Court filings reveal that LSU altered its contract with former defensive coordinator John Chavis after he signed it in 2012. Jeff Palermo has the story…:
Cut 3 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

Meanwhile, 24-7 sports no longer has LSU with the top 2016 football recruiting class in the country. That’s because one of the top linebackers in the country has de-committed from LSU. John Ehret’s Michael Divinity says he’ll decide early next year whether to sign with LSU or Texas A-and-M.

A bunch of points are expected on Saturday night at the R-and-L Carriers New Orleans Bowl as Louisiana Tech faces Arkansas State. Both teams rank in the top 20 in scoring as the Red Wolves are averaging 41 points a game and the Bulldogs have averaged 37 a contest. Tech head coach Skip Holtz on why A-S-U is so hard to defend..:
Cut 13 (12) “big plays”
Arkansas State brings an eight game winning streak into the bowl, while the Bulldogs suffered a blow out loss to Southern Miss in their regular season finale. The game kicks off at 8pm tomorrow and will be televised on ESPN.

In men’s hoops last night, Grambling fell to North Carolina A&T. Today Louisiana Tech hosts Southern. Central Baptist travels to face ULM. Nicholls is at Colorado and UL-Lafayette is on the road at Pepperdine.

Arizona transfer Craig Victor saw his first action of the season last night and helped the LSU men’s basketball team beat Gardner-Webb 78-57 in the PMAC. Victor had 10 points and five rebounds. Freshman Ben Simmons had a double-double 11 points and 12 rebounds as the Tigers improved to 5-4.

Anthony Davis had a double-double last night as the Pelicans beat the Utah Jazz 104-94. Ryan Anderson led the Pelicans with 24 points as they outscored the Jazz 23-10 during a stetch in the fourth quarter. New Orleans is now 7-18 on the year and will visit Phoenix on Friday.

24-7 sports no longer has LSU with the top 2016 football recruiting class in the country. That’s because of the top linebackers in the country has de-committed from LSU. John Ehret’s Michael Divinity says he’ll decide early next year whether to sign with LSU or Texas A-and-M.

Court filings reveal LSU made alterations to a contract after it was signed by former LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis. Chavis is suing the school for defamation and claims he does not owe the university any money for leaving for Texas A-and-M. The judge overseeing the case has also asked Chavis to turn over phone records, which could help determine if the coach was working for A-and-M prior to the time he was announced as an Aggies assistant coach.

The Saints are getting ready to play the Detroit Lions on Monday night. New Orleans is 5-8, a big reason for the losing record is penalties. The Black and Gold have been flagged 128 times, the third highest in the NFL.

Three Saints players did not practice today. Offensive tackle Terron Armstead and Jairus Byrd, because of issues with one of their knees. Byrd hasn’t missed a practice in over two months. Marques Colston received a veteran’s day off as his absence was not injury related.

And Kentwood High quarterback Shyheim Carter has been named the Class One-A offensive player of the year by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

Forward Craig Victor the third who transferred in from Arizona made his first appearance for the LSU Tigers last night and he helped Coach Johnny Jones team beat Gardner Webb 78-57. Victor came off the bench and scored ten points. Freshman Ben Simmons had 11 points and 12 rebounds for the Tigers who improved their record to 5-4.

Elsewhere in college hoops last night…11th ranked North Carolina thumped Tulane 96-72, UMASS upended UNO 103-95 in overtime. 18th ranked SMU knocked off Nicholls State 86-42 and McNeese State snapped a four-game losing streak with a 77-72 win over LSU-Alexandria.

In the NBA, the Pelicans beat Utah 104-94 last night. Ryan Anderson came off the bench to lead the way with 24 points. Anthony Davis had 17 points and 13 rebounds. New Orleans is now 1-2 on its current five game road trip that continues Friday in Phoenix.

