Wisconsin Milwaukee Panthers NCAA Basketball News

Consider this your pinch... It was not a dream. The Drury Panthers are national champions.

Bet you didn't realize it, but a basketball team from Missouri just won a national title and it wasn't the Billikens or Mizzou.

When Drury seemed to be overmatched by Metro State, falling behind by 17 points late in the first half, coach Steve Hesser said he told his players "to get back to being us." Hall made two free throws with 22.8 seconds remaining as Drury rallied from the big deficit and beat Metro State 74-73 to win the Division II national championship on Sunday.

Without a doubt, Alex Hall and Brandon Lockhart were the stars of Drury's first Elite Eight appearance, leading the Panthers to a pair of wins and a spot in the first NCAA Division II national title game in program history.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Drury Panthers are off to Louisville, Ky., where they'll play in the program's first ever D2 Elite Eight game on Thursday night.