The Cincinnati Bearcats’ game late Monday night against the Arizona Wildcats in the Maui Invitational quarterfinals featured a very bizarre moment early in the first half.
Arizona center Oumar Ballo, the Wildcats’ second-leading scorer and leading rebounder, stepped to the free-throw line with an 11-9 lead, but apparently wanted the ball to be wiped off first.
So instead of shooting the free throw, he passed it – not to an official, but directly to UC’s Landers Nolley II.
Nolley was clever enough to take off with the ball toward the other end of the court, but officials stopped him and returned it to Ballo.
“I have never seen that in a game before!” ESPN analyst Daymeon Fishback exclaimed. “Oumar Ballo said, ‘Could you wipe it off for me?’ And Landers Nolley said, ‘If you’re gonna give it to me, I’ll take it!’ Christmas came early, big fella!”
Nolley shook his head and smiled as he went to the bench a short time later.
From @PregameEmpire via Twitter:
LOVE SPORTS? [ Subscribe now for unlimited access to Cincinnati.com ]
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Arizona’s Oumar Ballo passes to UC’s Landers Nolley from FT line