The Saints hold the 12th overall pick in round one of tonight’s NFL draft. Barring any trades, New Orleans will make five more selections on Friday and Saturday. When asked about his team’s draftboard based on the depth of certain positions in this draft class, Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis says it varies,…
cut 16 (18) “….for every team”
The Saints are expected to select more defensive players, because the team finished 31st in total yards given up in the NFL last season.

Round one of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans gets underway this morning at TPC Louisiana in Avondale. The 156-man field features three of the world’s top 10 players, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose.

The LSU baseball Tigers begin a three-game series against Ole Miss at Swayze Field in Oxford. Before leaving for Ole Miss, Coach Paul Mainieri addressed the comments he made following last Saturday’s loss, where he blamed first baseman Greg Deichmann, because he didn’t keep his foot on the bag on a putout. The coach says he was transparent about his disappointment, but it wasn’t meant to signal out Deichmann…
cut 19 (21) “….of baseball”
Manieri says Deichmann might not start at first base tonight, because he’s mired in a 1-for-16 hitting slump.

Last night, Louisiana Tech doubled up UL Lafayette six to three. The win gives the Bulldogs a sweep in the season series over the Cajuns. And Northwestern State blanked Mississippi Valley State 10-0.

The NFL draft begins tomorrow and Saints fans are wondering if the Black and Gold will draft a quarterback. General Manager Mickey Lommis discussed the team’s interest in a QB when he met with reporters today…
cut 30 (13) “….every year”
Quarterback Drew Brees told the Associated Press that if the Saints see a potential franchise quarterback in this draft than by all means take him. But Brees also says he sees himself playing for many years to come.

New Orleans has the number 12 pick in the draft and they need help on the defensive line. Former Louisiana Tech star Vernon Butler says he would love to be taken by the Saints….
cut 19 (10) “….on Sundays”
Butler says he’s had individual work outs for Carolina, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Buffalo and Seattle.

LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri says his comments following Saturday night’s loss to Mississippi State were not intended to throw first baseman Greg Deichmann under the bus. Mainieri said following the 2-1 defeat that the Tigers lost the game because Deichmann wasn’t able to keep his foot on the bag on a throw from shortstop Kramer Robertson. Instead of the runner being called out, he was called safe and later came around to score. Before his team left for Oxford, Mississppi. Mainieri explained his controversial comments that were made over the weekend…
cut 29 (15) “….of a game”
Mainieri and the Tigers head to Ole Miss after losing to Tulane 4-1 last night.

In action today….Northwestern State blanked Mississippi Valley State 10-0 in eight innings as the Demons complete a two-game sweep of the Delta Devils.

Tonight….UL Lafayette hosts Louisiana Tech.

The only college football player from Louisiana that’s expected to be selected in tomorrow night’s first round of the NFL draft is former Bulldogs star Vernon Butler. Butler was a standout player on Louisiana Tech’s defensive line the last two seasons as he recorded over 100 tackles, nearly two dozen tackles for a loss and four sacks. NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier believes Butler will go late in the first round. Butler says he’s anxious to find out who he’ll play for…
cut 18 (08) “…get better”
Butler says he’s had individual work outs for Carolina, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, Buffalo and Seattle.

Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis spoke with reporters and denied an NFL Network report that said the Black and Gold tried to move up to get the number one pick so they can select a quarterback.

For the second time this season, Tulane starting pitcher JP France handcuffed LSU hitters and for the second time this year the Green Wave defeated the Tigers. France allowed one run on six hits and struck out six in 7.1 as the Greenies upended LSU four to one.

Elsewhere…Southern Miss scored five runs in the fifth inning and defeated UL Lafayette seven to two, Northwestern State rallied from a six-run deficit to beat Mississippi Valley 10-7. Stephen F Austin knocked off ULM 6-2. Louisiana Tech outscored McNeese 9-7. Sean Ullrich drove in three runs, including the game winner. And Alcorn defeated Grambling 11-8.

