Rap Games: Hayward Saves Butler, Fredette May Have to Be Amazing Again

Murray State made a run at Butler, but saw a last-second possession dribble into defeat partly because of Isaiah Canaan's inability to pass out of a double team. Gordon Hayward's long arms helped stave off a second straight buzzer-beater from the racers, though, and even he would tell you he's "Too Big Yo."

That's the name of the song Hayward rapped on, as "G-Time," first uncovered by Luke Winn of Sports Illustrated and archived by The Mid-Majority. No one would call Butler, the team that plays in Hinkle Fieldhouse, too big, but with just two games between the Bulldogs and a hometown Final Four in Indianapolis, that could change.

And then there's Jimmer Fredette's pregame soundtrack.

That's "Amazing," the song by Jimmer's older brother T.J. that ESPN's Pat Forde revealed was the BYU scorer's tune of choice before the Cougars' first-round thriller against Florida.

For BYU to get by rugged Kansas State in tonight's marquee NCAA Tournament matchup, Jimmer's going to have to be as great as he was in his 37-point gutting of the Gators, or at least hope that he and waterbug sparkplug Michael Loyd Jr. can hang tough with the Wildcats' Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen.

And with these unlikely fans -- Hayward's grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana, and Fredette's from Glens Falls in eastern New York -- and commercials for Palm, HP, and the Census (!) featuring rap in some form, it seems like this edition of March Madness has a hip-hop heartbeat.

I got 99 problems, but that ain't one.

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.