You ask a question that has gathered dust for more than six months, since 11.9 million viewers froze like Louvre statues, since CBS voice Jim Nantz mined for the right words, since San Diego State guard Lamont Butler lifted a rimless rainbow inside cavernous NRG Stadium in Houston, an NCAA Tournament title-game berth on the line.

If Butler hoisted that shot 10 times — the one that snapped the net, clock exhausted, to stun Florida Atlantic 72-71 — how many would he make?

Butler, a senior guard with a paperboy’s smile and cloak-and-dagger assassin’s DNA, used less time than it took to raise and fire in front of 73,860 standing in unison and deliver one of those forever-type March Madness moments.

“Hopefully, 10 out of 10,” Butler said with a laugh. “That’s one of my go-to shots, the pull-up jumper. So I’d say seven or eight out of 10.”

Never mind that the top five shooters in major-college basketball a season ago, point-blank skyscrapers averaging about 6 feet 10 inches tall, collectively shot about 69.9 percent.

As the Aztecs prepare for a season with winning and profile momentum like no other, Butler’s confidence, his egoless disregard for stats and math and reason, flashed the belief that willed him to take that shot.

Most importantly, it showed the fearlessness that allowed him to make it.

“It wasn’t anything we haven’t seen before,” backcourt mate Darrion Trammell said. “That calm, guys either have it or they don’t. He’s one of the special guys who definitely has it. At that point, I think it was just instinct.

“That was just him being himself.”

The moment required other moments to breathe life into possibility. If Aguek Arop does not drape a Florida Atlantic shooter, if Nathan Mensah fails to corral the rebound and outlet to Butler, the Owls — and not San Diego State — would have cried tears of joy and cut nets.

At 4.6 seconds, Butler had reached the 3-point line on the dribble. At 2.9, defender Nick Boyd cut him off at the baseline. At 1 second, after retreating, he released a wing jumper.

Swish. History.

How many times would Butler make that shot? Teammates in time immemorial have expressed faith in others to cash in when stakes and stress rose eyeball high.

“I was already running on the court (from the bench),” Trammell said. “How it left his hand, the trajectory, it looked good. You can look at the tape, I was already moving onto the court.”

So, you look at the video. And Trammell is right. The ball is in the air when he begins his sprint.

“That was a special moment to be a part of,” he said.

For both Butler and San Diego State, one shot changed things.

SDSU already owned major-college respect. Breaking through in the NCAA Tournament, however, represents the key to finding the stratosphere Gonzaga, Butler and few others reach.

For Butler, the Aztec, it earned him more than three times the Instagram followers … and a culinary cut of history.

Butler struck up a Name, Image and Likeness deal with El Pollo Grill in Chula Vista for Butler’s Buzzer Beater Quesadilla. Urban Outfitters and Jersey Mike’s followed. More is in the backroom works.

If he had missed?

It would be hard to blame him. An unforgiving rim? The unfamiliarity of firing away in the endless air of an NFL stadium? Unease with a shot of that magnitude, his only second-half jumper that gave the Aztecs their sole lead after halftime.

“I’ve thought about it a couple times,” Butler said. “Things would be a lot different. I’d have less love around the country, maybe: ‘Why’d you shoot that shot?’”

Hesitation remained on the bench.

“I don’t really get bothered by pressure,” said Butler, whose last-second dagger at New Mexico sealed the Mountain West regular-season title. “If I miss a shot, I miss a shot. We lose. It’s just a game. If we make the shot, we win. It just happened to be on the biggest stage in my career. You try to take it with a grain of salt and never get too high, never get too low.

“Just keep moving forward.”

Butler outlined the trust coach Brian Dutcher and staff instill in players. It’s unlike other programs that preach faith, but occasionally use a trip to the bench punitively.

Roll up your sleeves and the longest of offensive leashes follows, even in the most massive moments.

“As long as we play defense, we’re going to be out on the floor,” Butler explained. “We have the freedom offensively to do whatever, within the framework of whatever we want to do. They gave me the confidence to go out there, take the big shot and try to win the game. You can play free. Micah (Parrish) did that against UC Irvine, Darrion had that free throw (against NCAA Tournament opponent Creighton).

“I was just the one to hit that shot.”

Eight out of 10? Maybe not.

Then again, do you have a quesadilla named after you?