Butler mascot gets NCAA snub

Butler University Bulldog fans will have to do without their mascot when the men’s basketball team takes on Old Dominion in the first round of the NCAA tournament Thursday night in Washington. Blue II, a real bulldog, attended the Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis last year as Butler made its run to the championship game. But NCAA rules forbid live animals from early-round venues. Blue II’s Twitter site has been overwhelmed with fans opposing the ban.