Lamont Butler’s Heroic SDSU Buzzer-Beater Was Millimeters Away From Not Counting

The guard barely avoided drawing a whistle before the shot.

On Saturday night, San Diego State’s Lamont Butler sent the Aztecs to the national championship game on a buzzer-beater vs. FAU. While the play instantly became the highlight of the men’s tournament, it also almost never happened.

Butler had the ball for the last eight seconds of the game, which included dribbling along the baseline trying to find a way to the hoop. While he was down below the basket, Butler was at risk of stepping out of bounds, but he just barely stayed inbounds by what seems like millimeters.

The result was a moment that will be remembered forever in San Diego.

LAMONT BUTLER WINS IT AT THE BUZZER 😱

THE AZTECS ARE #NATIONALCHAMPIONSHIP BOUND 🔥#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/2sqxu5g05j

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 2, 2023

SDSU's Lamont Butler was THIS close to stepping out on final shot 🤏🤯 pic.twitter.com/7QlmWHYsWF

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 2, 2023

Butler’s shot is now an instant classic, as he joins buzzer-beating heroes like Jalen Suggs and Kris Jenkins in recent Final Fours. It also became arguably the biggest play in San Diego State sports history.

But if the court was just a smidge smaller, Butler would’ve gotten whistled—sending FAU through and the Aztecs home.