Several thousand fans broke into cheers inside Hinkle Fieldhouse as they watched on big-screen televisions while Butler beat Michigan State 52-50 in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament Saturday.
The historic venue is home to the Bulldogs and just a few miles from the Final Four site in Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Stadium. The field house was transformed into a sea of Butler shirts, waving pompoms and ``Go Dawgs'' signs, with some fans painting their faces royal blue and white.
``The energy inside here was incredible. It was electric. It was the next best thing to being there,'' said Deb Barrick, 49, of Indianapolis.
Outside, car horns sounded throughout the parking lot as fans poured out of the building.
``I bet the party doesn't end until Monday,'' said Butler sophomore Jeremy Reagin, 20.
Fifth-seeded Butler (33-4) will play No. 1 seed Duke in Monday night's championship game - also in the Bulldogs' hometown.
Four huge TV screens were set up on the field house floor, each facing a different direction, and fans began lining up two hours before tip-off. A disc jockey played music during commercial breaks and members of Butler's athletic staff threw shirts into the crowd.
Butler, with an enrollment of 4,200, advanced to its first national semifinal with wins over top-seeded Syracuse and No. 2 Kansas State. Michigan State was playing in its sixth Final Four in 12 years.
