Ball State Freshman Sinks Half Court Shot – Wins Free Tuition [VIDEO]

The only two people more exited than him — Mom and Dad, who just got a little discount on that college bill.

It's every kid's dream, drilling the half court shot as time expires to win the game for your team. Heck, at 36-years-old, I still attempt at least one half court shot every time I'm inside a gym. 99.9% of the time I fail miserably. Either clunking it off the front of the rim, or even worse, missing the basket all together.

I've also hosted my fair share of half court shot attempts at various basketball games that have rolled through the Evansville over the years. You know the ones. Contestants can win a new vehicle, or insane amount of cash if they sink a layup, free throw, three pointer, and a half court shot in a certain amount of time. The same ones no one ever wins, because its REALLY hard to do.

But every once in a while, someone does.

During a pep rally at the annual Welcome Week for incoming Freshman at the Muncie, Indiana university (about a 4-1/2 hour drive northeast of Evansville), 18-year-old Frankfort, Illinois native, Markus Burden stepped onto the court of the Cardinal's basketball team with four chances to hit a half court shot. One semester's worth of free tuition hanging in the balance.

The first shot? No good. Shot number two? A miss. Attempt three? No dice, leaving him with one final attempt to wipe $11,000 off his tuition bill. The equivalent of bottom of the ninth with two outs, the winning run on third, and the count sitting at three and two. Everything rested on this final shot. After a deep breath, Burden takes a short jog toward the half court line and heaves the ball (and I'm sure a few prayers) toward the net...

No word on whether the Cardinal's coaching staff offered him a spot as a walk on.