March Madness is all about unexpected heroes, and Chase Johnston just added his name to that legendary list. The seventh-year senior, a 3-point specialist on his fourth school, led No. 12 seed High Point to a stunning 83-83 victory over No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament's first round.
Johnston, known for his distinctive No. 99 jersey, delivered a memorable second-half performance. The turning point came when he confidently pulled up from the logo with High Point trailing by eight and under five minutes to play.
In those crucial final moments, Johnston almost single-handedly matched Wisconsin's output, scoring 11 points to their 12. His game-winning layup, remarkably his first two-point basket of the season, sealed the upset with just 11.2 seconds on the clock.
Johnston's journey to this moment is as winding as they come. At 26, he's older than NBA star Tyrese Haliburton and has traveled extensively through college basketball. His career began at Purdue Fort Wayne in 2019, but he quickly moved on, attending four different schools before landing at High Point.
Here's a snapshot of his journey:
- 2019-20: Purdue Fort Wayne, then transferred to Stetson (redshirt)
- 2020-21: Stetson (COVID year)
- 2021-22: Stetson (redshirt freshman)
- 2022-23: FGCU (redshirt sophomore)
- 2023-24: FGCU (injury redshirt)
- 2024-25: High Point (redshirt junior)
- 2025-26: High Point (redshirt senior)
Johnston made his mark early, averaging 13.5 points per game at Stetson in 2020-21, earning first-team All-Atlantic Sun honors and Rookie of the Year. The following season, he was named second-team All-Atlantic Sun.
His time at FGCU saw him average 19.7 points per game in 2022-23, but an injury cut his 2023-24 season short, prompting his transfer to High Point. Last year, he contributed to the Panthers' NCAA Tournament team but managed only three points in their opening-round loss to Purdue.
Known for his sharpshooting, Johnston was a versatile scorer before joining High Point, averaging over 3.4 two-point attempts per game from 2020-24. However, his role shifted, and he attempted just 0.9 two-point shots per game last season, dropping to 0.1 this year.
Keeping him beyond the arc has paid off. Johnston has made 415 career 3-pointers, surpassing Steph Curry's total at Davidson, albeit in more games. His 3-point shooting percentage has climbed to 45.2% since joining High Point.
Before Thursday, Johnston was 0-for-4 from two-point range, saving his first make for the biggest stage. That crucial bucket not only secured High Point's first March Madness win but also came against a Wisconsin team with an undergraduate enrollment eight times larger than High Point's 5,135.
Johnston's story is a testament to perseverance and the magic of March Madness, where anyone can become a hero.