and we came too close not to win it. I knew that if I could make a couple of shots and get my teammates involved, then we'd have a good shot."

Wright State player Drew Burleson
On the win:
"It's unreal. I don't know where to start. We pulled it out, like we always do. We really jelled as a team this year and we all stuck together."

On DaShaun Wood play:
"DaShaun is such a great player. He makes things happen. He's hit them all year."


Butler Head Coach Todd Lickliter
On the game:
"This was not neutral. This was something that was a good environment for now. For our guys to maintain their poise for most of the time but you have to do it all the time to win."

On rebounding for the NCAA Tournament:
"We will not have any problems playing. We've played really good basketball. Over the course of the last couple of weeks, where we've been (with playing the Bracket Buster, flying to Green Bay, then hosting Loyola a day later)."

On the difference in the game:
"There weren't very many possessions. When we went up two (points), they were able to counter. It seemed like they were able to counter a lot. I was really impressed with Wright State's poise. They're well coached. They're a good team. There's a reason whey they've only lost one home game."

Butler player A.J. Graves
On his last shot:
"I was just trying to push the ball up and see what the best shot was that we could get, because I knew we needed a three and I knew we didn't have any timeouts left."


Notes:
• Wright State wins the Horizon League's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
• It's the Raiders' second trip to the Division I tournament. The first came in 1993 as champions of the Mid-Continent Conference.
• It's Wright State's first Horizon League championship. Their 23 wins are their most since joining Division I in 1987.
• The Raiders becomes the third consecutive number one seed to win the title and the tournament played according to seed (no upsets) for the second year in a row.
• Butler becomes the fourth school to reach the finals two years in a row and lose both (Loyola 1982-83; St. Louis 1986-87; and Detroit 2000-01).
• The Bulldogs' 27 wins are a school record (BU remains one victory short of the league mark set by Xavier in 1989-90).