Inaugural HBCU All-Star Game Tips off at 4 PM, ET on Sunday, April 3 with Live Pregame Show at 3:30 PM, ET

CBS Sports will celebrate Black athletes and their impact on college basketball both past and present with a special slate of programming this weekend. Among the highlights airing on the CBS Television Network and streaming live on Paramount+ are the inaugural HBCU All-Star Game and two days of documentaries.

The first-ever HBCU All-Star Game highlights the weekend by showcasing the best HBCU men's basketball players in the country live from UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans on Sunday, April 3. 

The HBCU All-Star Pre-Game Show begins at 3:30 PM, ET live from UNO Lakefront Arena and will include a discussion about the current HBCU coaching climate, a recap of HBCU All-Star events this week, and an interview with Travis L. Williams, founder of HBCU All-Stars LLC and the HBCU All-Star Game.

The inaugural HBCU All-Star Game tips off at 4:00 PM, ET. The game will be called by play-by-play announcer Brian Custer, analysts Clark Kellogg and Avery Johnson along with reporter AJ Ross. Custer (Hampton University), Johnson (Southern University) and Ross (Howard University) all attended HBCUs.

CBS Sports will feature four college basketball documentaries this weekend. It all begins with a one-hour version of The Loyola Project (Saturday, April 2 at 1:00 PM, ET) which tells the story of the Loyola University Chicago Ramblers’ historic 1963 basketball team that broke racial barriers and changed college basketball forever. The full documentary will also be available to stream on-demand on Paramount+. Then, CBS Sports and Turner Sports premiere the original documentary, MARCH MADNESS RETURNS! (2:00 PM, ET), chronicling the story of the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament following the cancellation of the 2020 Tournament.

On Sunday, CBS Sports will air Big House, The Pearl & The Triumph of Winston-Salem State (2:00 PM, ET), a documentary that looks back at Earl “The Pearl” Monroe and Winston-Salem State’s run to becoming the first HBCU to win an NCAA championship in any sport. HBCUs: 2^nd Acts follows with its premiere at 3:00 PM, ET, telling the story of the resurgence of Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country, featuring former NBA All Star Kenny Anderson and two-time NBA champion JR Smith.

HBCUs: 2^nd Acts will lead into the HBCU All-Star Pregame Show and the inaugural HBCU All-Star Game.

About the Documentaries:

• The Loyola Project

  • This film from O’Malley Creadon Productions tells the story of the Loyola University Chicago Ramblers' historic 1963 basketball season. At the height of the civil rights movement, the Ramblers broke racial barriers and changed college basketball forever. Now, nearly 60 years later, this legendary team is reexamined by current Loyola basketball player and co-captain, Lucas Williamson.

    • Click HERE for a clip

• Big House, The Pearl & The Triumph of Winston-Salem State

  • In a time of intense racial turmoil, a star from Philadelphia descended upon a North Carolina teachers college, Winston-Salem State. Earl “The Pearl” Monroe was so spectacular that the Rams had to move from their tiny campus gym to the Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum so thousands more fans could see him play. As a senior in 1966-67, “The Pearl” averaged 41.5 points per game and helped Winston-Salem State become the first HBCU to win a NCAA championship in any sport (Div. II). In the process, Monroe helped ease racial tensions in the still-segregated Winston-Salem by bringing everyone together to marvel, collectively, at his greatness.

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    • Click HERE for a clip

• HBCUs: 2^nd Acts

  • The resurgence of Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country is drawing successful former athletes back to campus and creating “second acts” for both the schools and those returning. This 30-minute special tells the stories of two such athletes: former NBA All Star Kenny Anderson, who is now the men’s basketball coach at Fisk University, and two-time NBA champion JR Smith, who is a freshman at North Carolina A&T and a member of the golf team. Produced and directed by Johnny Sweet in association with hsc.tv and Only Child Productions.

    • Click HERE for a clip

• MARCH MADNESS RETURNS! 

  • March Madness Returns! chronicles the story of the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament following the cancellation of the 2020 Tournament.

    • Click HERE for a clip

Media Contact:

Bailey Knecht, CBS Sports, bailey.knecht@viacomcbs.com