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The NCAA Tournament is one of the most exciting events in sports because anything can happen in each game.
Part of that excitement comes from the fact that smaller programs that may not regularly be on TV get put on a bigger stage, allowing some unknown players to become household names. It feels like every year, there is some unsung hero from a smaller school that explodes on the stat sheet and goes viral.
Jack Gohlke played for Oakland University in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. He helped them pull an upset over No. 3 Kentucky, where he dropped 32 points. That one performance cemented his place in college basketball history, and now fans are wondering who this year's Gohlke could be.
Being the next Gohlke could come from a high-scoring output, but could also be someone who has a quirky aspect to their game. Enter High Point's Chase Johnston.
The senior guard only averages six points per game, but he is shooting nearly 50% from beyond the arc. That percentage comes from the fact that, in 32 regular-season games, he did not make a single two-point shot. Johnston attempted 136 shots on the season, and 132 of them were taken from beyond the arc.
While he isn't expected to drop 30 on No. 5 Wisconsin in the first round, it is at least a uniquely interesting storyline to watch with his shooting in the game. Here is more on Johnston's High Point stats and how he can become the star of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
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Who is Chase Johnston?
Johnston is a senior guard who plays for High Point University. He has been playing college basketball for six years and has benefited from the extra years of eligibility allowed due to COVID-19. Johnston began his career at Stetson and then transferred to Florida Gulf Coast after two years. At FGCU, Johnston played a combined 40 games over two seasons, missing the majority of the 2023-2024 season due to an injury.
He transferred to High Point for the 2024-2025 season and averaged 6.9 points per game. Johnston shot 42.5% from three that year and at least made 16 two-point field goals over 35 games. He abandoned that two-point mentality fully in his final collegiate season, creating some intriguing lore around him and his game.
HISTORY OF UPSETS BY SEED:
16 vs. 1 | 15 vs. 2 | 14 vs. 3 | 13 vs. 4 | 12 vs. 5
Chase Johnston stats
Here is a look at Johnston's per-game college stats.
| Season | Team | Games | Minutes | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | FG% | 3FG% | FT% |
| 2020-21 | Stetson | 27 | 31.8 | 13.5 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 42.3% | 37.6% | 84.4% |
| 2021-22 | Stetson | 30 | 33.3 | 15.2 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 40.8% | 40.1% | 79.6% |
| 2022-23 | Florida Gulf Coast | 31 | 25.9 | 12.7 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 41.4% | 37.3% | 80.5% |
| 2023-24 | Florida Gulf Coast | 9 | 29.0 | 9.7 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 31.3% | 29.4% | 83.3% |
| 2024-25 | High Point | 35 | 22.1 | 6.9 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 42.6% | 42.5% | 50.0% |
| 2025-26 | High Point | 32 | 12.6 | 6.1 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 47.1% | 48.5% | 100% |
| Total | 3 teams | 164 | 25.0 | 10.6 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 41.4% | 39.8% | 80.9% |
SN AWARDS: All-America team | Player of the Year | Coach of the Year
Chase Johnston 3-point stats
Here is a look at Johnston's three-point stats from his college career.
| Season | Team | Games | FG | FG% | 3FG | 3FG% |
| 2020-21 | Stetson | 27 | 129-305 | 42.3% | 79-210 | 37.6% |
| 2021-22 | Stetson | 30 | 157-385 | 40.7% | 99-247 | 40.1% |
| 2022-23 | Florida Gulf Coast | 31 | 142-343 | 41.4% | 78-209 | 37.3% |
| 2023-24 | Florida Gulf Coast | 9 | 31-99 | 31.3% | 20-68 | 29.4% |
| 2024-25 | High Point | 35 | 84-197 | 42.6% | 71-167 | 42.5% |
| 2025-26 | High Point | 32 | 64-136 | 47.1% | 64-132 | 48.5% |
| Total | 3 teams | 164 | 607-1,465 | 47.1% | 411-1033 | 39.8% |
Johnston has always favored shooting his shots from three-point range. The outlier is his final season at HPU this year where he only took four shots all season that came from inside the arc. Furthermore, Johnston missed all four so all 64 shots that he made during the regular season were all three-pointers.
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