CARBONDALE, Ill. — Annabel Carr, a Southern Illinois University Carbondale freshman from Edwardsville, Illinois, has won free tuition for the spring semester. She was chosen at random Nov. 7 when 2,000+ SIU students attended the first home men’s basketball game.
The crowd was the largest attended home-opening game for SIU since 2014, with 5,199 fans at Banterra Center. The Salukis defeated the Trojans from the University of Arkansas-Little Rock 94-63. Carr’s raffle ticket was drawn at the 2-minute mark of the second half.
“I was really surprised,” Carr said. “I headed to the game, going to watch and accepting that there was no chance I would win. And then when my number was called, I turned to my friends, and my jaw dropped. I was astonished. I think my favorite part was random people coming up to talk to me. It was so cool being on the court too.”
The drawing for free tuition was part of the Pack the Pound promotion, organized by the Dawg Pound, a registered student organization that supports Saluki athletics.