Former McNeese State defensive back Lance Guidry is the new leader of the Cowboys football program. Guirdy replaces Matt Viator who is the new ULM head coach and Guidry expects to build on the success Viator brought to McNeese…
cut 18 (11) “…national championship”
McNeese is coming off a Southland championship and a perfect season record wise in the regular season.

A linebacker from the New Orleans area de-commits from LSU. John Ehret’s Michael Divinity says he’ll decide between LSU and Texas A-and-M on January 5th. Divinity is ranked as the number one linebacker in the state.

Kentwood quarterback Shyheim Carter has been named the Class One-A offensive player of the year. Southern Lab linebacker Chris Allen is the defensive player of the year, while South Cameron’s Mark Delaney is the coach of the year.

The LSU men’s basketball team picked up the win last night over Gardner-Webb 78-57 on Wednesday night. Keith Hornsby scored 14 points and Ben Simons had 11 points with 12 rebounds. The Tigers play Oral Roberts at the PMAC on Saturday.

Elsewhere around the state in college hoops, Tulane fell to North Carolina 96-72. The Tar Heels bounced back from a last-second loss at Texas that knocked them out of the top 10.

SMU topped Nicholls 86-42 and UNO fell to Massachusetts 103-95. Tonight Grambling faces North Carolina on the road.

The New Orleans Pelicans were on fire last night as they smashed the Utah Jazz in the 4th quarter. That’s when a 16 point turnaround gave the Pels the 104-94 victory. Ryan Anderson scored 24 points off the bench for New Orleans, while Anthony Davis finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Eric Gordon added 19. The Pelicans take on Phoenix on the road tomorrow night.

McNeese State officially announced Defensive Coordinator Lance Guidry will be the next head coach of The Cowboys, taking over for Matt Viator who’s going to ULM. Guidry, who played at McNeese from 1990-1993, served as Viator’s defensive coordinator since 2013. He’s popular with fans as his fiery pre-game speeches before both bowl games became widely-viewed his on social media. Guidry was extremely excited about getting this job…:
Cut 17 (13) “back in the saddle”

The 2015 Camping World Independence Bowl in Shreveport on December 26th between Tulsa and Virginia Tech will feature of flyover from a United States Air Force C17. The aircraft will make its pass immediately following the National Anthem and will set the stage for the 40th anniversary of the I-Bowl.

McNeese State officially announced Defensive Coordinator Lance Guidry will be the next head coach of The Cowboys, taking over for Matt Viator. Guidry is, who played at McNeese from 1990-1993, served as Viator’s defensive coordinator since 2013. He’s popular with fans as his fiery pre-game speeches before both bowl games became widely-viewed his on social media. Guidry was fired up today…:
CUT 1 (17) “applause”
McNeese wanted to act quickly before an NCAA-mandated dead period closes this Saturday.

The Louisiana High School Athletic Association says they’ve completed their Bogalusa Sportsmanship hearing and will submit recommendations to the Executive Director tomorrow. Today’s discussion was about the fight that ended the Lumberjacks’ game at Amite High on November 27.

The Louisiana Tech football team has arrived in the Big Easy in advance of Saturday’s R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl against Arkansas State. Bulldog seniors have the opportunity to win their 31st game as a class for Tech. Head coach Skip Holtz says his seniors are ready to hit the field one last time in a Louisiana Tech jersey…:
Cut 30 (07) “on the field”
The 9-3 Red Wolves are the Sun Belt Conference champions and come into the game riding an eight game winning streak. Louisiana Tech is 8-3.

In college basketball tonight LSU takes on Gardner-Webb, UNO is at UMass, McNeese State hosts LSU-Alexandria, Nicholls State is at number 18 SMU, and Tulane tangles with the 11th ranked North Carolina Tarheels in Chapel Hill.

The Pelicans’ five game road trip continues tonight in Utah. The Jazz pummeled the Pels 101-87 on November 28th, but have since been on a bit of a skid. Tipoff is at 8PM.

