Controversy struck during halftime of a women's college basketball game (UMass vs. St. Bonaventure) on Wednesday night, as a student participated in a shooting game where they made a layup, a free throw, a 3-pointer, and half-court shot all within a 30-second timeframe to win $10,000.
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Unfortunately, the student never received his prize money.
TERRIBLE: A UMass student completed this halftime shooting challenge to win $10K…
He was informed today that the insurance company will NOT be paying it out due to his foot being on the line. 😶pic.twitter.com/CpRbWSKUO3
— Kicks (@kicks) February 7, 2025
The student has been identified as Noah Lee, a senior at UMass Amherst, and after making the shot, he couldn't believe it.
"That half-court shot when I put it up, I knew it kind of had a chance, I never expected it to go in!" Noah said.
MY FRIEND JUST DID THIS FOR $10k AT THE @UMassWBB GAME!!!#SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/czpu4jSNXf
— Josh Schreiber (@Jschreiber272) February 6, 2025
After what transpired, Noah said he received countless congratulatory texts. However, triumph quickly turned to tragedy as the insurance company (OdddsOn Promotions), who was the one responsible for paying out the prize, said he broke the rules when his foot stepped on the half court line.
In the latest "UMass gets nothing but bad press" episode we have half court shot-gate, where a student is being denied a $10K by the insurance company covering the halftime contest because they claim his foot was over the half court line
— Fight Massachusetts (@FightMA247) February 7, 2025
Pay Noah Now pic.twitter.com/oOqOtCaRqc
— Matt "Mattie 5" Bellner (@MattBellner) February 7, 2025
Fans reacted to this, as many were on Noah's side, saying the money should be awarded since he was announced as a winner upon leaving the court.
One user on X wrote, "You have got to be joking?!! What con artists! He deserves the 10 grand."
And another said, "What a ripoff. Just look at the crowd in the video, they just don't have $10,000 to pay the guy lmao."
That is, some others were more strict, as one guy commented, "If you shoot a 3 and your foot is on the line... what happens? Sucks but your friend didn't complete the challenge lol."
Foot all over the line pic.twitter.com/tS8DFjgZ0I
— Michael Sakowski (@Sakowsk1Michael) February 6, 2025
This reminded many of the infamous 3/4 court length shot made by a fan during the Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat game (1992-93 season), which was supposed to win Don Calhoun $1,000,000.
30 years ago today: Chicago Bulls fan Don Calhoun throws in a 75-foot shot that wins him $1,000,000.
According to Sports Illustrated, he was selected to shoot because a Bulls employee felt his “suede hiking boots wouldn’t scuff the court.”
📺 SportsChannel/ESPN
April 14, 1993. pic.twitter.com/esG781DTPu— NBA Cobwebs (@NBACobwebs) April 14, 2023
And just like Noah, the insurance company tried to find any reason not to pay him, as they claimed Calhoun played college basketball, so that apparently disqualified him from the competition.
A Chicago Bulls fan made this shot for a million dollars but the insurance company refused to pay him after finding out he played college basketball pic.twitter.com/jhKOig36kX
— non aesthetic things (@PicturesFoIder) March 13, 2024
Luckily, Michael Jordan and the Bulls stepped in and made sure he got paid, as many hope the same will be done for Noah.
In 1993, a Chicago Bulls fan named Don Calhoun made an incredible 80-foot shot during a game, winning a million-dollar prize. However, the insurance company initially refused to pay him due to his college basketball background.
Despite this, Michael Jordan and the Bulls… pic.twitter.com/xBOkl9QM5o
— Ismael K Xavier (@ismael_3Js) March 13, 2024
At the moment UMass is willing to give him a consolation prize of: courtside/suite seats at a select upcoming UMass women's college basketball game, a $100 gift card for the concessions stand, and some school gear...
Not to mention, they offered Noah a do-over on the same competition, but this time only for a chance to win $1,000 instead of $10k...
🚨🚨UPDATE: Noah was just notified by INSURANCE he is NOT getting the money😡😡😡
They say his foot was on the line DESPITE not being told BEFOREHAND that it had to be BEHIND the line
OddsOn Promotions is the company
This is what UMass offered instead:@espn @zoomasschicks https://t.co/ggyW1OnDcX pic.twitter.com/v7bBAUxxZZ
— Josh Schreiber (@Jschreiber272) February 6, 2025
Related: Crowd Erupts As Nebraska Fan Sinks Full-Court Putt To Win Porsche
