Men’s basketball team heads to NCAA Championship for first time ever

By Leigh DeLozier March 20, 2026

A dramatic last-second win over Illinois Wesleyan University earns the Eagles their first Final Four spot in the NCAA Division III tournament. They will face Christopher Newport University on March 21 in the national semifinal game. Photos by Jimmy Naprstek, Kodiak Creative.

two players try to block a basketball shot

basketball player attempts to block a shot

basketball team members celebrate after win

player puts team name tag on tournament bracket poster

Editor’s note: the Emory men’s basketball team claimed victory in the game against Christopher Newport University on Saturday evening with a final score of 72-58. The Eagles will play in the championship game on Sunday, April 5. Stay tuned for more details from the game.

For the first time in program history, the Emory men’s basketball team has earned a Final Four spot in the Division III NCAA tournament.

The team’s dramatic win over Illinois Wesleyan University on March 19 — clinched by a last-second three-point shot and two free throws — secured their place in the national semifinals. They will face Christopher Newport University on Saturday, March 21, at 5:30 p.m. in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The game will be live streamed on ESPN+.

A campus watch party will be held in the Emory Student Center Commons at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Students, staff and faculty are invited to cheer on the Eagles together (and the first 100 fans will receive free pizza).

Thursday’s Elite Eight game against Illinois Wesleyan was intense, with Emory holding a slim 47-43 halftime lead. The Eagles stretched their advantage to a 10-point lead in the final minutes of the second half, but Illinois Wesleyan battled back to tie the score at 78-78 with 22 seconds left in regulation time.

As the clock wound down, senior Ben Pearce sank a three-point shot that put Emory ahead 81-78 with only 1.4 seconds remaining.

Illinois Wesleyan attempted one final play but turned over the ball while trying to get it in bounds. The turnover happened so quickly that no time ticked off the clock.

Emory took possession with 1.4 seconds still to play. A foul sent sophomore Mario Awasum to the free-throw line, where he made both baskets to seal the Eagles’ 83-78 win.

Thursday’s game was the team’s second consecutive and third overall Elite Eight appearance in program history. The victory was the Eagles’ 26th of the season, which set a new program record and surpassed the 1989-90 team for the most wins in a single season.

Read more details on the Emory Athletics website.

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