For the second time in four seasons, the LSU men’s basketball team heads into the NCAA Tournament with an interim coach. They made it to the Sweet 16 in 2019 without Will Wade who was suspended after his voice popped up on an FBI wiretap allegedly discussing financial payments to a recruit. Wade has now been fired for alleged recruiting violations, but interim coach Kevin Nickelberry is confident he and the staff can bring the team together under these circumstances as well….
Cut 20 (18) “….they want to be”
The Tigers face Iowa State on Friday night.
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It’s a big week for the Tigers on the diamond as well. They host 10-6 Tulane at the Box tonight before opening SEC play this weekend with a three-game series against Texas A&M. LSU has won four in a row and is ranked 16th in the country by Baseball America. Tulane won the last meeting, 10-9, in April of 2018 and has taken five of six in a series that dates back to 1893.
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The New Orleans Saints met with Deshaun Watson Monday night, as they try to make a deal for the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback and Tuesday they suffered their first major loss in free agency as safety Marcus Williams agreed to a five-year, $70 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens. The team also restructured the deal of defensive lineman Marcus Davenport as the Saints work to get under the salary cap. So far, New Orleans is the only team in the league to not make a move in free agency.
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Coach Dennis Allen has added three more members to his coaching staff, as the Saints announced the hiring of Bob Bicknell as a senior offensive assistant, Sterling Moore joins the defensive staff, and Matt Clapp is in as the team’s new strength coach.
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Former LSU star Andrew Whitworth has decided to go out on top. After 16 seasons, four Pro Bowls, two All-Pro selections, and finally winning both the Walter Payton Man of the Year award and a Super Bowl championship this season, Whitworth is retiring from football. He spent 11 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals before joining the Rams for the last five.
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The New Orleans Pelicans will be looking to close their four-game homestand with a split when they host the Phoenix Suns tonight at the Smoothie King Center. New Orleans won the last matchup 117-102 on February 25.