Barton College/Winona St. D-II Championship (final 45 secs)

Most amazing finish I've ever seen in a basketball game.

[@jasonbourne1746]

doesnt matter what division this is, truly one of the greatest combacks in sports history.

[@derpypotato3650]

@flyhound97 hahahaha I'm dead lmao

[@DeuceNoJuice]

Facts

[@jeffhietala6343]

The best national basketball championship game finish that no one talks about.

[@commandersprod646]

Fr

[@bruschj]

Yep

[@carlosh2390]

Only because it was division 2 but still one of best championship game finishes in either division

[@collinmau7724]

It won an ESPY.. Literally the entire sports world talks about it

[@shaochiavang]

@@collinmau7724 no they don't.

[@jtdrmmr]

I was a senior at Barton that year, and I had a couple of friends on that team. I remember going crazy while watching this on TV, I wish that we could have been at the game! Magical.

[@BarnacleSwab]

Toler!! How ya been?

[@bruschj]

Seems like Barton had a solid contingent that traveled to Mass for the game. Impressive

[@icehog6406]

That entire tournament was insane comebacks,

[@TYLRDNTON]

I remember watching this live because there wasn't anything else on TV that day. Hahaha. Insane.

[@dDavisJr1992ify]

Me 2!

[@dcottrell32]

Meeee too shit was crazy..

[@danlapidus3827]

Same

[@JohnnyComptonAuthor]

Likewise

[@alphasowe5490]

Same was waiting for Elite 8 I think and just stumbled upon it. So Epic!!!

[@dershed]

The fact that Atkinson scored Barton's final 10 points in the last 45 secs is just unreal, and that includes a missed free throw opportunity. One of the greatest b-ball finishes I've ever seen, and I'd never even heard of either team before I tuned in by chance yesterday.

[@bobbybaehr8455]

I have watched this video so many times and it still gives me chills. Best finish ever.

[@timmyotoole6063]

i get chills rewatching this. I randomly happened to be watching the tail end of this game live and remember going absolutely nuts.. could not believe what I was seeing... still the most amazing finish to a game I've ever seen aside from maybe duke/kentucky '92. I was watching it alone though which sucked and I remember running around the house trying to find someone to share it with but no one was around.. lmao how pathetic.

[@turkeyman27534]

And I watched the Duke-Kentucky game at Barton.

[@jfoxx5291]

Yes I remember catching the end of this live just amazed

[@alexvazquez3320]

The greatest 15 seconds in sports history. I dont see how this game isnt mentioned more. I would have lost my mind had I been there

[@otaviofrnazario]

very underrated moment. Ian Eagle, now calling the Final Four of Division I, said it about it years later that he and Dan Bonner (color commentator of the game) don't have many games together, but they will always have this one. And they always say after a great game: great game, but that wasn't Winona State vs Barton

[@bruschj]

Seeing Atkinson go through the emotional roller coaster of missing the free throw, then getting the game winning layup, while I bet extremely intense to go through at the time, makes this comeback video particularly unbeatable for me. When I watch it, I watch it 10 times in a row

[@11007733]

I saw this live. I was just flipping through channels on a weekend afternoon and chanced across the last two minutes. If you watch enough sports in your life, you'll come a cross a true gem like this once in a while. Atkinson goes from the outhouse to the penthouse in 69 seconds. Mega clutch performance.

[@jasonremillard4129]

I was at this game. Felt the need to relive it. Anthony Freaking Atkinson!

[@Dignan1409]

I know it's D2/and all and we aren't supposed to be impressed, but that Atkinson kid just impressed the Hell out of me.

[@humzahhassan4521]

I agree btw that Atkinson kid had some d1 offers but he wanted more playing time

[@bomilam7254]

+Marquis De Suave He chose to stay at ome in Wilson NC too. I went to Barton College with him the year in the video. He was always a great guy and amazing on the court.

[@lhsbandfreak11]

+Bo Milam +Marquis De Suave Atkinson was definitely impressive in his playing days for Barton. But speaking of D2 players now, one kid you HAVE to check out is Justin Pitts from Northwest Missouri State. Just finished his sophomore year, and my heavens, he's incredible. I've gotten to see him play in person twice when NWMSU played my alma mater Augustana University (yes, the one that beat Iowa) in the past two NCAA Tournaments. He's seriously just like Tyler Ulis. NWMSU is more likely than not going to be a favorite to maybe win the national championship in 2017, so hopefully more of the country will get the chance to see him play!

[@mach6893]

Basketball is actually a sport in D2. The refs let the players play. D2 ball is not dictated by money.

