06:45 LRN Sportscast

Once again Tampa Bay came back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to win a game. Last night they rallied to beat Arizona in overtime to stay one game ahead of the Saints and the Panthers in the NFC South.

On Saturday New Orleans defeated Cleveland 17-10. For the first time this year, Coach Dennis Allen’s team has a two-game winning streak…

cut 18 (10) “….coaching em”

Running back Alvin Kamara rushed for 76 yards and a touchdown in bitterly cold temperatures…
cut 17 (20) “…what it is”
The Saints are at 13-and-2 Philadelphia on Sunday.

Zion Williamson is no longer in Health and Safety protocols so it looks like he’ll play tonight against the Indiana Pacers. Williamson missed the last two games, but New Orleans still pulled out victories over San Antonio and Oklahoma City. Larry Nance Junior is listed as questionable with right Achilles soreness. Brandon Ingram remains out with a left toe contusion.

LSU basketball is mourning the death of Willie Sims, a member of the Tigers 1981 NCAA Final Four team. He was known as the Super Sub, coming off the bench bringing energy and spirit. He was considered the best sixth man in college basketball. He died on December 23rd at the age of 64 after suffering a heart attack in August while living in Israel.

The LSU Tigers will tip off SEC play on Wednesday against Arkansas. Both teams are 11-and-1 on the season. Tomorrow night, Northwestern State is at Texas A-and-M.

The 12-and-0 Lady Tigers are at Arkansas on Thursday. LSU is ranked 10th in the country, while the Lady Backs are ranked 17th and they are 13-and-2, losing their last two games to 16th-ranked Oregon and South Florida.

7:30 LRN sportscast

A high of 16 degrees is expected in Cleveland today for the Saints-Browns game at 12:00. Some snow will be flying around and the wind will be out of the southwest from 25 to 35 miles per hour. New Orleans Quarterback Andy Dalton who played in cold conditions for a majority of his career was asked about how the wind conditions could affect today’s game…
cut 16 (12) “…get out there”
The Saints will be without their leading receiver Chris Olave. He’s out with a hamstring injury. Slot receiver Jarvis Landry has been put on injured reserve and linebacker Pete Werner will also miss the game with a hamstring injury.

The Saints are three points underdogs. Also today, the Panthers host the Lions, the Falcons are at Baltimore, and tomorrow night Tampa Bay is at Arizona.

LSU football has officially added seven players from the transfer portal. Including two of the nation’s top high school prospects in the Class of 2022, wide receiver Aaron Anderson from Alabama and cornerback Denver Harris from Texas A-and-M. Also, one of the top cornerbacks from the F-C-S level is heading to Baton Rouge, cornerback Zy Alexander, who starred at Southeastern Louisiana the last two seasons.

A frustrating Ragin Cajuns season ended with a frustrating loss to Houston in the Independence Bowl as the Cougars rallied to beat UL Lafayette 23-16. The Cajuns had a 16-6 lead at halftime, but couldn’t do anything offensively in the second half and they finish with a six and-seven record.

The Pelicans gave up a 21-point lead to Oklahoma City last night, but still beat the Thunder 128 to 125. Trey Murphy had 23 points as he hit five three-pointers and Jaxson Hayes had a season-high 21 points.

4:45 LRN Sportscast

A high of 16-degrees is expected in Cleveland tomorrow for the Saints-Browns game at 12:00. It will also be very windy, and some snow will be flying around. New Orleans Quarterback Andy Dalton who played in cold conditions for a majority of his career when he was with the Bengals answered a bunch of questions this week about playing in the cold…
cut 16 (23) “…get the job done”
The Saints will be without their leading receiver Chris Olave. He’s out with a hamstring injury. Slot receiver Jarvis Landry has been put on injured reserve and linebacker Pete Werner will also miss the game with a hamstring injury.

LSU football has announced the addition of seven players signed out of the transfer portal. The group includes two of the nation’s top high school prospects in the Class of 2022, wide receiver Aaron Anderson from Alabama and cornerback Denver Harris from Texas A-and-M. Also, one of the top cornerbacks from the F-C-S level is heading to Baton Rouge, cornerback Zy Alexander, who has starred at Southeastern Louisiana the last two seasons.

CJ McCollum was the star for the Pelicans in their 126 to 117 win over the Spurs last night as he scored 40 points, also had eight rebounds and nine assists. But tonight he’s questionable with right calf soreness as New Orleans visits Oklahoma City. Larry Nance Junior did not play last night, but tonight he’s questionable with right achillies soreness. While Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson are out. Tip-off in O-K-C is at 7 PM.

The Lakers say former Pelican Anthony Davis is out indefinitely with a foot injury.

11:40 LRN Sportscast

The Ragin Cajuns and the Houston Cougars will play in a very cold Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl in Shreveport today. The temperature at kick-off will be 25-degrees. U-L Lafayette Zi’Yon Hill says the team isn’t worried about the weather…
cut 17 (18) “….perfectly fine”
The Houston Cougars are a touchdown favorite.

LSU Quarterback Jayden Daniels says he’s coming back next year after leading the Tigers to an SEC West Championship. But five-star cornerback Desmond Ricks has signed with Alabama over LSU. But former Texas A-and-M cornerback Denver Harris has committed to LSU.
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After snapping a four game losing streak last night by beating San Antonio 126 to 117, New Orleans visits Oklahoma City tonight. Last night, C-J McCollum scored a season-high 40 points as New Orleans played without Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram or Larry Nance Junior. New Orleans is 19-and-12, a half a game back of Denver and Memphis for first place in the Western Conference Standings.

