Inside The Heat

San Diego State's Lamont Butler Joins Mario Chalmers, Keith Smart As NCAA Final Four Last-Second Heroes

Lamont Butler's buzzer-beater against Florida Atlantic ranks among the best in Final Four history alongside Mario Chalmers and Keith Smart, who both have Miami Heat ties

Shandel Richardson

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When San Diego State guard Lamont Butler hit the winning pull-up jumpshot against Florida Atlantic in the Final Four Saturday, it immediately brought up memories of buzzer-beaters from the past. 

The names Jalen Suggs (Gonzaga), Kris Jenkins (Villanova) and Michael Jordan (North Carolina) came to mind. Also on the short list of late-game heroes are Mario Chalmers (Kansas) and Keith Smart (Indiana), who both have Miami Heat ties. 

Chalmers, who won championships with the Heat in 2012 and 2013, holds folklore status in Kansas after his 3-point shot forced overtime in the 2007 title game against the Derrick Rose-led Memphis Tigers. That Jayhawks won in the extra session. 

Smart, a former Heat assistant coach, has similar status in Indiana for his winning baseline shot that led the Hoosiers past Syracuse in the 1987 title game. That Syracuse team featured Sherman Douglas and Rony Seikaly, a pair of Heat draft picks. 

One thing is certain about the NCAA Tournament: it never disappoints ... unless you're an FAU fan. The Owls had a remarkable season, making their first Final Four appearance. 

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here

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