Butler's mascot, a 7-year-old English bulldog named Blue II, became quite the celebrity during Butler's NCAA tournament run.
At the InterContinental Hotel in Houston, the hotel bar had a bed and monogrammed bowls laid out for him and a signature martini named in his honor. The Blue II Martini featured Blue Curacao, vodka, lemon juice and blueberries.
Meanwhile, another canine mascot who's long been a star on her campus has a team playing for the women's basketball national title Tuesday night. Reveille VIII, Texas A&M's mascot, is a collie who easily has more in common with students than any animal mascot. She lives in the dorms, goes to classes and even has a student identification card.
• Click here to read the entire story by Page 2's Dave Wilson