The eighth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans can take another step toward an upset of the top-seeded Phoenix Suns on Friday night in their opening-round playoff series, which is all square at one game apiece. The Pels are seeking to become just the fifth number eight seed to advance to the second round since 1994, and the first to do it since the Grizzlies knocked off the Spurs in 2011. New Orleans got some good news when Suns All-Star Devin Booker was ruled out for the rest of the series with a strained right hamstring. Guard CJ McCollum is making his ninth consecutive appearance in the postseason and says the Pels can’t take anything for granted, even with momentum seemingly shifting their way.

Cut 21 (15) “…game gets harder.”

Tipoff for Friday’s game three is at 8:30 pm. New Orleans is 5-4 in game threes all-time, 5-2 at home.

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Kim Mulkey continues to make moves as she reshapes her coaching staff and rebuilds her roster. Wednesday, Mulkey announced that Gary Redus II has been added as an assistant coach. Redus spent last season with SMU and before that, three seasons at Vanderbilt. Redus has a reputation as an elite recruiter and should help fill the void left by the departure of long-time assistants Sytia Messer and Johnny Derrick.

LSU also announced the signing of West Virginia graduate transfer Jasmine Carson. A 5-10 guard, Carson averaged 5.2 points in 12 minutes per game last season.

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Tonight, LSU baseball begins a 3-game set versus Missouri starting at 7 pm in The Box. The Tigers are 7-8 in the SEC midway through the conference schedule, while Mizzou sits at 5-10. Ma’Khail Hilliard will take the mound in search of his fourth win of the season.

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At the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Matthew NeSmith and Taylor Moore earned an eagle on 18 for an opening-round record-tying score of 12-under 60. The Zurich has been a team event since 2017.