Gallery • 2 Photos

Sami Mirza

Faairs Cheema, ’25, attempts to make a layup during halftime of the men’s basketball game on Feb. 8. Cheema did not win the competition, but received a $250 Visa gift card for participating.

Two students had the once- in-a-college-career chance to win a year of free tuition be

fore module one ended.

The raffle occurred during halftime at the Feb. 8 men’s and women’s basketball games at the James H. Mullen Arena of the David V. Wise Center.

Assistant Athletic Director for Communications, Sean King, explained the logistics of the raffle.

“The winners (are) able to try to make a layup, free throw, three-pointer and half court shot within 25 seconds for a chance at a cash-valued prize of $51,910, paid by a third party insurance company,” King said. The two raffle winners also received a $250 Visa gift card for having their ticket pulled.

Odds On Promotions pro- vides promotional insurance to schools and corporations with a certain type of contract so that schools and companies are not liable for the full amount of the promotion’s grand prize.

“Essentially the school was simply facilitating the contest based on the contract stipulations that are handled between the selected participant(s) and Odds On,” King said.

King also explained that the college decided to work with Odds On after an anonymous donor purchased an in- insurance contract for $1,019.00 from Odds On Promotions at a lower rate than the full amount.

“Think of it as auto insurance, health insurance or any other type of insurance,” King said.

Before the two contestants attempted to make baskets, they had to sign a contestant agreement that outlined the rules and regulations of the

promotion and to verify that they understood the information after King discussed it with them and before they completed the promotion. King also said that it was a way to verify that they were eligible — students could not be a former or current collegiate, professional or Olympic basketball player.

The winner during the women’s basketball game was Kylie Kasavage, ’23.

“When they were reading the ticket I was thinking it wasn’t gonna be me, but then as they kept reading the numbers, I thought, ‘Oh god, don’t do it,’” Kasavage said.

Despite her nerves, Kasav- age stepped out onto the court and made the layup in the first try, but was unable to make the three-pointer within the 25-second time limit.

After Kasavage’s attempt to win the tuition, King exclaimed:

“Was that as much for you viewing it as it was for me?”

The winner at the second game was Faairs Cheema, ’25. Cheema did not step down from the bleachers for a bit of time before finally making his way down to shoot his shot.

“I didn’t want to do it,” Cheema said. “I tried handing it to (my friend) Anton, buthe told me to go.”

On the court, Cheema went to make the layup and, on the second try he made it into the hoop. Then he proceeded to make the three-pointer after his third try, but ran out of time to continue.

Since neither of the students were successful in the promotional contest, the third-party insurance company, Odds On Promotions, did not pay the full amount of $51, 910 to either of the participants or to the college.