FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WRIC) — The Christopher Newport University Captains Men’s Basketball Team are national champions after their first trip to the Division III tournament final against the Mount Union Purple Raiders.
With the game tied in the final seconds, forward Trey Barber scored on a layup to put the Captains ahead 74-72 as the clock wound down. It was the 15th consecutive win for the 1-seed Captains, who finished the year with a 30-3 record.
Barber, who scored 25 total points and grabbed ten rebounds in the win, was named Final Four Most Valuable Player. Three of Barber’s teammates also scored double digits; Jahn Hines with 18, as well as Matthew Brodie and Caleb Furr with 12 each.
“Trey and Jahn were just amazing again,” said Head Coach Krikorian. “But we had a lot of guys come through in big moments. Caleb Furr hit some really big threes for us, and Matt Brody was big in the second half. Our defense was key as it usually is, and we did just enough to win the game. I really feel for Mount Union, they’re a great team and competed at such a high level all season.”
The Captains have not lost a game since Jan. 11, when they fell to the defending national champions Randolph Macon Yellow Jackets by five. Last year, the Yellow Jackets only lost one game during their entire title-winning season — to the Captains by just one point.
CNU’s Women’s Basketball team is also headed to the finals after a 56-51 win against Rhode Island College. They’ll be facing the Transylvania University Pioneers in the national championship game at 12 p.m. on Saturday, April 1.