Vanzant ready to begin ride for Butler

Lucas Oil Stadium, site of this season's Final Four, is about seven miles south of Butler University's Hinkle Fieldhouse.

"We're close," Butler guard Shawn Vanzant said. "But you've got to go on a journey to get there."

Vanzant, a 6-foot junior from Wharton High, can't wait for the ride to begin.

For about a decade, the Bulldogs have enjoyed a bracket-busting reputation, suitable for a program that plays at a site where the climactic scene of "Hoosiers" was filmed. But this could be the best Butler team ever. It swept through the Horizon League unbeaten - with three of its four non-league losses coming against NCAA Tournament-bound opponents from major conferences.

No. 5-seeded Butler (28-4), on a 20-game winning streak, opens Thursday afternoon against No. 12 UTEP (26-6) in a West Region first-round game at San Jose, Calif.

Vanzant, making his third NCAA Tournament appearance, was starting point guard for the first four games before assuming a role as a key backcourt reserve. He's averaging 2.8 points per game, with his best efforts coming against Davidson (10 points, 3-for-5 from 3-point range) and Milwaukee (12 points).

"It really doesn't matter whether I start or come off the bench, not on this team," Vanzant said. "It doesn't matter who scores the points. What matters is winning the game."

And that's something Butler does quite well.

"We're not sneaking up on anybody," Vanzant said. "Butler basketball was getting that kind of respect before I got here. I think we can play with anybody, and now it's time to start."

Arkansas-Pine Bluff gets past Winthrop

DAYTON, Ohio - Allen Smith scored 14 points during Arkansas-Pine Bluff's second-half surge to a 61-44 victory over Winthrop in the NCAA Tournament opener.

The Golden Lions (18-15) will play Duke on Friday in Jacksonville. Arkansas-Pine Bluff lost its first 11 games before rallying to earn the Southwestern Athletic Conference title and its first NCAA berth.

The fast exit was familiar for Winthrop (19-14), which has made the tournament nine times in the past 12 years but has one victory in all those tries.