(April 18, 2012) NEW ORLEANS — As the nation’s top men’s basketball teams competed for an NCAA title earlier this month, participants in the Buick Arena at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans were shooting for a different record book. A total of 422 basketball fans completed the world’s largest game of “Knockout.”

Knockout is a basketball game involving participants lined up behind the free throw line. After the first player begins shooting, the next player is allowed to take a shot as well. If the second player makes a basket first, the earlier shooter is “knocked out” and the game continues until just one winner remains.

Narrowing a field of 422 down took a total of one hour and 56 minutes.

The winner, a student at the University of New Orleans, won tickets to the championship basketball game and $1,000. A representative from Guinness World Records was on hand to verify the game as the largest ever.

For Buick, the official NCAA Partner of Human Achievement, the event was part of a larger effort to promote current and former student athletes who are making a difference in local and world communities. Through the NCAA Men’s Final Four weekend, Buick, together with Samaritan’s Feet, donated more than 5,000 pairs of shoes to children in need.

“The event was a lot of fun, the fans got really into the game, and the record was a perfect tie-in to Buick’s support of Samaritan’s Feet and the campaign to ‘knockout’ bare feet,” said Amanda Mochan, adjudicator, Guinness World Records.

Buick’s involvement in college basketball also resulted in 116,000 new fans on the brand’s Facebook page. Due to added interest and a new mobile phone website, Buick’s traffic generated from the NCAA tournament increased by 103 percent.

“Through fun activities like the knockout game, Buick’s Final Four involvement celebrated the difference we can all make in the world,” said Craig Bierley, director of Buick Advertising and Promotions. “Along with the 422 people who were part of a record-setting game, thousands of needy children got shoes on their feet over the weekend. That’s true human achievement.”