Chase Johnston High Point University March Madness

Chase Johnston makes first two-pointer of the year, High Point upsets fifth seed Wisconsin 83-82 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament

Drew Smith
March 20, 2026
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High Point knocked off fifth-seeded Wisconsin 83-82 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday and the whole thing came down to a layup from a guy who had not made a single basket inside the arc all season.

In fact, Chase Johnston had only attempted four two-point shots the entire year entering Thursday’s game. He is a three-point specialist. That is his whole thing. He shoots 47 percent from deep, he passed Steph Curry on the all-time made threes list earlier in the day, and nobody in that building expected him to end the game the way he ended the game.

With High Point down one and eleven seconds left, Wisconsin missed a layup on the other end. The Badgers crashed the glass or stood around watching instead of sprinting back. Rob Martin grabbed the rebound, saw Chase Johnston streaking in transition, and fired the outlet pass.

Chase Johnston caught it at the three-point line, took two or three very long strides depending on your perspective, and laid it in off the glass for the lead.

First 2-Pointer of the Year for High Point’s Chase Johnston

FIRST 2-POINTER OF THE YEAR FOR CHASE JOHNSTON 😱

HIGH POINT LEADS!!! pic.twitter.com/N2ZWYSb9Dz
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2026

High Point then blocked a final Wisconsin layup attempt to seal it and the program had its first NCAA Tournament win in school history.

Chase Johnston finished with 14 points off the bench including four three-pointers, three of which came in the final five minutes. A logo three from thirty feet cut the Wisconsin lead to five. A 25-footer pulled them within one.

Chase Johnston from the LOGO

CHASE JOHNSTON FROM THE LOGO 🎯 pic.twitter.com/BW4gGNkHW2
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2026

A right-wing three with under a minute left brought them back within one again. Everything was threes right up until it was not and the one time he went inside he made the most important shot of his life.

The student radio call went absolutely viral and it deserved to. High Point announcers Jimmy Rosselli and Griffin Wright completely lost their minds in real time and it was perfect.

Rosselli screamed about throwing on the glass slipper and a Cinderella story in Portland. Wright just kept repeating that it was not real. It was real. That is exactly what March Madness is supposed to sound like and that call will be replayed for years.