Mary Washington wins Division III title with second straight comeback from Emory
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The excitement of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament is not limited to Division I schools.
The University of Mary Washington and Emory University’s Division III national championship game came down to the wire. The Mary Washington Eagles had the ball in the final seconds and were fighting for a last second goal against the Emory Eagles.
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The Mary Washington Eagles celebrate after defeating the Emory Eagles in the NCAA Division III men’s basketball championship game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on April 5, 2026. (Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Mary Washington guard Kye Robinson made a drop shot as he stepped out of bounds. Robinson’s shot missed, but forward Colin Mitchell was there to rebound the ball into the basket as time expired.
Mitchell ran back onto the field as his teammates ran up to him to celebrate the win.
“We trusted Kye to get there,” he said via Yahoo Sports. “And he got there and made a good shot. Right place, right time.”
Robinson admitted that he did not take “a very easy shot.”
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Emory Eagles forward AJ Harris rushes up the court against Mary Washington Eagles guard Hasan Hammad Sunday, April 5, 2026, during the NCAA Division III men’s basketball championship game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
“I feel like I was making it hard on myself. And then when I felt my leg go a little bit, I was like, ‘Oh, I’ve got to just lift it.’ Definitely the best shot I’ve missed in my life.”
Seconds before Mitchell’s game-winning layup, Emory’s Ethan Fauss hit a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left. Fauss and Jair Knight led Emory to eight points in three minutes in the second half. It was Emory’s big boss.
Mary Washington would go on a 14-2 run to get back into the game.
Robinson had 27 points on 12-of-22 shooting. He had eight rebounds, four assists and four steals in the win. Jay Randall had 14 points and Kaden Bates added 10.
Knight and Fauss had 24 points for Emory. Ben Pearce, Emory’s leading scorer who surpassed 2,000 career points, was held without a shot until he hit a 3-pointer with 90 seconds left. He went 7-of-11 from the free throw line.
The Mary Washington Eagles celebrate after defeating the Emory Eagles in the NCAA Division III men’s basketball championship game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on April 5, 2026. (Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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Mary Washington’s win gave the team 30 on the season. It was a program record for wins. This team, which was defeated by Emory in this tournament last year, knocked out the defending champions, Trinity, in the semi-finals.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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