For Immediate Release
January 08, 2015
Contact Information

Chelsye J. Burrows
770.692.4559
cburrows@UPtv.com

David Gardner
770.692.9939
dgardner@UPtv.com

Kadida Kenner / USEG
704.451.9511
kkenner@urbansportsgroup.net

(BPRW) HBCU BASKETBALLSET TO TIP OFF ON ASPiRE WITH 12 SCHEDULED COLLEGE BASKETBALL GAMES. VIRGINIA UNION AT FAYETTEVILLE STATE GAME, LIVE THIS SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 AT 4 P.M. EST

-- Season Includes Live Broadcasts of Five Regular Season Games, CIAA Men's Quarter Finals, CIAA Men's Semi-Finals and theASPiRE Exclusive CIAA Women's Basketball Championship Game Plus All-New Episodes of the Weekly HBCU Series "Inside the Game" Begin on Saturday, January 10th at 11:30 a.m. EST --

(Black PR Wire) ATLANTA – January 8, 2015 – Historically Black College & University (HBCU) college basketball returns to ASPiRE (@tvASPiRE) this week with the live broadcast of the first of 12 scheduled basketball games, airing this Saturday, January 10th through Saturday, February 28th, announced ASPiRE and Urban Sports & Entertainment Group (USEG, urbansportsgroup.net). Games include five CIAA Men’s match-ups, the CIAA Men’s Quarter Finals and CIAA Men’s Semi-Finals, along with the annual CIAA Women’s Basketball Championship Game, airing exclusively on ASPiRE

All the court action, analysis and more will be featured every Saturday morning as new episodes debut of the weekly HBCU sports series “Inside the Game” (aspire.tv/shows/inside-the-game), hosted by ESPN host/analyst/producer Stan Lewter (@slewter13). Produced by Urban Sports & Entertainment Group, “Inside the Game” returns on Saturday, January 10th at 11:30 a.m. EST.

This Saturday’s all-new “Inside the Game” episode will feature the following:
After a short hiatus, “Inside the Game” is back with the HBCU Basketball Tip-Off. This week’s episode takes you inside SWAC Men’s and Women’s hoops with Alabama State hosting Ft. Valley’s Men and Grambling’s Women at Dunn Oliver Acadome in Montgomery, Alabama, with Moe Carter Reporting. We’ll feature a close matchup with Livingstone out of the CIAA and Morehouse College out of the SIAC. HostStan Lewter interviews former Alabama State alumni, and the Cleveland Browns leading scorer, running back Isaiah Crowell. As always, we keep you in step with this week’s Band of the Week, Honda Battle of the Bands Edition, the Blue and Gold Marching Machine of North Carolina A&T. Lastly, we bring you Slams of the Week. You don’t want to miss this week’s episode of “Inside the Game.”

“ASPiRE jumps into 2015 to bring viewers courtside for a brand-new season of Historically Black College & University (HBCU) basketball, featuring a dozen highly-anticipated, key match-ups and defining final games,” said Paul Butler, general manager, ASPiRE. “We are rooting for all the bright, young student-athletes as they chase their dreams and HBCU sports glory this season.”

The basketball games to be broadcast on ASPiRE are:

Game #1: January 10th at 4:00 p.m. EST – Virginia Union at Fayetteville State, in Fayetteville, NC
Game #2: January 17th at 4:00 p.m. EST – The Lincoln University at Bowie State, in Bowie, MD
Game #3: February 7th at 4:00 p.m. EST – Johnson C. Smith University at Fayetteville State, in Fayetteville, NC
Game #4: February 14th at 4:00 p.m. EST – Elizabeth City at Virginia State, in Petersburg, VA
Game #5: February 21st at 4:00 p.m. EST – Virginia Union at Chowan, in Murfreesboro, NC
Game #6: February 26th at 1:00 p.m. EST – CIAA Men’s Quarter Final Game #1, in Charlotte, NC
Game #7: February 26th at 3:00 p.m. EST – CIAA Men’s Quarter Final Game #2, in Charlotte, NC
Game #8: February 26th at 7:00 p.m. EST – CIAA Men’s Quarter Final Game #3, in Charlotte, NC
Game #9: February 26th at 9:00 p.m. EST – CIAA Men’s Quarter Final Game #4, in Charlotte, NC
Game #10: February 27th at 7:00 p.m. EST – CIAA Men’s Semi-Final Game #1, in Charlotte, NC
Game #11: February 27th at 9:00 p.m. EST – CIAA Men’s Semi-Final Game #2, in Charlotte, NC
Game #12:February 28th at 5:00 p.m. EST – CIAA Women’s Final Game, in Charlotte, NC

Produced by USEG, “Inside the Game” is the nation’s longest-running sports highlights show devoted exclusively to HBCUs. Hosted by ESPN analyst Stan Lewter, the weekly seriesprovides viewers with football and basketball highlights, interviews and features from Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) institutions around the country. Now in its 20th year, the show is the source for up-to-date HBCU highlights, tailgating, cheerleaders, bands, player profiles and HBCU legends from Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and independent schools.

About Urban Sports & Entertainment Group (USEG)

Founded in 2001 by Thomas Grabowski, Urban Sports & Entertainment Group (USEG) is a multi-cultural sports marketing firm located just north of Charlotte, NC. Specializing in television production, event execution, sponsorship acquisition and sponsorship activation, Urban Sport’s team of professionals provide clients with the ultimate brand and event experience. With marquee events including the Football Championship and Basketball Tournament for both the CIAA and SWAC conferences, the Honda Battle of the Bands, and programming including live CIAA game broadcasts and the weekly HBCU sport’s highlight show Inside the Game, Urban Sports & Entertainment Group is the Name Behind the Game.

About ASPiRE
ASPiRE is a television network that celebrates the groundbreaking achievements of African-Americans. ASPiRE offers a diverse programming mix of movies, series and specials featuring music, comedy, drama, faith/inspiration, theater/performing arts, lifestyle and news/information. The network was launched on June 27, 2012 by Magic Johnson Enterprises, which acts as a catalyst for driving unparalleled business results for its partners and fosters community/economic empowerment by making available high-quality entertainment, products and services that answer the demands of ethnically diverse urban communities. ASPiRE is available in about 21 million homes in 21 of the top 25 African-American markets including New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and Washington, D.C.. For more information, visit www.aspire.tv, facebook.com/aspireTV and on Twitter @tvASPiRE.

About Magic Johnson Enterprises
Magic Johnson Enterprises acts as a catalyst for driving unparalleled business results for its partners and fosters community/economic empowerment by making available high-quality entertainment, products and services that answer the demands of ethnically diverse urban communities. For more information, visit http://magicjohnson.com/enterprises.

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