[@tyleru96]

Aren't supposed to be impressed? There are loads of d2 programs that are better than many division 1 programs. Hell, d2 schools beat d1 schools all the time. There are so many talented ball players in the country now that a lot of kids go under the radar of d1 programs and end up at d2 programs. Also consider that a lot of d1 players transfer down to d2 schools each year, for various reasons. To put it simply, there is A LOT of talent at the d2 level.

[@guidonyk]

truly one of the greatest finishes in the history of sports

[@chumsyalibumsy09]

I am from Minnesota and This is still my favorite comeback in sports history.. nothing beats this!

[@tonebone8795]

Brett Favres game winning Hail Mary vs 49ers was pretty crazy too 😅

[@pjuice03]

Watching the D2 championship right now and remember watching this live being in complete awe of the comeback and finish, jumped off my couch in disbelief of what I had just witnessed. Probably best finish ever given the moment of a championship game!

[@wolfie0890]

IT's become a tradition of mine to watch this finish the night of Selection Sunday. Still gives me chills every time. I'm so pumped for this Tournament.

[@rashaanlemell7974]

I remember watching the final 5 minutes of this game. What a amazing ending. Anthony Atkinson scoring Barton's final 10 points. Never give up. Tears of happiness watching this ending. I jumped up and down going crazy. Best ending I have ever seen.

[@kenandrum5613]

Ian Eagle takes a great moment and makes it even better with his commentary.

[@otaviofrnazario]

He called it well,and the crazy thing is that he would do even better today. He almost lost the steal, and his voice in the end. That's how crazy this ending was

[@mrcheezypop]

I had to watch this again today b/c the division II championship is on right now and watching it again still is unbelievable!!!!! It's the best finish to a game in basketball history probably. I wish it would get more love.

[@bingo2069]

Watched this with my son who was probably five at the time. I told him then Never ever give up!

[@BumbleBeeBeeze]

Simply awesome. Those last ten seconds give me chills. Watching VCU today made me look up and watch this video. Thanks for the memories.

[@roberiepa]

I watched this live. Still can't believe it. Never get tired of watching it.

[@iwasnevergivenaname4558]

10 years ago. I remember watching this on CBS. Couldn't believe it. Glad it's on KZbin. Even crazier (if that's possible) is that Winona State hadn't lost in like 2-3 years.

[@larzchill]

this has always been the most underrated comeback/finish of any basketball game ever

[@hpnc]

I'm watching this in 2024.....and it's still crazy!!

[@softrockrules]

I have to watch this every so often to see what a miracle looks like.

[@TheDirty77]

I remember waking up late and going downstairs to the living room to find my sister watching this game with 10 minutes left. We decided not to change it and we watched the rest of the game live. I remember saying after Atkinson misses the free throw "He'll never live that free throw down the rest of his life". Then the rest happened. haha Absolutely incredible! I still get excited watching the finish.

[@rose4mvp2012]

That had to hurt. Up 7 with 45 seconds left, blow the lead, and then lose in the championship game on a buzzer beater. Tragic

[@jamiebyrum7983]

+Jared Banks Not if you are a Barton Fan!!!!

[@KColleyTV]

Winona State came out of it just fine. They won 38 games and the Division II National Championship the very next year.

[@jaredfrahm7679]

I am a winona state alum and was at that game it hurt. Had we not blown that game that would have been back to back and we would have eventually threepeated. Barton didnt give up and I said that guy was going to beat us at half as we had no answer for him. It snapped our 57 game win streak.

[@bruschj]

Yeah in a way it was ok cause Winona had won before

[@brettlawrence3408]

@@KColleyTV Tell that to that year's seniors.

[@HiFi5280]

This still sends chills up my spine. Like others here I randomly changed the channel to this game and got treated a miraculous comeback

[@NJBrick22]

I remember watching this live - most incredible individual performance I have ever seen. To add to it, I just took my son to see the Harlem Globetrotters yesterday and he is the star of the show. He was great!

[@BJJCody]

Yeah I went to school with these guys. The basket ball team was like it's own frat. They worked hard and played hard and Anthony was the man the leader and the champ. He is a true inspiration especially when you know his back story and know his struggle. I am happy for my college and I am even more happy for the man that put us on the map!

[@rtrt2889]

I remember watching this game, It was one of the greatest basketball game I have ever seen.

[@StumbleMuse]

As the proud descendant of TWO Barton College grads, this is one of my favorite sports clips of all time.

[@xctrack987]

This was one of the best basketball games that I had ever watched!!!

[@craftycorekore]

xctrack987 there’s been some exciting ones in the past 12 years as well

[@BIG_MITCH17]

This is amazing i went to school with atkinson and i remember him playing for greenfield with coach salter who is still there. Now he plays for the globe trotters.