The first round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans tees off tomorrow at the TPC Louisiana in suburban New Orleans. There are five former LSU Tigers in the field, two of the them are in the same threesome. Smylie Kaufman and David Toms will be joined by Charley Hoffman. when they tee off at 12:40 tomorrow.

Tulane once again got the best of LSU as they pick up a 4-1 win Tuesday night in New Orleans in front of a sold out crowd. Tulane right-hander JP France limited No. 8 LSU to one run through over 7 innings to lead No. 20 Tulane to the victory. LSU opens a three-game SEC series Thursday against Ole Miss.

No. 14 UL-Lafayette fell 7-2 to nationally ranked Southern Miss on the road. The Ragin Cajuns returns to action tonight as Louisiana Tech comes to Lafayette.

Stephen F Austin scored all of its runs in the 7th and 8th innings to get by ULM 6-2 last night.

McNeese State scored four runs in the top of the 7th but were unable to hold off Louisiana Tech with three runs in the bottom of the frame that led to a 9-7 win over the Cowboys.

UNO pounded Southeastern as the Privateers pick up a season high 25 hits on their way to a 23-3 victory in 7 innings against the Jags.

Northwestern State beat Mississippi Valley 10-7. They’ll play again today.

Former Louisiana Tech star Vernon Butler is in Chicago as he is one of 25 players that is attending the NFL draft after receiving a personal invitation from Commissioner Roger Goodell. Butler is confident he’ll hear his name called when the first round takes place tomorrow night…:
Cut 17 (07) “….true really”
He says he would love to be taken by the Saints, who have the 12th overall pick.

The NFL Network reports the Saints talked about trading some of their draft picks to acquire the number one overall pick, so they can select a quarterback. ESPN says that’s not true, but the team is interested in drafting a QB.

In men’s basketball, LSU guard Antonio Blakeney’s name showed up on a list of players who filed early for the NBA draft. Blakeney announced last week that he would return to school for his sophomore season, which coach Johnny Jones confirmed Tuesday.

Richie Riley was introduced as the new men’s basketball coach at Nicholls. The 33-year-old is the 11th head coach in Colonel men’s basketball history.

The NFL Network reports the Saints talked about trading some of their draft picks to acquire the number one overall pick, so they can select a quarterback. Mike Triplett with ESPN says those discussions never occurred, but the team is interested in drafting a QB as 37-year-old Drew Brees is entering the final year of his contract.

LSU and Tulane renew its rivalry on the baseball diamond when the two ranked teams meet at sold-out Turchin Stadium. The Green Wave is looking to sweep the season series as Tulane beat the Tigers 7-1 earlier this season at Alex Box Stadium.

UL Lafayette announced that it has added Houston to this year’s schedule. The Cajuns will travel down I-10 to play the Cougars on May 11th at 5 PM. Tonight, the Cajuns have another tough road midweek game as they visit Southern Miss.

Elsewhere tonight….ULM is at Stephen F Austin, Grambling hosts Alcorn and Northwestern State begins a two-game series against Mississippi Valley State.

Richie Riley was introduced as the new men’s basketball coach at Nicholls. The 33-year-old is the 11th head coach in Colonel men’s basketball hsitory. Riley was an assistant at Clemson the last two seasons. He’s also served as an assistant at UAB, Eastern Kentucky and Coastal Carolina. Riley played his college basketball at Eastern Kentucky.

The Pelicans television ratings on Fox Sports New Orleans dropped 32-percent from the previous season. That’s the fifth biggest drop in the league according to reasearch done by the Sports Business Journal. After making the playoffs in the 2014-15 season, New Orleans finished 22 games under five-hundred last season.

In the NBA playoffs…the Clippers have announced former Hornet Chris Paul is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery to fix his broken hand. Paul’s teammate Blake Griffin is out for the playoffs with an injured left quad.

Former Louisiana Tech star, Paul Millsap, and the Atlanta Hawks face the Boston Celtics tonight. That series is tied at two games a piece.

