NCAA Division III school wins national championship on wild beater

March Madness isn’t exclusive to Division I men’s basketball, as two Division III schools have discovered just how crazy the end of the year can be.

Christopher Newport University (CNU) and Mount Union faced off for the national title on Saturday night and it came down to two of the top schools at the tier.

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Mount Union’s Christian Parker hit an equalizing layup with 4.3 seconds left. CNU’s Trey Barber caught the inbound pass near half court and headed straight for the hoop, cashing his shot on the glass and through the hoop for the match winner when time expired.

Barber finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds as CNU won the game 74–72, earning its first NCAA Division III championship in program history. Barber shot 10 of 25 and had his eighth double-double of the season.

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Christopher Newport Captains players cheer during the Division III Men’s Basketball Championship at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum on March 18, 2023 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. (Michael Hickey/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Jahn Hines added 18 points for the captains while Caleb Furr had four three-pointers and finished with 12 points.

Parker scored 10 of his career-high 31 points in a 12-4 run at Mount Union. He also scored with 17 seconds left to give the Purple Raiders a one-point lead. However, CNU would convert a three-point play before Parker tied the game again.

He added four rebounds and two steals to his total.

Captains Trey Barber and Collen Gurley of the Purple Raiders chase a loose ball during the Division III Championship on March 18, 2023 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. (Michael Hickey/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

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CNU and Mount Union each finished the season 30-3.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.