In a moment of sporting calamity that will haunt their season, the Chicago State Cougars basketball team snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in the most improbable fashion imaginable. With a two-point lead, possession of the ball, and a mere 0.1 seconds remaining on the game clock, they somehow contrived to lose to the Stonehill College Skyhawks.
The Unfathomable Final Second
The game, played on Saturday, January 10, 2026, seemed all but over. The Cougars, who have endured a difficult season with a 2-14 record, led 71-69 and were poised for a rare Northeast Conference triumph against the 4-12 Skyhawks. In a scenario with a near-100% win probability, someone within the Chicago State camp committed a cardinal sin.
A timeout was called from the bench. The catastrophic problem was that the team had no timeouts remaining. Whether it was head coach Landon Bussie or a member of his staff who made the call remains unclear, but the consequence was immediate and severe. The officials whistled a technical foul, handing Stonehill College two free throws and a lifeline they scarcely deserved.
From Certainty to Chaos in Overtime
Stonehill's Hermann Koffi stepped to the line with ice in his veins. He calmly sank both free throws, tying the game at 71-71 and sending the contest into an overtime period that, by all logic, should never have occurred. The momentum had irrevocably shifted.
Incredibly, Stonehill capitalised fully on their extraordinary fortune. They completed a stunning comeback to seal an 85-82 victory in overtime, transforming a less than 1% chance of winning into one of the most remarkable results of the college basketball season.
Social Media Erupts Over 'Legendary Blunder'
The barely-believable finish sparked instant disbelief and outrage online. Fans and commentators took to social media to dissect the catastrophic error. One stunned observer summed up the improbability, writing: 'One billion ways to win this game, and only like 3 to lose... but they prevail.'
Criticism was pointed, with another comment taking aim at the coaching: 'Their coach is abysmal. I'll never know how he got that job.' A third simply marvelled at the sheer scale of the mistake, stating: 'That's absolutely insane. What a legendary blunder.'
For Chicago State, a season of struggle found a new low in a moment of self-inflicted chaos. For Stonehill College, it was an escape act for the ages, secured not by a buzzer-beater, but by an opponent's unforgettable gaffe with the clock all but expired.
