NCAA D2 National Championships Bracket 2007
 Barton Ends
Winona Run, Wins National Championship If Anthony Atkinson (5'10''-G) ever decided to run for mayor of Wilson, N.C., chances are he would win the election in a landslide. The All-America guard capped off a week to remember Saturday by beating the clock for a game-winning layup, as Barton stunned Winona State 77-75 to win the NCAA Division II national championship and end the Warriors' division record 57-game winning streak. The stunning part was that Winona State appeared to have the game in hand as it held a 74-67 lead with 45 seconds to go after Zach Malvik (6'2''-G) of Winona State University knocked down a pair of free throws. Atkinson, who had scored the game-winning points for the Bulldogs in their two previous games at the Elite Eight, scored on Barton's next possession to cut the lead to five. Malvik then missed the front end of a one-and-one, which was followed by a jumper in the lane by Atkinson to cut the lead to three at 74-71, then a steal of the inbounds pass and a basket by the senior guard while being fouled gave Barton a chance to tie it. However, Atkinson missed the free throw and the Bulldogs had to foul Jonte Flowers (6'4''-G) of Winona State University as they still trailed by one. Flowers made the second of his two free throws, but Atkinson drove down the floor and made a reverse layup with 11 seconds to go to knot the score at 75. He wasn't done yet. Moments later, Barton guard Bobby Buffaloe came up with a steal and fed the ball ahead to Atkinson was streaking down the floor. It was just a matter of whether or not he would beat the clock as headed to the basket and Atkinson got his layup just before the clock hit zero, setting off a wild celebration near the Barton bench. Atkinson finished with a game-high 29 points and was named as the tournament's most outstanding player. Although he was the only Bulldog player named to the all-tournament team, he had scoring support in the title game from Mark Friscone with 14 points and L.J. Dunn with 10. Winona State was led by Malvik with 26 points, one of three Warriors selected to the all-tournament team. He was joined by teammates Flowers and John Smith (6'8''-F) of Winona State University, while the fifth member of the squad was Central Missouri's Zack Wright (6'2''-G-85) of Central Missouri State University. Barton finished the season with a record of 31-5 and won the first national title for a school from the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference after winning its three games at the Elite Eight by a total of five points. Winona State, which gained the first hoops title for a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference school last season, ended the year at 35-1. Courtesy of D2Basketball All-Tournament Team Anthony Atkinson, Barton - Most Outstanding Player Zack Wright, Central Missouri Jonte Flowers, Winona State John Smith, Winona State Zach Malvik, Winona State |
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