Duke Students Break Guinness Record with 711-Player Game

Cameron Indoor Stadium has witnessed countless basketball victories, but Tuesday night brought something completely different: 711 Duke students breaking a world record playing knockout.

The Cameron Crazies spent 158 minutes playing the classic backyard basketball game, officially beating the previous record of 701 participants set by the Dallas Mavericks in 2015. A Guinness World Record adjudicator watched every shot, clipboard in hand, as students in sneakers, Crocs, and even Birkenstocks lined up around the famous court.

The rules stayed simple and familiar. Players line up at the free throw line, each trying to make their basket before the person behind them. Miss too long, and you're out. The line snaked through Cameron Indoor Stadium, wrapping up stairs and through the concourse as participants munched pizza and answered trivia questions while waiting their turn.

Four Duke basketball players kicked off the action with a demonstration, showing the hundreds of eager students exactly how it would work. Then sophomore forward Patrick Ngongba II took the first official shot at 7:07 p.m., launching the record attempt into motion.

Dollar Shave Club CEO Larry Bodner, a Duke graduate whose company recently moved its headquarters to Durham, rebounded basketballs under the net all evening. He organized the entire event as part of a campaign to connect with college students, but his enthusiasm went beyond marketing.

The Ripple Effect goes beyond one night of basketball fun. The event brought together students from across campus, creating a shared memory that connects hundreds of people through pure joy and friendly competition. It showed how something as simple as a childhood game can unite a community and create lasting bonds.

After nearly three hours, just three players remained on the court. Sophomore Dash Hort, who showed up on a last-minute impulse, sank the final free throw to win the competition and a $1,000 grand prize. His opponent? His own Duke wrestling teammate.

Michael Empric, the Guinness adjudicator who has witnessed everything from 308 wine bottles uncorked simultaneously to failed slingshot cornhole attempts, found himself charmed by the smaller-than-expected arena. Despite his years of recording unusual achievements, Cameron Indoor Stadium still managed to surprise him.

The official plaque now joins Duke's collection of accomplishments, offering the Cameron Crazies something to celebrate while they wait for their basketball team to chase that elusive sixth championship banner.