[@reymundofranco3813]

Still watching this !

[@charlotteguy225]

I'm a Mt. Olive Alumnus and that was perhaps the greatest Div II basketball game in CVAC history!! Way to go Barton!!

[@twissan]

I've watched this so many times. What a great comeback.

[@tabb2014hawk]

Bobby Buffalo: The Best name in D-II

[@madizzle90]

Haha, sounds like a mascot’s name.

[@watcher111222333]

absolutely fantastic play!! Really I was totally excited the last 11 seconds!!! Enormous!!

[@mcclellanj424]

I certainly didn't catch this the first time.... Winona St. had won a Division II record **57** straight games going into this game. That's nearly 2 straight seasons. This was more than a championship... This was more than a comeback. You could make a movie outta this drama. What a game.

[@austinlallison]

i remember watching this live back when this happened. Still the one of the greatest sports moments ever.

[@dcers5161]

I was watching this live. What a game!

[@jm031]

this never gets old. and it was for a national championship. un-be-leeeeeev-able.

[@manug20dt3]

I remember watching this live on tv and it was and still is just the most amazing, incredible thing.

[@2bc915]

Love re-living this.. What an ending and especially what a team & coach!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@tsuzzle416]

I never get tired of watching that video...

[@danpbernier2]

The Division II National Championship game is the best college basketball game of the year. Every year. Its just pure basketball. Played the right way, no superstars. None of the kids will ever play basketball again and they're giving everything that they have in their last game. Its....beautiful.

[@dpkvwells]

just like in the division 1 championship, the team that wins is the one with poise under pressure. down by whatever you dont fold. you keep fighting til the end. i am proud to put this post along side my jayhawks post wining it all go barton you rock!!!!

[@nethw7740]

Greatest comeback ever and maybe the greatest finish. Wow what a play and even more amazing 0.1 second finish

[@devswartz]

This is no doubt good, but this is even better: Not only did Atkinson make this game-winning shot; he also made the game-winning shot in the Elite Eight and Final Four games prior to this one. This guy was Mr. Clutch in three straight tournament games! I think we all would like to channel whatever it is that keeps him cool during a high-pressure situation.

[@rollercoasterfweak]

This was one special game. I didn't see it on TV, but CBS did mention it when I saw my Bruins play later that day. I only saw that final play.

[@brocky]

No algorithm brought me here. I saved this one. Amazing.

[@WrongedSports]

It's an absolutely incredible comeback. Atkinson didn't even rush the second to last basket. It was like he knew they were going to steal it. You couldn't have wrote a better script

[@midwestdrew775]

I remembered watching this game live, oddly enough on WRAL as I lived in Raleigh at the time, but if you take out international events that involve countries more than sports, and you weigh all other moments based on the moment and not the division this is the greatest moment in the history of sports!!!

[@wlfpackr]

Word is, Atkinson is signing with the Harlem Globetrotters.

[@gregg.9420]

How does this not have millions of views?

[@dontBSmeENT]

I remember watching this game live smfh!! Was upstairs in my room hype af haha such a good championship game!

[@HarrisonFarmer]

no one will remember or even know winona................but yet this will live for years....unreal Barton College, unreal!

[@mjjorgey23]

It isn't just one game, although this was one of the greatest games ive ever seen. Im sure the movie will be about Atkinson's journey back to Barton and how the team won 9 overtime games throughout the season, and how Atkinson hit a buzzer beating game winning 3 in the elite 8, or his game winning free throw in the final four. oh and itll probly talk about his deep faith

[@bnegs521]

Well so much for all that talk there. Winona St. had a great run in the D2 tourney and came from behind in the championship game and are the d2 2008 National Ahampions!

[@MarkCM07]

I've never heard of Barton or Winona State, don't know where either are located. Never have watched D-2 bball. Didn't watch this game live. Saw it on Sportscenter, still didn't understand why it was such a big deal. Watching it all unfold on here, it gave me chills. Never give up hope, anything is possible!

[@jr7247]

i remember seeing this game on my pvr a couple days before and decided to record it, even though i've never watched a d2 game in my life before that. amazing way to end a season.

[@MobyLick]

Best game I've ever seen, you can't script something so unbelievable. Easily the most entertaining game of March Madness, though tough if you're a Winona backer/player to have a 57 game winning streak snapped like this.

[@buetisf]

Awesome, thanks for posting it. I heard about it after the fact and am glad I could watch it. I doubt any Final Four game will match this.

[@KOHF34]

I've been to plenty of games where Winona State played. Their old coach (Mike Leaf, the coach of Winona during this game) always emphasized three-point shots. They were really good at hitting three pointers - usually over 40% each season. However, he never really had them work on free throws. They had trouble in that category, and it came back to hurt them here.

