Illinois State vs. Chicago State college basketball statistical error leads to Caesars Sportsbook paying multiple spread outcomes

This writer handicaps lower-tier college basketball games all the time and knows how hard it is to get important information on those types of schools regarding potential injuries and the like. Too off-the-radar. Obviously, the sportsbooks pay much more attention to the power conference games. On Saturday afternoon, a scoring error in the final minute of an Illinois State at Chicago State matchup was made that has since led to various sportsbooks, including Caesars, paying out both win and loss spread outcomes or in other cases refunding wagers. That type of error isn't happening in a Duke game, for example.

Caesars Sportsbook listed Illinois State as a 9.5-point favorite on Saturday. With 49 seconds left, the Redbirds' Josiah Strong was fouled and awarded two free throws. The play-by-play log shows Strong missing the first and making the second, but he made both. The score on the telecast also only showed ISU adding one point instead of two to lead 76-67.

Illinois State would win 80-71 without that free throw counting, so obviously a win for those who backed Chicago State but a loss for ISU bettors. Professional bettor Captain Jack Andrews (a nom de plume) posted a series of tweets Sunday night showing what happened. On Monday, Chicago State's athletic department notified the NCAA and the official final score was changed to 81-71 on Tuesday.

"From our discussion with Chicago State, the NCAA understands the statistics crew's score did not reconcile with the official scorer's score, as is common practice," NCAA director of media coordination and statistics David Worlock said in an email to ESPN. "The NCAA relies upon its institutions to provide the final statistics and ensure their accuracy."

Looking at the stories on each school's website, the free-throw scenario was never even mentioned. Chicago State now at least has the right final score in its game story; Illinois State still has it 80-71 in the story but 81-71 in a graphic at the top. On the official box score, Strong is now 4-for-4 from the free-throw line and finished with 26 points.

Jim Benson, a reporter for The Pantagraph in Bloomington, Ill., was covering the game and told Sports Handle there were scoring issues throughout the affair. His take on the free throw via Twitter message to that site: "On Strong's free throw at end, I was getting my story ready. I didn't see him shoot 1st FT. Looked up to see him make 2nd and saw 1 more point for ISU on scoreboard. I assumed missed 1st FT. I've seen replay where he made both."

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