The NFL Network’s Ian Rapaport reports the Saints discussed making a trade so they can get the number one pick and select a quarterback. But the trade was worth too many draft picks. However, Rapaport says the Saints are still looking to move up, as they are interested in selecting Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch. Lynch’s agent, Leigh Steinberg, was on WWL Radio last night and said the Saints are one of the team’s interested in Lynch.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees is entering the final year of his contract. Brees appeared on the Dan Patrick show and said contract negotiations are ongoing and still plans on retiring as a Saint.

Former LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell tells Sports Illustrated he would play for free if given another chance at the NFL. Russell hasn’t played in the NFL since 2009. The former number one pick says he still has the fire to play. He says he can start as a water boy and move his way on to the scout team.

In college baseball tonight…eighth ranked LSU is at 20th ranked Tulane. The game is a sell out as the Green Wave are looking for their first series sweep over the Tigers since 2007. Tulane beat the Tigers 7-1 earlier this season.

Elsewhere…the Ragin Cajuns are at 14th ranked Southern Miss. UL Lafayette is 27-13 and their RPI is 12. The Golden Eagles are 29-12 on the year. UNO visits Southern. The Privateers have won six in a row. Northwestern State faces Mississippi Valley State for the start of a two-game series. Grambling hosts Alcorn State and ULM visits Stephen F Austin. The Warhawks have lost four in a row.

Legislation that attempted to force changes with the LHSAA’s split playoff format was defeated in the House on a vote of 34 in favor and 51 opposed. River Ridge Representative Kirk Talbot is the author of the measure and says it isn’t right that the playoffs are split between public and private schools…
cut 15 (05) “…that hunt”

A big college baseball rivalry in Louisiana hits the diamond tonight, as LSU travels to face Tulane. The Green Wave dominated the Tigers nearly a month a go in Baton Rouge. Tulane announced the meeting tonight at Turchin Stadium will be seen in front of a sold-out crowd. Baseball American ranks LSU as No. 5, while Tulane sits at number 20.

NO. 23 UL-Lafayette is at Southern Miss today. UNO plays Southern in Baton Rouge. ULM is at Stephen F Austin. Grambling hosts Alcorn State. Northwestern State welcomes MVSU.

Ahead of the 2016 NFL draft which begins on Thursday, the Saints have released safety Vinnie Sunseri and defensive end Tavaris Barnes.

The New Orleans Zephyr’s announced their field in Metairie could land an SEC baseball tournament. League officials are set to visit the site Saturday.

Nicholls State announced Monday that Richie Riley, an assistant at Clemson, will be the new men’s basketball coach. He’ll be introduced later this morning.

The full House sacks a bill aimed at putting an end to the public-private school playoff split in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association. The lower chamber voted 51-34 against the legislation. Stonewall Representative Larry Bagley says the legislature shouldn’t get involved in the LHSAA’s matters…:
Cut 13 (11) “the LHSAA”
But supporters said the split is discriminatory which is why lawmakers have a right to step in. This effort is likely over for the current session.

Hunters in Sportsman’s Paradise could be soon allowed to wear florescent pink on their safety gear as an alternative to the mandated hunter orange. The measure heads to Governor John Bel Edwards desk for his signature. The bill’s author says she brought the bill in hopes that the girly color would encourage more women to explore the outdoors by hunting.

The LSU baseball team avoided a sweep to Mississippi State by beating the Bulldogs 11 to 8. Jake Fraley was one of the Tigers’ hitting stars, as he collected three hits, including an RBI triple. Fraley says it was a big win for the Tigers…
cut 19 (09) “….it into Tulane”
Tomorrow’s game against Tulane, begins a four-game road trip for the Tigers, who are ranked 11th in the latest D1 poll. The Green Wave, who swept UCF over the weekend, is ranked 22nd.

Elsewhere in college baseball, Louisiana Tech took two of three from Old Dominion. The Bulldogs host McNeese State tomorrow. The Cowboys are coming off a seven to six win over Southeastern Louisiana. But the Lions are still in first place in the Southland with a 15-3 league record. S-L-U is not in action again until Friday when they host Houston Baptist.

