W.D. "Red" Stroud, a former Mississippi State basketball star and member of the state's Sports Hall of Fame, has died after battling leukemia. He was 66.

Stroud was a member of the 1963 Bulldogs when the team left Starkville against the wishes of Mississippi leaders to play in the NCAA Tournament against an integrated Loyola team.

During those turbulent years, Mississippi's universities were pressured not to participate in games against teams that had been integrated.

Reggie Tatum with Ott & Lee Funeral Home of Forest confirmed the death when contacted by The Associated Press. He said Stroud died Saturday afternoon at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center in Jackson.

Stroud played for the Bulldogs from 1961-63 and was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1990. Stroud averaged 15.1 points during his Bulldog career. He was also one of the best three-throw shooters in school history, ranking fourth on the university's career list at 82.5 percent.

Visitation is scheduled for Monday from 5-8 p.m. at Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Forest. The funeral service begins at the funeral home Tuesday at 10 a.m.