the loss snapped butler's 25-game winning streak, the longest in school history. butler became the smallest school to play for a national championship since jacksonville in 1970. stevens became the second-youngest head coach to coach in the ncaa national championship game, behind branch mccracken who led the indiana hoosiers to the 1940 national championship at age 31. stevens was named as both a hugh durham and jim phelan award finalist for the third consecutive year, losing to mike young and jamie dixon respectively. he was also a finalist for the skip prosser man of the year award, which was won by bob marlin.