Virginia State Trojans Releases 2015 Football Schedule

ETTRICK, Virginia  --  The VSU Athletic Department released their 2015 Trojan Football schedule on Monday, February 16.

The Trojans have a strong 2015 schedule with first year Head Coach Byron Thweatt.  "We have a very challenging schedule this year. Opening up with three quality non- conference programs should prove beneficial for us in terms of our ability to establish a new identity in 2015," said Coach Thweatt. "The CIAA is a very tough conference and hopefully we can benefit from having 4 conference games at home."

VSU kicks off their 2015 campaign at home against California University (PA) on Saturday, September 5. This is their second consecutive season opener against a PSAC opponent. The Trojans will then travel to Grenville, TN for their first ever matchup against Tusculum College on Saturday, September 12. On week three, VSU three will come back home to Rogers Stadium to face Kentucky State University on Saturday, September 19.

Following the Kentucky State game, VSU will get into conference play facing Fayetteville State University on Saturday, September 26 at Rogers Stadium.

VSU will welcome Trojan Alumni for Homecoming 2015 on October 17. The team will take on Bowie State University at 2 p.m.

The final regular season home game will be on Saturday, November 7 against VSU's longtime I-95 rivals, Virginia Union University.

For more information on the 2015 Trojan Football season, visit www.govsutrojans.com.

2015 VSU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

DATE	OPPONENT	LOCATION	TIME
September 5, 2015	California PA University	Ettrick, VA	1:00 p.m.
September 12, 2015	Tusculum College	Greeneville, TN	TBA
September 19, 2015	Kentucky State University (Military Appreciation Day)	Ettrick, VA	2:00 p.m.
September 26, 2015	Fayetteville State University (Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day)	Ettrick, VA	2:00 p.m.
October 3, 2015	St. Augustine's College (Take A Kid to the Game Day)	Ettrick, VA	2:00 p.m.
October 10, 2015	Elizabeth City State University	Elizabeth City, NC	TBA
October 17, 2015	Bowie State University (Homecoming)	Ettrick, VA	2:00 p.m.
October 24, 2015	Lincoln University	Lincoln, PA	TBA
October 31, 2015	Chowan University	Murfreesboro, NC	TBA
November 7, 2015	Virginia Union University (Senior Day)	Ettrick, VA	2:00 p.m.
November 14, 2015	CIAA Football Championships	TBD	TBA
November 21, 2015	NCAA Play-Offs	TBD	TBA

 
HOME GAMES IN BOLD

COURTESY VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION

NCCU rips Bethune-Cookman, wins MEAC regular-season title

DURHAM, North Carolina  -- Led by stars Jordan Parks and Nimrod Hilliard, N.C. Central slammed Bethune-Cookman 72-49 on Senior Day at McLendon-McDougald Gymnasium, clinching the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season title and the No. 1 overall seed at the upcoming MEAC Tournament in Norfolk, Virginia.

The regular-season title is the second straight for the Eagles, who went on to win the MEAC Tournament a year ago and gain the league’s only berth in the NCAA Tournament.

The Eagles have won 32 conference games in a row, the longest streak in Division I, and extended their home winning streak to 34 games in the process.

The Eagles improved to 22-6 overall and remained unbeaten at 14-0 in MEAC play. Norfolk State (18-11, 11-3 MEAC), which had a bye Saturday, had been the only remaining threat to NCCU’s bid for the No. 1 seed but had to win its final two regular-season games and hope NCCU lost its final three MEAC games in order to remain in contention.

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CIAA 2015 Women's Final

The Lincoln Lady Lions (21-7, 11-5) vs. Virginia State Lady Trojans (19-9, 9-7)
LINCOLN GAME NOTES                   
 
Date:                       Feb. 28, 2015
Site:                        Time Warner Cable Arena (19,000)
Game Time:            4:00 p.m.
Television:              ASPiRE TV
Radio:                     HSRN Radio
Live Stats:               http://theciaa.com/sports/wbkb/2014-15/boxscores/20150228_4u19.xml
Live Video:             http://theciaa.com/sports/wbkb/2014-15/boxscores/20150228_4u19.xml
Tournament Page:  http://theciaa.com/bballtournament/index

ASU facing battle for first place with Texas Southern

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.

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Anthony Mason, Bruising Knicks Forward, Dies at 48

NEW YORK, New York  -- Anthony Mason, a muscular, bellicose forward whose bruising play helped the Knicks reach 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.

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Tennessee State University Basketball Legend Anthony Mason Passes Away

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

Florida A&M's Ken Riley inducted into Black College Football Hall of Fame Today

• 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

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Former Bengals cornerback Ken Riley will be inducted into the Black College Football  Hall of Fame on Saturday in Atlanta.

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.

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