The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs have arrived in the Crescent City in advance of Saturday’s R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. The 8-4 Bulldogs will face the 9-3 Sunbelt Conference champion Arkansas State Red Wolves. Tech coach Skip Holtz says Arkansas State is a talented team, especially on the defensive side of the ball where they lead the nation in takeaways and interceptions…

cut 8 (09) “they played”

Saturday’s game kicks off at 8PM in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. It will be televised on ESPN.

McNeese State Athletics Director Bruce Hemphill has scheduled a press conference this afternoon to give an update on the future of the school’s football program. It’s expected that he will announce that Defensive Coordinator Lance Guidry will be the team’s new head coach. Guidry is reportedly McNeese’s top choice to replace Matt Viator who accepted the head coaching position at ULM.

In college basketball last night UL-Lafayette lost to number 22 UCLA 89-80, Southern fell to Memphis 72-67, Ole Miss defeated Louisiana Tech 99-80, and Florida A&M edged Southeastern Louisiana 67-64.

Tonight LSU takes on Gardner-Webb, UNO is at UMass, McNeese State hosts LSU-Alexandria, Nicholls State is at number 18 SMU, and Tulane tangles with the 11th ranked North Carolina Tarheels in Chapel Hill.

The Pelicans’ five game road trip continues tonight in Utah. The Jazz pummeled the Pels 101-87 on November 28th, but have since been on a bit of a skid. Utah has dropped six of their last eight and are on a three game losing streak. The Pelicans have not been any better, winning just two of their last seven. Tipoff is at 8PM.

The New Orleans Saints climbed five spots from No. 23 to No. 18 in this week’s NFL Power Rankings. The Saints beat Tampa Bay 24-17 on Sunday, improving to 5-8 on the season. NFC South division rival Carolina is ranked No. 1, followed by the Arizona Cardinals, the New England Patriots, the Seattle Seahawks and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In college basketball action tonight, UL-Lafayette is on the road to face number 22 UCLA, Louisiana Tech plays at Ole Miss, Southern visits Memphis, Southeastern Louisiana takes on Florida A&M.

LSU Head Coach Les Miles says he expects to see a better performance out of quarterback Brandon Harris in the bowl game against Texas Tech. The Tigers have begun practicing for the Texas Bowl which takes place December 29th at Houston’s NRG Stadium. Miles says he expects Harris would improve in the bowl…:
CUT 1 (10) “just what we want”

ULM held a press conference this morning to formally introduce former McNeese State coach Matt Viator as the new head football coach of the Warhawks. Viator replaces Todd Berry who was let go after the Warhawks 59-21 loss to Arkansas State on November 14th. Viator says all he’s tried to do as a head coach of The Cowboys is to “do it right” and he’ll bring that approach to ULM…:
Cut 11 (07) “going to lose”
Viator amassed a 77-33 record in his 10 seasons at McNeese leading the Cowboys to four Southland Conference championships.

Willie Fritz has officially taken the leading spot of the Green Wave football team at Tulane University as he was formally introduced this morning. The former Georgia Southern head coach has 193 career victories to his name according to the NCAA and is the 4th active winningest head coach in the FBS.

LSU continues preparing today for the Texas Bowl, where they’ll play Texas Tech on December 29th. Starting quarterback Brandon Harris is coming off a performance where he only completed seven passes for 83 yards. But Coach Les Miles expects Harris to play much better against the Red Raiders…

cut 24 (20) “…what we want”

Harris has thrown for 19-hundred yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions on the season.

The Portland Trail Blazers won their seventh in a row over the Pelicans last night 105-100. Five Trail Blazers scored in double figures, led by Damian Lillard’s 30. Anthony Davis led the Pels with 28 in the losing effort. The Pelican’s road trip continues tomorrow night at Utah.

