Right before the big-money shot, as the Cameron Crazies held their hands in the air and thousands of eyes focused on center court, Leonard Medlock seemed to relish the moment.

He was about to attempt a half-court shot at Cameron Indoor Stadium that could earn him and his friends up to $100,000.

Hours earlier that Wednesday, the Duke University senior from Dallas practiced for the big moment at a nearby gym. Three hard bounces, then bending his knees and spinning the ball off his right hand before shooting it like a free throw.

"I don't have to [jump]," he said. "I'm much more afraid of overshooting than undershooting it."

The technique led to mixed results. Most of his shots were air balls. Some clanged off the rim. Two bounced in and out of the hoop.

A friend contacted Medlock one day and asked if he could sign him up for Alltel Wireless' "My Circle Mania" contest, where one person and 10 friends shoot at designated spots to earn prize money ranging from $250 to $1,000, with the winner shooting from half court to multiply his group's total winnings by 10.

Medlock, 22, didn't learn that he had won until Tuesday afternoon, but he didn't have to do too much to get ready. He played basketball seriously until age 16 when he decided to focus more on academics, but he still plays in pickup games about four times a week.

He took some practice shots Tuesday. On Wednesday, while sporting a Duke women's basketball t-shirt, he was trying to maintain an athletic vibe.

"I'm trying to stay in a basketball mode because all day you have meetings, class and other activities," he said. "I just thought I'd come in early, take a few shots, not play seriously. Just be loose."

Duke was down by six to Maryland at the half, but Medlock and his group seemed at ease, laughing amongst one another, before taking the floor, even though the vast majority of fans stayed to watch them compete.

As Medlock walked toward half court, he exchanged hand slaps with some of the fans. He laughed as all but two of his friends missed their shots. Medlock was pacing back and forth, spinning the ball off his right hand and bouncing it occasionally.

And then he stood behind the half-court line.

He took three hard bounces, bent his knees and spun the ball off the right hand before shooting the ball -- like a free throw, except a lot longer. The Crazies had their hands in the air -- the way they do when a Duke player makes a long-range shot. All were quiet as the ball sailed toward the hoop.

"That was so close," said Leah Fisher, 19, a sophomore from Charleston, S.C.

The ball hit the right side of the rim.

"It's not going to go in," said Medlock afterwards, repeating what he thought while the ball was airborne. "It looks bad, it looks bad. But it's still going to go in. I wanted it to go in. I tried to will the ball in."

Medlock didn't make the money shot, but he and his friends walked away with $10,000 -- half of it to him with his friends splitting the rest. He's considering putting his share into a mutual fund.

And for others who want to shoot a half-court shot for money?

"Good luck," he said.