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MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Alabama State men's basketball team would like to forget its previous meeting with today's opponent.
Last month, Texas Southern shot 55 percent from the field and defeated Alabama State 80-65, handing the Hornets their first conference loss.
The Hornets (16-7, 12-2 SWAC) have won five of seven since that loss and now will look to break the tie atop the SWAC with the Tigers at the Acadome today. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.
The Hornets return home after a pair of nail-biting finishes on the road last weekend.
Against Alcorn State last Saturday, the Hornets hit seven free throws in the final minute to avoid giving up a 19-point, second-half lead in a 71-67 win.
NEW YORK, New York -- Anthony Mason, a muscular, bellicose forward whose bruising play helped theKnicksreach the National Basketball Association finals in 1994, has died in Manhattan, the Knicks said Saturday. He was 48. Mason’s death was reported on the Knicks website. He had been treated for heart disease, but the cause of death was not reported.
Mason, who played for six teams in 13 N.B.A. seasons, was an unlikely success story. His college team, Tennessee State, was never a power, and he spent three years on the fringes of the professional game, playing mostly abroad and in American leagues of lesser quality before he became a regular player with the Knicks in 1991 under their new coach, Pat Riley.
Athletic and chiseled at 6 feet 7 inches (he was sometimes listed as 6-8) and 250 pounds or more, he had bowling-ball shoulders, surprising quickness, especially around the basket, and a deft touch with a pass or a dribble in the open court. He also had a fearsome court persona; he gave hard fouls, glared at opponents, badgered referees and never shied away from a scuffle, in or away from the arena. SLIDE SHOW CONTINUE READING
ANTHONY MASON Mason averaged 28 points and 10.4 rebounds per game in his senior year, and was drafted in the third round by the Portland Trail Blazers.
COURTESY TSU SPORTS INFORMATION
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- Tennessee State men’s basketball legend Anthony Mason passed away due to heart complications, Saturday, at the age of 48.
Mason played for Tennessee State University from 1985-88 and left as the school’s fifth all-time leading scorer with 2,076 points. The Miami, Florida native also tallied 894 career rebounds, ranking him sixth in the school’s record book.
The forward was so dominant down-low during the 1987-88 season that he was fouled and put on the line a TSU record 247 times, making 191.
After becoming the school’s first All-Ohio Valley Conference Player in 1988, Mason was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in the third round of the 1988 NBA Draft. He went on to play with the New Jersey Nets, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat, averaging 10.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in his 13-year NBA career.
Mason blossomed in New York, leading his team to the Finals in 1994 and winning the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in 1995. He was named to the 1996-’97 All-NBA Third Team and to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. He led the league in minutes played in 1995-’96 (3,457), also setting a Knicks record with the number.
Mason’s oldest son, Anthony Jr., played for St. John’s University while his other son, Antoine, plays at Auburn after transferring from Niagara.
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
FAMU football coach Ken Riley at a practice session - Tallahassee, Florida in 1986. Riley was a former professional American Football defensive back for the Cincinnati Bengals. In 1986 he took over as the head coach of his alma mater, Florida A&M. Riley coached Florida A&M from 1986-1993, compiling a 48-39-2 record, with two Mid-Eastern Athletic conference titles and 2 MEAC coach of the year awards. Riley then served as Florida A&M's athletic director from 1994-2003.
COURTESY: State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, Mark T. Foley, Photographer
Riley lives on as a legend in Bengals history after a 14-year career (1969-83) where he set the team record for interceptions with 65. The Rattler, as he would be known, ranks fifth on the all-time NFL list for picks and the most by a player with a single team. His nine interceptions in the 1976 season are only topped in Bengals history by the 10 picks by Deltha O'Neal in 2004.
He'll enter the Hall this weekend for his accomplishments at Florida A&M University.
The 2015 Class includes Roger Brown (University of Maryland Eastern Shore), Richard Dent (Tennessee State University), L.C. Greenwood (University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) Ernie “Big Cat” Ladd (Grambling State University), Ken Riley (Florida A&M University), Donnie Shell (South Carolina State University) and Coach W.C. Gorden (Jackson State University).
This marks the latest Hall of Fame induction for Riley, who also is a member of Florida Sports Hall of Fame, the Florida A&M Hall of Fame, the Polk County Hall of Fame, the cities of Bartow and Tallahassee Halls of Fame and the public-school Hall of Fame.
Despite his myriad accomplishments in both the collegiate and then professional ranks with Cincinnati, he's still not a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Earlier this month, Hall of Fame voter Rick Gosselin made a pitch for his inclusion on the veteran's committee list.
COLUMBIA, South Carolina -- A Senate panel approved a proposal to fire the trustees of financially troubled South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, one day after the board put the school's embattled president on paid leave. The subcommittee will consider Tuesday the proposal by Senate President Pro Tem Hugh Leatherman of Florence. Co-sponsors include the Senate's Democratic leader and two graduates of South Carolina's only public historically black college. After more than two hours in a closed-door meeting on Monday, South Carolina State University's Board of Trustees voted to place President Thomas Elzey on administrative leave. Interim Provost W. Franklin Evans has been named the acting president of the university. Elzey did not comment on the board's decision after the meeting. Elzey currently has three years left on his contract that pays out about $305,000 per year.
NYESHA ARNOLD COURTESY CLAFLIN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
ORANGEBURG, South Carolina —The Claflin University softball team defeated Paine College, 11-0, in its 2015 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) opener. With the win the Lady Panthers improve to 7-2 overall and 1-0 in the SIAC. After scoring three runs in the first, Claflin had a breakout third inning. The Lady Panthers put up seven runs off eight hits and one Lady Lion error to take the 10 run lead. Claflin put one additional run in the bottom of the fourth for its 11th run of the game.
Nyesha Arnold picked up her seventh win of the season, pitching five innings and allowing only three hits with nine strikeouts.
Courtney Taylor was the losing pitcher for Paine, who dropped to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the SIAC.
The teams will close out the three game series with a double-header tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 27. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Adden Street Field in Orangeburg.