[@BrooklynBornTy]

Jxmyhighroller brought me here

[@Bizkit-ey8tw]

I lived in Winona for over 10 years including when this game was played. Everyone was roaming the streets coming out of the bars in absolute disbelief.

[@shelbyvancor5391]

I graduated from Barton College, Wilson, NC. My husband is from Winona, Minnesota. His 2 brothers graduated from Winona State. What are the odds that these 2 schools would meet in such a epic game?

[@TengrisWill]

I watched this last year. Then I saw the buzzer beating overtime three this year. I'ma watch the D-2 national championship more often.

[@HISPANIAKO]

Incredible. Greetings from Spain.

[@lastlevelboss3695]

I rewatch this every year. Never forget Bobby who made the last steal.

[@JoshuaPierce504]

That was awesome! Underrated for sure.

[@mymello23]

Gtta be the greatest comeback in the history of championship games!!!

[@vaibanez17]

This is still the best comeback ever in basketball history

[@lhsbandfreak11]

Love me some Division II basketball! May be a bit biased after having gone to a D2 school myself (Augustana (SD)), but still! They play some pretty good basketball at that level.

[@pvtjackson8999]

i remember when Casey used to wreck my school in highschool.. Such a great team this year.

[@tharealanomaly7625]

That's awesome ! And yes I'm biased very biased ! Ill watch D2 ball all day over almost anything. I played at D2 Missouri Western State. Its funny because in 2015 we went up to the Pentagon and played against Augustana in South Dakota. Funny enough you guys won the National Championship that year. Daniel Jansen was a studdd!! #D2Matters!

[@carnifex2005]

Amazing that in 2007 with the Boise State game and this game we have seen nominees for the greatest endings of all time in both their respective sports.

[@vincephilip21]

The Very Best Comeback in Basketball History, Period

[@Steamroom341]

Absolutely incredible

[@CC-rb1yf]

Crazy sequence. Couple nice steals for the comeback. Like others have said it doesn't get talked about enough. Atkinson shot game winner barely before the buzzer too- just think if that was late! 16 years later!

[@lakerskid2013]

This was also a rally where they didn’t even attempt any 3 pointers much less make any like most last minute comebacks are.

[@connormurphy9888]

Greatest layup of all time

[@bpmiller87]

I went to college with Ant at Campbell University his freshman year. Matter of fact he dated my wife's roomate. Campbell was Division I and he was handling people back then like it was his job, he moved on since there program was sorry. Big ups Ant.

[@amandorobles3416]

I’m a freshman at Barton right now, saw the trophy and i had to look it up

[@danlapidus3827]

i randomly happened to be watching it when it happened, i was stunned

[@wahorton93]

Imagine if Dick Vitale was commentating this gane unreal! ITS ALL ABOUT THE WIDE AWAKE BABY! Greatest comeback PERIOD!

[@wlfpackr]

FYI, Atkinson also hit a buzzer beater in the quarter finals from outside NBA 3-point range. In the semi-finals he got a defensive rebound with 5-6 secs left and went baseline-to-baseline and got fouled on a layup attempt. Hit a free throw to win. The kid's got heart.

[@STEAMroomEdu]

The best example of putting your mistakes behind you I have ever seen. Some may fold after missing that crucial free throw

[@itsmeoreo]

that was the most insane finish of a championship game ive seen

[@stinkdog2006]

Greatest ending ever.

[@seabass242]

I saw this live. I initially was just waitiing for the Div I games to start... after I saw this I was mad that they didnt keep showing it.

[@MalkinFan25]

yeah Wilson!!! my home town, i go to VT but WOW! what a game!

[@PilotDaveLI]

Ian Eagle classic. What a wild ending.

[@stinkdog2006]

I watched that live, so frickin amazing!!!!

[@stinkdog2006]

This....is.....incredible!!!!!!!!!!

[@LupeKobe]

i saw this game live. this kid is amazing!

[@reymundofranco3813]

Still watching this 🔥

[@musarch91]

Gotta make a movie for this, YOU HAVE TOO!

[@sunike07]

damn....the slo-mo replay makes it look difficult when they said he "released it in time"...i would have felt hella pressure if that was me tryin to pull that one off while lookin at the clock drainin...but they really good for makin a very huge difference outta the transition with so little time...no lie...they good for that!

[@zinedinefede]

what a game incredible.simply amazing.

[@CJL1567]

I have no clue where Barton or Wiona State is but this is one of the greatest comebacks ever.

[@bim69]

How do you show your face on campus after that one?