Mary Washington captured the Division III men’s basketball national title with a dramatic 63-61 win over Emory after a last-second putback at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Colin Mitchell scored the decisive basket as time expired after Kye Robinson’s falling-away attempt missed, giving the Eagles their first national championship in a finish that came down to the final possession.
The title game stayed tight throughout, but Emory appeared in control after building its largest lead early in the second half. Mary Washington answered with a 14-2 run to get back into the game, then survived a late surge that set up the final sequence in one of the most tense endings of the tournament.
How the winning play unfolded
Mary Washington worked the ball to Robinson in the closing seconds, and the guard forced up a difficult shot while drifting out of bounds. Mitchell followed the miss, secured the rebound, and immediately put the ball back through the rim as the horn sounded.
Mitchell described the play as a matter of timing and trust, saying, “We trusted Kye to get to the spot. And he got there and shot a good shot. Right place, right time.” Robinson also acknowledged that he did not get an easy look, calling it “definitely the best missed shot of my life.”
The final moment erased a late tie created by Emory’s Ethan Fauss, who hit a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left to pull the score even. That shot briefly shifted momentum before Mary Washington delivered the championship-winning response on the final possession.
Key performances in the championship game
- Kye Robinson led Mary Washington with 27 points on 12-of-22 shooting.
- Robinson also finished with eight rebounds, four assists, and four steals.
- Jay Randall added 14 points for the winners.
- Kaden Bates contributed 10 points.
- Emory’s Jair Knight and Ethan Fauss each scored 24 points.
Robinson carried much of the offensive load for Mary Washington, while Mitchell’s putback provided the only basket that mattered most. Emory got strong scoring from Knight and Fauss, while Ben Pearce, the program’s all-time leading scorer with more than 2,000 career points, was contained for most of the night before finally breaking through late.
A season that set a program record
The championship pushed Mary Washington to 30 wins, a program record for the Eagles. The team also reached the title game with added motivation after losing to Emory in last season’s tournament, and it advanced to the final after knocking off defending champion Trinity in the semifinals.
For Emory, the loss ended a deep postseason run marked by big scoring nights and a late push that nearly forced overtime. Still, Mary Washington proved steadier in the decisive moments, turning a chaotic final sequence into the program’s most important victory and a national title built on resilience, timing, and one game-winning putback.
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