Known for its defense, San Diego State came out red hot offensively in its first N.C.A.A. men’s basketball championship game, draining four of its first six field-goal attempts to take an early 10-8 lead. That was vital when the Aztecs immediately went cold thereafter, missing nine of 10 shots and entering a scoring drought that lasted more than 7 minutes.
Lamont Butler Jr., Saturday’s hero with the game-winning jumper at the buzzer to dispatch Florida Atlantic, and Darrion Trammell both swished 3-pointers early for the Aztecs.
S.D.S.U. hangs its hat on defense. One of the pet phrases around the program is “defense travels” — meaning that they can depend on their defense wherever and whenever they play.