LSU football has named Miami defensive coordinator Blake Baker as the team’s new linebackers coach. The 38-year-old Baker is from Texas and was a linebacker at Tulane from 2000 to 2004. From 2015 to 2018, Baker served as Louisiana Tech’s defensive coordinator and has been Miami’s D-C for the past two seasons. That leaves just one more opening on Coach Ed Orgeron’s coaching staff. But the Advocate reports that former New York Jets defensive line coach Andre Carter will be the Tiger’s new defensive line coach.

Jrue (Drew) Holiday makes his return to the Smoothie King Center tonight as his Milwaukee Bucks visit the New Orleans Pelicans. Holiday spent seven seasons in New Orleans before he was traded to Milwaukee in the last off-season. During his seven seasons in New Orleans, Holiday averaged 18 points a game, played great defense, and was known for his work in the community.

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Louisiana Tech picked up a nice road win last night as the Bulldogs defeated Southern Miss 76-63. The game was tied at halftime, but the Bulldogs outscored the Golden Eagles by 13 points in the second half. Cobe Williams had 15 points to lead the way. The same two teams will play again tomorrow night in Ruston.

The Ragin Cajuns will take on Texas State today and tomorrow as they battle for first place in the Sun Belt West. The Bobcats are 5-and-1 in league play, while the Cajuns are 5-and-3. U-L Lafayette will not have head coach Bob Marlin for the series, as he tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.

ULM will look to end a six-game losing streak at Arkansas-Little Rock.

The LSU men’s basketball team will host 10th ranked Texas Tech tomorrow at 1 PM. The Red Raiders have lost two in a row, dropping games to second-ranked Baylor and a one-point defeat to West Virginia on Monday.

And last night the LSU Lady Tigers upset 22nd ranked Georgia 60-52

No NFL games this weekend, but there is the Senior Bowl on Saturday in Mobile. The Saints are allowed to have ten members of their front office and scouting staff at the practices to observe. General Manager Mickey Loomis admits it’s been a tough year for their college scouting staff…
cut 18 (15) “…and coaches”
There are three former Tigers who will play in the Senior Bowl, safety Jacoby Stevens, linebacker Jabril Cox and wide receiver Racey McMath. Also in the game, Ragin Cajuns running back Elijah Mitchell.

Austin Thomas is back at LSU as he’s been named the general manager of the football program. He’s considered one of the top personnel managers in all of college football and this past season he spent as the senior associate athletic director for football at Baylor. Thomas was previously at LSU from 2013 to 2017.

Tonight Louisiana Tech will face Southern Miss on the CBS Sports Network as the two schools begin a home and home series. U-S-M is allowing just 64 points a game and they have four players in double figures led by junior forward Tyler Stevenson. Bulldogs Coach Eric Konkol on the Golden Eagles…
cut 20 (20) “…very efficient”
The Bulldogs are in third place in the western Division of Conference USA with a 5-and-3 record, while the Golden Eagles are in a three-way tie for fift place at 3-and-5. Tip-off tonight is at 8 PM.

Nicholls is in second place in the Southland Conference after winning its eighth straight game last night as the Colonels defeated McNeese 74-69. Sam Houston leads the conference at 7-and-0 and the two teams will meet on February sixth.

The Saints are reportedly close to 100 million dollars over the salary cap, which means significant roster moves are likely needed in the offseason. General Manager Mickey Loomis admits the salary cap situation will be a challenge….
Cut 16 (11) “…the year after.”
But Loomis still expects the Saints to compete for championships, even if Drew Brees decides not to return for a 21st season.

The SEC has released its football schedule for 2021 and the Tigers are set to play seven home games and five road games, including the first-ever meeting with UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasedena, California to kick-off the season on September 4th. LSU’s SEC home games next fall will be against Auburn, Florida, Arkansas and Texas A-and-M, and they’ll visit Mississippi State, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Alabama on November sixth.
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The Pelicans took down a heavily depleted Wizards team last night 124-106. Against a COVID and injury-depleted frontcourt, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram both put up 32 points on highly efficient shooting. Steven Adams pitched in with 18 rebounds. Wizards All-NBA star guard Bradley Beal did torch New Orleans for 47 points and six assists, but only one other Wizard hit double digits.

In the Southland Conference, Northwestern State has its first two game winning streak of the year as the Demons downed UNO 81-73 as Trenton Massner had 21 points. Nicholls won it seventh straight as the Colonels dribbled past McNeese 76-69. Ty Gordon had 24 points. And Southeastern Louisiana defeated Central Arkansas 69-57.

Tonight, Louisiana Tech begins a two-game series against Southern Miss in Hattiesburg.

