As he watched his buzzer-beating shot rip through the net on Saturday night to send San Diego State to its first national championship game, Lamont Butler couldn't help but feel a bit of divine intervention at that moment.
And it was huge for his whole family for so many reasons.
Asasha Lache Hall, Butler's sister, was shot and killed in January 2022. He felt her presence with him throughout the Aztec's win over FAU, especially when he became an NCAA tournament hero.
"I think about her every day," Butler said. "Ever since she passed.