Barton surprises Winona

Anthony Atkinson scored 10 points in the final 39 seconds Saturday, including a layup at the buzzer, to give Barton College its first NCAA Division II title with a 77-75 victory over previously unbeaten and defending champion Winona State at Springfield, Mass.

Barton (31-5) ended Winona’s two-year, 57-game winning streak and survived a review of the final play by the officials.

Winona (35-1) appeared poised to repeat as champion when Zach Malvik made two free throws to put the Minnesota school ahead 74-67 with 45 seconds left. Three straight baskets by Atkinson made it 74-73, then Jonte Flowers hit 1 of 2 foul shots to put Winona in front 75-73 with 19 seconds remaining.

Atkinson made a layup to tie it with 11 seconds to go. Bobby Buffaloe then made a steal, tipping the ball away from Malvik right to Atkinson, who raced down court and scored the winning basket just before time expired.

The play was reviewed by the officials, but it stood.

Women

LaShauna Jones scored a game-high 19 points and Southern Connecticut State (34-2) won the NCAA Division II championship, limiting Florida Gulf Coast (34-1) to three points in the final 9:33 in a 61-45 victory at Kearney, Neb.

The win ended Florida Gulf Coast’s bid to become the first unbeaten champion since North Dakota State in 1995.