High Point’s first NCAA Tournament win in school history came with all the drama March Madness fans could hope for — but for Panthers guard Chase Johnston, the biggest moment of the night pointed straight to his faith.

The 12th-seeded Panthers stunned No. 5 Wisconsin 83-82 on Thursday in one of the opening round’s biggest surprises, erasing a double-digit deficit and surviving a frantic final sequence to secure the program’s first-ever tournament victory. Johnston delivered the decisive basket with 11.7 seconds left, racing in for a breakaway layup that gave High Point the lead for good. Remarkably, it was his first two-point basket of the entire season.

After the game, Johnston didn’t start by talking about the shot, the comeback, or the spotlight. Instead, he gave thanks to Christ.

“First and foremost, I wanna give all glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” Johnston said after the win. “It’s been an unbelievable season. This is a group of guys that’s built on John 15:13. We serve each other, we love each other, and we’d die for each other. I’m so grateful.”

That message gave the game an even deeper meaning, already packed with unforgettable moments. Johnston, known almost entirely as a 3-point specialist, finished with 14 points, including 11 in the second half. But it was the one shot nobody expected — a layup in transition — that became part of March Madness history. Rob Martin grabbed the rebound after Wisconsin missed a go-ahead chance and fired the ball ahead to Johnston, who calmly finished at the rim.

High Point still had work to do after the basket. Wisconsin got one last opportunity, but the Panthers came through again. Owen Aquino blocked a late Badgers attempt, and Terry Anderson sealed the outcome by intercepting Wisconsin’s final desperation pass. The celebration that followed was years in the making for a program that made its tournament debut only last season before falling to Purdue in the first round.

Now, High Point turns its attention to another huge challenge: a second-round matchup against No. 4 Arkansas on Saturday. The Razorbacks advanced with a convincing win over Hawai’i, but the Panthers have already shown they are more than capable of shocking the bracket.

For Christian fans, Johnston’s postgame words may stand out as much as his game-winner. In the middle of one of the biggest moments of his career, he made it clear where his gratitude belongs — giving glory not to himself, but to Jesus.