A TCU student won $1,000 from the men’s basketball coach, Trent Johnson, Sunday night at the season tip off dinner for making a free throw shot against another student.

Megan Affrica, a fifth year senior communication studies major, was the student who made the winning free throw shot. The money was awarded to Affrica, one of the two randomly selected students who were pitted against each other.

Andy Anderson, assistant director of TCU athletics media relations, said the free-throw shooting contest was part of a promotion to encourage students to attend TCU basketball events.

He also said Johnson believes student involvement at basketball games and events is important to getting a home-field advantage. 

“Since he arrived on campus in April, he’s often spoke about how important it is to get students involved in the program and feeling ownership in their basketball team, and he wanted to start right away with our first major event of the season,” Anderson said.

Anderson said the athletics office will renew the reward program for a second year. The program awarded points to students for attending games or events. At certain point thresholds, students would receive prizes such as team gear, video game systems and gift certificates.

Junior biology major Tianna Canfield said she liked the idea of rewarding students and that it was a huge reason that she attended the games in the past. She said she will go to more games this year because of the conference change and if they have promotions for students.

Affrica said she believes the point system used last season worked well with encouraging students to go to games.

“It seemed like there were more people at the games," Affrica said. "Because they needed to go to a couple of games to get rewarded, students would continue to attend and realized how fun they were.”

Affrica said she has been a fan of the TCU men’s basketball team since freshman year and will continue to go to all their games this season. 

As for the money she won in the free throw contest, Affrica said she has purchased an iPhone 5 and is considering buying new clothes or saving the money with the remaining amount.