LSU begins an important week today as they face No. 20 South Carolina in Columbia. The Gamcocks are 20-3 overall and 7-3 in SEC play, a game behind the first place Tigers. After tonight, it’s LSU versus 13th ranked Texas A-and-M at home on Saturday. Freshman Antonio Blakeney is coming off a 31 point performance in a win over Mississippi State and is trying not to get too hyped…:
Cut 18 (07) “of what we do”
Tipoffs for tonight’s SEC battle is set for 6pm on ESPN2.

It’s reported that Pelicans star point guard Tyreke Evans will undergo season-ending surgery on his knee. It’ll be the third surgery Evans has undergone since May on the same knee and he’s missed the past seven games because of tendinitis. He joins Quincy Pondexter and Eric Gordon as Pelicans who have missed significant time due to injury. Tonight the Pelicans host the Utah Jazz.

Sources say the New Orleans Saints have restructured linebacker Dannell Ellerbe’s contract. The deal was expected to count nearly six million dollars towards the salary cap. Quarterback Drew Brees and safety Jarius Byrd, as expected, aren’t going anywhere as their contract guarantees kick in today.

ESPN released its college “Way Too Early Top 25″ update and after signing day has LSU at NO. 6 to start the season. Alabama is No. 1. The Tigers open the season on Saturday September 3rd against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field.

In college hoops ULM will put their 9-0 record at home on the line against the Sun Belt’s top ranked team, Arkansas-Little Rock. The Warhakws are playing the Trojans in Monroe with their first white-out since the College Basketball invitational finals last spring.

The Ragin Cajuns are riding a eight game win streak as they take on Arkansas State in the Cajundome tomorrow night.

The wife or former New Orleans Pelicans coach Monty Williams reportedly sustained life threatening injuries in a fatal crash Tuesday in Oklahoma City. NewsOK.com says 44-year-old Ingrid Williams was hit head on by a vehicle driven by a woman who died in the crash.