Mary Washington Wins Division III National Championship on Buzzer-Beater

Colin Mitchell's putback at the buzzer lifts Mary Washington over Emory for first-ever title.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 10:36am

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In a thrilling Division III national championship game, the University of Mary Washington defeated Emory University 65-63 on a last-second putback by forward Colin Mitchell as time expired. The game-winning sequence came after Mary Washington guard Kye Robinson missed a fallaway shot, but Mitchell was there to grab the rebound and score the winning basket, capping off a comeback victory for the Eagles.

Why it matters

The Division III national championship game provided high-drama and excitement, showcasing the passion and competitiveness of college basketball at all levels. Mary Washington's first-ever national title represents a major milestone for the program and the school, while Emory's heartbreaking loss in the final seconds will be a tough pill to swallow.

The details

With the game tied 63-63 and 12 seconds remaining, Emory's Ethan Fauss hit a game-tying 3-pointer to force overtime. However, on the final possession, Mary Washington's Kye Robinson missed a tough fallaway shot, but teammate Colin Mitchell was there to grab the offensive rebound and score the winning putback as time expired, giving Mary Washington the national championship.

  • The game-winning sequence occurred as time expired in the national championship game on April 5, 2026.
  • Emory had taken an 8-point lead early in the second half, but Mary Washington responded with a 14-2 run to get back into the game.

The players

Colin Mitchell

The forward for the University of Mary Washington who scored the game-winning putback as time expired to give his team the Division III national championship.

Kye Robinson

The guard for the University of Mary Washington who missed the final shot, but whose teammate Mitchell was there to grab the rebound and score the winning basket.

Ethan Fauss

The Emory University player who hit the game-tying 3-pointer with 12 seconds left to force overtime, but ultimately saw his team come up short in the national championship game.

Jair Knight

The Emory University player who, along with Ethan Fauss, was a catalyst in helping Emory build an 8-point lead early in the second half.

Ben Pearce

Emory University's all-time leading scorer who was held in check for most of the game before hitting a 3-pointer in the final 90 seconds.

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What they’re saying

“We trusted Kye to get to the spot. And he got there and shot a good shot. Right place, right time.”

— Colin Mitchell, Forward, University of Mary Washington

“I feel like I was making it kind of hard on myself. And then once I felt my leg buckle a little bit, I was like, 'Oh, I just have to get it up.' Definitely the best missed shot of my life.”

— Kye Robinson, Guard, University of Mary Washington

What’s next

The University of Mary Washington will celebrate its first-ever Division III national championship with a parade and rally on campus next weekend.

The takeaway

The thrilling conclusion to the Division III national championship game showcased the passion and competitiveness of college basketball at all levels, with Mary Washington's first-ever title representing a major milestone for the program and the school.