The Saints made a couple of roster moves today. They’ve released safety Vinnie Sunseri and defensive end Tavaris Barnes. Sunseri spent all of 2015 on injured reserve after he was drafted out of Alabama in 2014. Barnes appeared in a dozen games last year and registered just five tackles. With the release of Sunseri. That means only one player is still left from the 2014 draft class and that’s wide receiver Brandin Cooks.

Louisiana Tech football recruit, David Beasley, has been charged with first-degree battery and aggravated robbery following a weekend shooting in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Bulldog athletic officials have not commented on the incident.

Nicholls State will hold a press conference tomorrow to introduce their new men’s basketball coach. His name is Richie Riley, who spent the last two seasons as an assistant at Clemson. Riley also coached at UAB, Eastern Kentucky and Coastal Carolina.

The LSU Tigers got a much needed win yesterday as they defeated Mississippi State 11 to 8 to avoid a sweep by the Bulldogs at Alex Box Stadium. Coach Paul Mainieri got some good work out of his bullpen, including Russell Reynolds, who earned his first win of the season after throwing 2.2 innings…..
cut 18 (11) “…key innings”
LSU is in a three-way tie for second place in the SEC West. The Tigers are at 20th ranked Tulane on Tuesday. The Green Wave swept UCF in Orlando this weekend.

In the Sun Belt, UL Lafayette is now 12-6 in the league after taking two of three from Texas State. ULM is now 6-12 after getting swept by Arkansas State.

Southeastern Louisiana is still in first place in the Southland, despite losing to McNeese seven to six yesterday.

A bill dealing with the LHSAA playoff split will be heard on the House floor today. LHSAA member principals voted to expand the postseason split in January, but a special meeting will take place in June to vote on a metro-rural division plan, which would also combine 4A with 5A and B with C. But River Ridge Representative Kirk Talbot says he’s still moving forward with his bill, even though it appears the LHSAA is taking a positive step to rectify the situation…
cut 6 (10) “…fair shake”
Talbot says he doesn’t believe schools should be divided based on whether they are a public or a private school.

In basketball, Nicholls State has called for a press conference tomorrow at 11:30 to announce Richie Riley as the new men’s basketball coach. Riley has been assistant at Clemson the last two seasons.

No. 5 LSU avoided a sweep against Mississippi State by beating the Bulldogs 11-8 on Sunday. The Tigers scored all of their runs in the three middle innings, after falling behind 3-0. Coach Paul Mainieri is happy they pulled off the victory…:
Cut 17 (13) “of em”

Also Sunday, Louisiana Tech blanked Old Dominion 12-0 in 7 innings. UL-Lafayette edged Texas State 1-0. McNeese State edged Southeastern 7-6. UL-Monroe fell to Arkansas State 5-4. Northwestern State beat Central Arkansas 7-5 in 10 innings. Nicholls State fell to Nebraska 4-2.

In NBA playoff local focus news, former Louisiana Tech star Paul Millsap scored a career high 45 points for the Hawks, but Atlanta ended up losing to Boston.

The New Orleans Pelicans cancelled today’s planned news conference with General Manager Dell Demps. There was no explanation about what prompted the change. Demps is expected to return, but the Pelicans fan base is not happy about it.

The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly fired former New Orleans coach Byron Scott. While with the Hornets in 2008, Scott was named Coach of the Year.

ESPN is reporting that Clemson assistant basketball coach Richie Riley is expected to be named the new head coach at Nicholls State.

A bill that would force the LHSAA to end its public-private school playoff split will be heard on the House floor today. River Ridge Representative Kirk Talbot says, under his bill, schools wouldn’t get public funds if they belong to an athletic organization with split playoffs. He says the LHSAA’s current playoff split is discriminatory…:
cut 4 (05) “somebody else”
But opponents don’t think the legislature should be involved in this controversy.