ULM held a press conference this morning to officially announce former McNeese State coach Matt Viator as the new head coach of the Warhawks. Viator amassed a 77-33 record in his 10 seasons at McNeese leading the Cowboys to four Southland Conference championships. Viator says the first order of business is to put together his staff…

cut 9 (08) “for sure”

The Warhawks finished this season with a 2-11 record.

On the college hardwood last night, Louis Dabney scored 24 to lead Tulane to a 63-49 win over Prairie View A&M. The Green Wave hits the road to face 11th ranked North Carolina tomorrow night. Nicholls State lost to North Texas 78-60.

In college basketball action tonight, UL-Lafayette is on the road to face number 22 UCLA, Louisiana Tech plays at Ole Miss, Southern visits Memphis, Southeastern Louisiana takes on Florida A&M.

LSU has begun bowl practice as the Tigers are getting ready to play in the Texas Bowl on December 29th. The 21st ranked Tigers will take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders, who come into the contest with the second ranked offense in the nation. Coach Les Miles says the game plan for Texas Tech is coming together…

cut 24 (20) “…right direction”

Miles says he expects quarterback Brandon Harris to play a lot better in the bowl game.

In Monday Night Football last night, former LSU standout Odell Beckham, Jr. caught two touchdown passes, including an 84-yard fourth quarter grab that broke a tie, to lead the New York Giants to a 31-24 win over the Miami Dolphins. Overall, Beckham had 7 catches for 166 yards. Eli Manning threw for 337 yards and four touchdowns as the Giants are now in a three way tie atop the NFC East.

The Benson family saga took a turn Monday as Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson offered to resign as a trustee in a disputed family trust in Texas on the condition that his daughter Renee doesn’t take his place. Legal analyst Tim Meche believes this move means Benson has a weak hand in this case…

cut 13 (09) “being deposed”

The family had agreed to mediation before the scheduled February 1st trial date, but this moves looks to settle the case before that.

Damian Lillard scored a game high 30 points as the Portland Trail Blazers topped the Pelicans 105-101. Lillard was one of five Trail Blazers to score in double figures as Portland won their seventh straight over the Pels. Anthony Davis scored 28 to lead New Orleans in a losing effort. The Pelicans road trip continues tomorrow night at Utah.

In college hoops last night, Louis Dabney scored 24 to lead Tulane to a 63-49 win over Prairie View A&M and Nicholls State drops to 3-5 on the season after losing to North Texas 78-60.

McNeese State’s Matt Viator has been hired as the new head football coach at ULM. In his 10 seasons in Lake Charles, Viator led the Cowboys to four Southland Conference Championships and five appearances in the FCS playoffs. The voice of the Warhawks, West Monroe Representative Frank Hoffman, commends the selection committee for making the hire as quickly as they did…

cut 13 (07) “Viator”

Viator takes over for Todd Berry who was fired last month. ULM will hold a press conference to introduce Viator Tuesday morning.

The LSU Tigers begin their on-field preparations for the Texas Bowl today. The 21st ranked Tigers will face Texas Tech December 29th in Houston. This will be the first meeting between the two teams since 1957.

In other Tiger news, running back Leonard Fournette was named a first team All-American by the Associated Press. Offensive tackle Vadal Alexander is on the third team.

The Saints had one of their best efforts of the season yesterday as they beat the Buccaneers 24-17 in Tampa Bay. Marques Colston caught two touchdowns, Tim Hightower, starting his first game since 2011, rushed for 85 yards and a score, and the defense held the Bucs to 291 yards of offense and 4-of-11 on third downs. Quarterback Drew Brees says they did a lot of things well…

cut 17 (15) “winning football”

Brees had two TD throws and moved past Dan Marino into fourth place all-time with 421 career touchdown passes.

The LSU men’s basketball team fell to four-and-four on the season after a 105-98 loss in overtime to Houston. Keith Hornsby, playing in his first game since returning from a knee injury, sent the game into overtime with a three-pointer at the buzzer. But the Tigers gave up 21 points in the five minute overtime period.