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Ringer at USF finally pays off

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By STEVE ANDREWS

sandrews@wfla.com

Published: October 23, 2009

A 22-year-old University of South Florida student got his big payday today, though it was six days late.

Philip Davis of Dover thought he won $10,000 Oct. 16 for tossing horseshoes and getting a ringer during the university's Basketball Frenzy celebration at the Sun Dome.

As he stood at one free-throw line, Davis tossed two horseshoes at a stake on the free throw line at the other end of the basketball court.

His first toss missed. Before his second, he stepped to his left and fired away. To his amazement, he got a ringer.

The crowd went wild. Rocky, the USF mascot, hugged Davis and spun him around. USF men's basketball coach Stan Heath high-fived him.

The celebration was cut short when the public address system informed the crowd that Davis had stepped on the free-throw line and was disqualified. Instead of winning $10,000, he was awarded 18 tickets to a Tampa Bay Lightning game.

Davis wasn't satisfied. He asked for an explanation and told the athletics department it didn't tell him there was a rule about stepping on the line.

Today, after reviewing tapes of the event and going over the rules, the athletics department decided to award Davis the prize money.

"I'm glad that USF was able to review the tapes and see that it was a win and do what I feel was the right thing," Davis said.

After men's basketball practice Thursday at The Corral, the team's practice facility, the athletics department gave Davis a ceremonial check for $10,000.

"It was just one of those things where it could've gone either way, and we decided to award him the money," said Ayo Taylor-Dixon, assistant athletics director for marketing.

Reporter Steve Andrews can be reached at (813) 221-5779.

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