Comeback by Emory not enough in D-III championship game

After coming so close to winning its first national championship in men’s basketball, Emory finished just a basket short.

Kye Robinson scored 27 points and Colin Mitchell scored on a putback at the buzzer as Mary Washington withstood a furious Emory rally for a 75-73 victory on Sunday to win its first Division III championship.

Mitchell grabbed a miss by Robinson and scored the winner for Mary Washington’s Eagles (30-3) after Ethan Fauss buried a 3-pointer to pull Emory’s Eagles (27-4) even with 12 seconds left, erasing a 63-50 deficit with 4:49 remaining.

Emory was the last school from Georgia still playing college basketball this season. And the Eagles were attempting to become the school from the state to win a collegiate championship in men’s basketball since Dalton State won the NAIA championship in 2015.

Jair Knight scored five and Fauss hit a 3-pointer to give Emory its largest lead at 43-35 three minutes into the second half. Robinson scored seven in a 14-2 run and Mary Washington took a 49-45 lead. Mary Washington went on another 14-2 run to establish the 13-point lead that evaporated.

Robinson made 12 of 22 shots and added eight rebounds, four assists and four steals. Jay Randall scored 14 and Kaden Bates totaled 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Knight and Fauss scored 24 apiece to lead Emory. Mario Awasum had nine points and 19 rebounds. Ben Pearce, the school’s all-time leading scorer and the only one to top 2,000 points, missed all seven of his shots until hitting a 3-pointer with 90 seconds left. He was 7 for 11 at the foul line.