NBA superstar Stephen Curry gave Virginian Union University its locker-room pregame speech, but unfortunately he wasn’t allowed to play for VUU.

VUU Coach Jay Butler could have used any help he could muster as his Panthers went frostbite cold in the NBA/HBCU Classic in Indianapolis.

In front of a crowd of 14,691 and national ESPN2 audience, the Panthers were 64-47 losers to Winston-Salem State.

The game was played Feb. 17 as part of the NBA’s All-Star festivities.

It was an all-expenses-paid proposition for both the Panthers and Rams, who stayed for the Feb. 18 All-Star Game.

Despite the loss, Coach Butler was thankful for the rare opportunity.

“This was big time,” he told the media. “This was an awesome event — something these kids will remember for the rest of their lives.”

Tahj Harding, in contention for the CIAA scoring title, scored 11 points to lead the Richmonders and Travis Vaughn hit three 3-pointers for nine points.

Off the bench, 6-foot-7, 260-pound freshman Malachi Dark, a late arrival to the team, had four points and two rebounds in 12 minutes.

Out of John Marshall High, Dark is the great nephew of Jesse Dark, the former Maggie Walker High and VCU star who played one NBA season with the New York Knicks.

VUU falls to 11-17 overall with only a Feb. 24 date at Virginia State (3:30 p.m. tipoff) before the CIAA tournament in Baltimore Feb. 26-March 3. The VUU-VSU game could determine the Northern Division’s second seed, behind Lincoln, in Baltimore.

The Panthers, who hope to shoot better in Maryland, hit just 17 of 45 shots versus the Rams (38 percent) and were just five of nine at the foul line. Winston-Salem improved to 17-8.

There were celebrities all over in Indy. Among those interviewed for the broadcast were former VUU star Ben Wallace and former Ram Stephen A. Smith (1987-91), the noted television personality.

All-Stars from HBCUs are rare now but both VUU and Winston-Salem can boast. Wallace was a four-time All-Star and Panther Charles Oakley was an All-Star in 1994.

The Rams’ Earl Monroe was a four-time All-Star.