Star guard Kemba Walker led the way for No. 3 UConn in a low-scoring game, with 16 points and nine rebounds at the Reliant Stadium, but it was Butler's poor shooting that really told the story of the contest.
The Bulldogs shot just 12 of 64 from the field for 18.8 percent -- the lowest field goal percentage in the history of the NCAA championship game.
Nine of the those 12 came from outside the arc for Butler, which was playing in its second straight championship game and carrying a 14-game winning streak into Monday.
UConn, which had not lost in 10 games since falling to 9-9 in the Big East in its last regular season game, trailed by three at halftime before going on a 25-5 run to take the game away from its less-fancied opponent.
Jeremy Lamb had 12 points and seven boards for the Huskies, while centre Alex Oriakhi had 11 points and 11 rebounds on five-of-six shooting.
Butler led 22-19 at the break thanks to a Shelvin Mack three with less than a second remaining.
Mack's bomb was Butler's first points since the 4:15 mark, with the Bulldogs shooting just six from 27 from the field in the first half, including five from 14 threes.
UConn were not much better early on, shooting only nine for 31 from the field in the first half, and missing all of its five three-point attempts.
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