La Tech has also released its football schedule for 2021. The Bulldogs will play six games at home including the Conference USA opener against North Texas on September 25th. Tech kicks off the season at Mississippi State.

Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis spoke for the first time today since the season ended and was asked about handling the offseason when they do not know if quarterback Drew Brees will retire or not. Loomis says they are not in a rush to get an answer from Brees…
cut 30 (30) “….there are knowns”
Over-the-cap-dot-com, says the Saints are projected to be 112-million dollars over the salary cap. Loomis says getting under the cap will be challenging, but it doesn’t mean the team will have to rebuild.

LSU released its 2021 football schedule today. The Tigers are scheduled to kick-off next season in Pasadena by playing at U-C-L-A. The first of seven home games will be September 11th versus McNeese. The SEC opener is September 25th at Mississippi State and the Tigers will once again face Alabama on the first Saturday in November.

A COVID outbreak following a wrestling tournament in Gonzales earlier this month has caused the LHSAA to cancel the rest of the regular season for wrestling. But LHSAA Executive Director Eddie Bonine says they plan to still hold the state championships February 25th and 26th at the Baton Rouge Raising Canes Center and strict measures will be in place…
cut 8 (08) “…social distancing”

The Pelicans will look to snap a three-game losing streak tonight as they host Washington. Last night LSU basketball ended a two-game losing streak with a 78-66 win over Texas A-and-M.

LSU has named Daronte Jones (duh-RAHN-tay) Jones as its new defensive coordinator. Jones apparently received a high recommendation from former LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda. Jones coached with Aranda at Wisconsin in 2015 and he’s coached in the NFL the last five seasons, spending this past season as the defensive backs coach for the Vikings. Jones has reportedly agreed to a two-year contract that pays him one-point-five million dollars a year.

Today at one o’ clock, the SEC will release the conference football schedule for the 2021 season.

The LSU men’s basketball team ended its two game losing streak last night with a 78-66 win over Texas A-and-M in College Station. The Tigers led by 17 in the first half and then trailed by six in the second half, before finishing the game on an 18-to nothing run. Cam Thomas led the way with 28 points.

Tonight, the Pelicans are scheduled to host Washington Wizards. New Orleans will look to snap a three-game losing streak.

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The LHSAA has informed member schools that its ending the regular season for wrestling. The news comes three days after the state department of health reported that over 20 COVID-19 cases have been linked to a wrestling tournament held at the Dixon Expo Center in Gonzlaes. The LHSAA still plans on holding the state wrestling championships in Baton Rouge the final weekend of February.

Nicholls is the favorite to win the Southland Confernece spring football season. The two-time defending co-champions received seven first place votes, while Sam Houston received six first-place votes. Southeastern Louisiana is picked to finish third followed by McNeese and Northwestern State who is fifth. The conference schedule begins February 20th.

Tonight in Southland basketball action…McNeese is at Nicholls while U-N-O visits Northwestern State while Southeaastern Louisiana looks for a much needed win at home against Central Arkansas.

LSU’s search for a new defensive coordinator is finally over as the Tigers have hired Daronte Jones, who spent last season as the defensive backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings. Tigers Coach Ed Orgeron told T-Bob Hebert on ESPN 104-5 in Baton Rouge that former LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda suggested Jones…
cut 4 (10) “…outstanding job for us”
When Aranda was the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin, Jones served on his staff in 2015. Since then, Jones has also coached with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Miami Dolphins. The Maryland native has also coached in Louisiana before as a safeties coach for Nicholls State in 2002 and a defensive coordinator for two high schools, Franklin and Jeanerette.

In other coaching news…former ULM and McNeese head coach Matt Viator has reportedly joined Billy Napier’s staff as U-L Lafayette.
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The LSU men’s basketball team will look to snap a two-game losing streak tonight when they visit Texas A-and-M. The Tigers are coming off an 82-69 loss to Kentucky on Saturday. Before that game, the Bayou Bengals were bounced by Alabama 105-75. Coach Will Wade on what the Tigers need to improve on…
Cut 17 (12) “..same old story”
The Aggies have also lost two in a row. Tip-off is at 8 PM.

The Pelicans are 5-and-10 and looking to give some of their younger guards like Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kira Lewis more playing time. So the Athletic is reporting the Pels are looking at possibly trading Lonzo Ball and J-J Redick.

In baseball news, LSU pitchers Devin Fontenot and Jaden Hill have been named D1 Baseball pre-season All-Americans. Devin Fontenot returns for his senior season and will be one of the Tigers top arms out of the bullpen. Hill could potentially be the team’s Friday night starter.