In front of a raucous, sold-out crowd at the Smoothie King Center last night, the New Orleans Pelicans beat the San Antonio Spurs to advance in the NBA’s play-in tournament for the 8th and final playoff spot in the West. First-year head coach Willie Green has been the one constant for the Pelicans this season as the team climbed out of the cellar and back into contention. Green says the team showed how much it’s grown with last night’s performance.
Cut 14 (12) “…for our program.”
The Pelicans face the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night on the road, with the winner taking on top-seeded Phoenix in the Western Conference Playoffs.
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LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey adds a familiar name to her staff. Bob Starkey spent last season with Auburn but has two decades of experience on the sidelines in Baton Rouge. Starkey was on staff for all five of LSU’s Final Four appearances, including as interim coach in 2007.
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LSU baseball begins a three-game series with Arkansas in Fayetteville tonight. The Tigers have won four in a row and are in a three-way tie with Auburn and Alabama for second place in the SEC West. Coach Jay Johnson says offensively, his team is becoming more than just the long ball, and that’s going to pay off down the road.
Cut 21 (15) “…we wanna be.”
First pitch tonight is set for 6:30, with righty Ma’Khail Hilliard taking the hill for the Tigers.
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Tigers basketball coach Matt McMahon continues to fill out his roster with some new and some old faces. Yesterday, forward Mwani Wilkinson withdrew his name from the transfer portal and today guard Justice Williams announced he will do the same. LSU also adds another guard in North Carolina State transfer Cam Hayes. Hayes averaged seven points and two assists per game for the Wolfpack this past season.