ST. LOUIS - Alex Permann hit a half-court shot before the Missouri Valley Conference championship game Sunday and cost himself $50,000.
That probably needs explanation. So here's what really happened...
Permann, a 24-year-old optometry student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis was selected for one of those popular shooting contests; make a layup, free throw, 3-pointer and half-court shot in the allotted time to win a prize - 24 seconds and win $50,000.
Permann hit the layup, nailed the free throw, then dashed to the midcourt line and buried a half-court shot, waving his hands in joy as the crowd roared, thinking they had just seen the big winner of the weekend.
"When I hit that shot," he said later, "I was thinking about 50 grand."
Ooops! He forgot that he needed to make a three-pointer before time ran out to win the money.