“Absolutely legendary”: College hoops fans stunned as Justus McNair’s half-court winner completes Valparaiso’s insane comeback
College basketball fans were left in disbelief as Justus McNair’s half-court shot sealed an incredible comeback for Valparaiso. The Beacons edged out the Western Michigan Broncos 76-73 on Friday.
Valparaiso was down 69-47 with just 6:51 left on the clock, but the team put together a stunning 29-4 run to shock the crowd of 1,234 at Read Fieldhouse in Kalamazoo, Michigan. During this remarkable burst, Cooper Schweiger contributed 15 points, including 12 straight points that sparked the rally. Kaspar Sepp added a game-tying layup with 1:06 remaining.
With the score knotted at 73, Western Michigan’s Donovan Williams missed a corner 3-pointer. McNair grabbed the rebound with about four seconds on the clock, sprinted downcourt and sank a one-footed, half-court buzzer-beater to clinch the win.
Cooper Schweiger finished with 19 points, six rebounds and two blocks, scoring 17 of his points in the second half. Jefferson Monegro chipped in 13 points, four rebounds and three assists, while All Wright contributed 10 points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal. McNair came off the bench to score 13 points and grab four rebounds, shooting 5-of-7 from the field and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc.
McNair’s heroics secured Valparaiso’s first road win and handed Western Michigan their third home loss, sparking excitement on social media.
On Instagram, ESPN’s post drew enthusiastic reactions for McNair and Valparaiso.
"Absolutely legendary he telling this story for generations!!!” declared one fan.
"He shot that like it was NOTHING," noted another.
"Bro thinks hes Payton Pritchard," a fan wrote.
The excitement from fans carried over to X/Twitter as well:
"Y&R Alum and Valpo Freshman Justus McNair @justusmcnair1 FOR THE WIN Big time moment for our guy. All of the Y&R family have seen him do this before #WeReckless," @YnRbball posted.
"Literally one of the best comeback I’ve ever said, punctuated with a half court game winner. Justus McNair is a freshman! Such a big spot for him to make a shot like this," tweeted Field of 68 writer Sean Paul.
"Half court heroics by Justus McNair Valpo's comeback is the stuff of legends," added @ScrollingHOF.
Valparaiso now holds a 6-5 record, including 1-2 on the road.
The Beacons will face Calumet College of St. Joseph on Sunday during the Valpo Christmas Party and conclude the year with an away game against Bradley on Dec. 29.
Valparaiso pulls off stunning comeback
Valparaiso had a challenging start, with Western Michigan scoring the game’s first seven points. The Broncos maintained a double-digit lead throughout most of the first half and extended their advantage to 16 points by halftime, leading 42-26.
Remarkably, Valpo surged back, outscoring Western Michigan 29-4 in the final minutes to claim a 76-73 victory. Trailing 71-52, the Beacons rattled off 24 of the game’s final 26 points.
The teams posted nearly identical shooting percentages, with Western Michigan hitting 45.6% (31-of-68) from the field and Valpo slightly edging them at 46.0% (29-of-63). The Beacons, however, excelled at the free throw line, converting 13-of-19 attempts compared to the Broncos’ 7-of-14.
Western Michigan dominated the boards, with a 42-35 rebounding advantage, and led in assists 18-6. However, Valparaiso’s defensive edge, including a 4-2 advantage in steals and 6-3 in blocks, proved decisive, especially in the second half. The Beacons also outpaced the Broncos in fast-break points (15-11) and narrowly outscored them in the paint (48-44).