6:45 LRN Sportscast December 1

After giving up 112 yards of offense to Denver on Sunday, the Saints now rank number one in the NFL in total defense. According to the NFL, it’s the first time, the Saints have ranked number one in total defense since week 8 of the 2020 season. Coach Sean Payton on the improvement of the defense since the start of this year
cut 17 (16) “…red zone.”
New Orleans is nine and two and they’ve clinched a fourth straight winning season as they get ready to visit Atlanta this Sunday for a noon kick-off.

NBA training camps open today as Zion Williamson is set to begin his second season in the league. New Orleans hopes we’ll see a healthy Williamson this year. The former number one pick only played in 24 games last season,b ut still averaged 22 points a game and shot 58-percent from the field. The Pels first pre-season game is December 14th at Miami.

LSU’s best receiver Terrace Marshall has decided to opt-out for the rest of the season as he’ll get ready for the NFL draft. Coach Ed Orgeron expects freshman tight end Arik Gilbert to become a bigger part of the passing game
cut 19 (22) “…good receivers.”
Orgeron says he’ll decide later this week on how he’ll use his two freshmen quarterbacks against top-ranked Alabama. Also, Nick Saban is expected to be on the sidelines on Saturday night after missing Alabama’s win over Auburn because of a positive COVID-19 test.

In college basketball, LSU crushed Southeastern Louisiana 96-43 last night as freshman Cam Thomas led the Tigers with 21 points.