2026 NCAA Men’s Division III Basketball Championship: Complete Bracket, Scores & Can’t-Miss Highlights

Indianapolis — The 2026 NCAA men’s Division III basketball championship delivered a finish for the ages when sophomore forward Colin Mitchell tipped in the game-winner at the horn to lift the University of Mary Washington over Emory, 75-73, inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mary Washington’s first national crown came after Emory erased a 13-point deficit with a clutch three-pointer from guard AJ Carter that tied the score with 10.9 seconds left. Head coach Marcus Kahn let the Eagles push the ball without a timeout; senior Jay Randall’s driving layup rolled off the rim, but Mitchell soared in from the weak side to bank home the historic buzzer-beater, setting off a celebration that echoed through downtown Indianapolis. Mitchell finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds, earning the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award. Randall poured in a game-high 22, while point guard Liam Shaw handed out eight assists to keep Mary Washington’s offense humming. Emory, appearing in its first NCAA Division III men’s basketball title game, was paced by Carter’s 19 points and forward Noah Greene’s 17-point, 9-rebound effort. Key runs defined the 2026 DIII championship. Mary Washington opened the second half on a 12-2 spurt to grab what looked like a comfortable 56-43 edge, fueled by back-to-back triples from sharpshooter Ethan Porter. Emory answered with relentless full-court pressure, forcing five turnovers in seven possessions to claw within one before Carter’s dramatic equalizer. Kahn, who took over the program in 2022, credited depth and defense for the championship surge. Mary Washington held opponents to 64.1 points per game during the tournament and rode an eight-man rotation that stayed fresh during the three-week postseason grind. “We built this team on toughness and belief,” the coach said postgame. “Tonight those qualities showed up on the biggest stage when it mattered most.” The victory cements Mary Washington among recent first-time champions in NCAA Division III men’s basketball and snaps a streak of four straight titles claimed by programs from the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions. It also highlights the growing parity in DIII hoops, where five different schools have lifted the trophy since 2022. With a national title now in Fredericksburg, Virginia, the Eagles will enter the 2026-27 season as a marked team, but Kahn welcomes the challenge. “Division III is about the student-athlete experience,” he said. “Our guys just added a lifelong memory, and we’re hungry to write the next chapter.” Search interest in “NCAA men’s Division III basketball championship,” “Mary Washington basketball,” and “Colin Mitchell buzzer beater” spiked overnight as fans re-lived one of the most thrilling finishes the tournament has ever seen.