Louisiana Tech claimed the Conference USA regular season championship last night with 72-61 victory over Southern Miss. Raheem Appleby scored 23 and Michale Kyser added 19 as the Bulldogs won their first outright championship title since 1999. The Conference USA tournament begins next week in Birmingham, AL.

ULM fell out of a first place tie in the Sun Belt after their 58-50 loss to Georgia State at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. DeMondre Harvey came off the bench to lead the Warhawks with 13. Justin Roberson and Nick Coppola each scored 11. With one game remaining, ULM can finish no higher than third in the league.

UL-Lafayette got past Arkansas-Little Rock 75-69. The Ragin’ Cajuns have now won five straight and are in fourth place in the league.

In the Southland, Stephen F. Austin outclassed Northwestern State 92-66, Nicholls State defeated Central Arkansas 77-70, and UNO beat Southeastern Louisiana 85-79.

Spring football gets underway for LSU on Saturday and Tiger fans hope the 14 practices that will lead up to the Spring Game on April 18th will result in improved play out of the quarterback position. Tiger Rag Editor Cody Worsham expects the Q-B battle between Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris to continue into the fall

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On the other side of the ball, LSU needs two new starting defensive ends.

In weekend college baseball action, the number two ranked LSU Tigers begin the Houston College Classic tonight by taking on seventh ranked Houston. LSU will face Baylor tomorrow and Nebraska on Sunday.

Conference play gets underway this weeken in the Sun Belt. UL-Lafayette hosts Troy this weekend. ULM is on the road to face Texas State.

League play also begins in the Southland. Southeastern Louisiana travels to take on Incarnate Word. Nicholls is away to face Abilene Christian. And McNeese is in Houston to take on Houston Baptist