At 5-and-9, the Saints have been given a two-percent chance of making the playoffs. But Quarterback Andy Dalton says the team will continue to fight the rest of the season…
cut 18 (19) “….most of it”
Kick-off tomorrow is at noon. High temperature in Cleveland tomorrow is 15-degrees, which will be the coldest game played in the Saints franchise history.

06:45 LRN Sportscast, December 23rd

LSU Starting Quarterback Jayden Daniels announced Thursday he will return to Play with the Tigers for his redshirt 2023 season. The Arizona St. transfer helped lead the Tigers to an SEC West Championship with over 3,500 all-purpose yards and 27 touchdowns on only 3 interceptions in his first season at LSU.

The New Orleans Pelicans were very shorthanded last night but it wasn’t enough of an advantage for the Spurs as San Antonio fell to the Pels 126-117 to end a 4 game losing streak. The Pels are at Oklahoma City tonight.

UL-Lafayette will play in the Independence Bowl today against Houston. The Cajuns will travel up to Shreveport to face the 5-7 Cougars. ULL Coach Michael Desormeaux says this is a bowl game the program is excited about..:
Cut 16 (19) “good match”
The game kicks off at 2pm.

LSU did get some tough news Thursday as they were a favorite to land five-star cornerback Desmond Ricks, but Ricks decided instead to play for Nick Saban and Alabama. However Coach Brian Kelly did pick up another big addition in cornerback Denver Harris, a 2022 five-star prospect who the Tigers picked up from the transfer portal.

The Saints travel to Cleveland Saturday in a Christmas Eve matchup against the Browns. The game will feature the first sub-zero temperatures the Black and Gold have faced all season. Worse than the cold, the season-long injury bug for the Saints continues as rookie wide receiver Chris Olave has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. But quarterback Andy Dalton says the team will continue to fight the rest of the season…:
Cut 18 (19) “most of it”

06:30 LRN Newscast, December 23rd

The state is waking up to bitterly cold temperatures this morning and lots of wind. In South Louisiana temperatures are in the low 20s with a wind chill making it feel like 13 degrees. North Louisiana is in the low teens with feels like temps of -4. There will be plenty of sunshine today but temperatures are not slated to get above freezing.

The state Office of Community Development wants homeowners impacted by the hurricanes of 2020 and 2021 to know they can apply for federal aid through the Restore Louisiana Homeowners Assistance Program. O.C.D. director Pat Forbes says this especially applies to folks in southwestern Louisiana…:
Cut 13 (08) “…we do have it now.”
You can apply online at restore.la.gov or call 866-735-2001.

The State’s Tourism Office will bring some Christmas cheer to residents displaced from last week’s tornados. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser says they offered temporary housing to residents who lost their homes in the form of travel trailers located in state parks…:
Cut 7 (09) “their kids”

US Senator Bill Cassidy is sharing his priorities in Congress for 2023, which include efforts to make the National Flood Insurance Program more affordable…:
CUT 5 (05) “program”
He also says he’ll redouble his efforts to get more money for coastal protection.

4:45 LRN Sportscast

LSU Quarterback Jayden Daniels announces he will be returning to Death Valley for his redshirt Senior season. The Arizona St. transfer helped lead the Tigers to an SEC West Championship with over 3,500 all-purpose yards and 27 touchdowns on only 3 interceptions in his first season at LSU. Daniels and Coach Brian Kelly will look to build on their hot starts next season, but first the Tigers have an upcoming date with Purdue in the Citrus Bowl. Kelly says the team has continued preparations amidst the NFL Draft, transfer portal, and recruiting chaos and plans to take the team to Orlando a week early…

Cut 18

LSU signed 25 recruits on the first day of the early signing period yesterday. The Tigers boast the 6th ranked recruiting class in the nation and are one of three finalists to land 5-star cornerback Desmond Ricks. Ricks makes his decision today at 5:30

The Pelicans will host the Spurs tonight as they hope to get out of their 4 game skid. After winning 7 in a row to become the number one team in the West, the Pels have lost their last 4 straight. They’ll look to bounce back against a struggling San Antonio team, but they’ll be without their leading scorers. Zion Williamson was placed in NBA health and safety protocols, and Coach Willie Green announced Wednesday Brandon Ingram’s return won’t be until next week at the earliest. Tip-off in the smoothie King Center is tonight at 7:00

The LSU Men’s Basketball team won a close game against East Tennessee in the P-MAC last night. KJ Williams had an impressive 28-point 12-rebound Double-double, and  the 72-68 victory makes the Tigers 10-1 on the season as they prepare to begin SEC play next week. The men’s 10-1 record and the women’s undefeated 12-0 record give LSU the best combined basketball record in the country at 22-1 ahead of the Christmas break.

UL-Lafayette suffered a 100-72 loss in Austin last night to seventh-ranked Texas. The Cajuns still sit atop the Sun-Belt at 10-2 and will return to action next Thursday against Coastal Carolina.

 

11:40 LRN Sportscast

LSU signed 25 players out of high school on the first day of the early signing period. Ten are from Louisiana and 21 of the 25 are from SEC states. Kelly and his staff are not done. The Tigers are expected to receive a signed national letter of intent today from five-star cornerback Desmond Ricks and then announce 10 transfers on Friday. Kelly says he will only use the transfer portal to supplement his roster…
cut 17 (23) “….have a plan”
Kelly announced during his radio show that Ali Gaye will not play in the Citrus Bowl. So Mekhi Wingo is the only regular starter on the D-Line that will play in the game.
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The Pelicans will look to snap a four-game losing streak tonight without Zion Williamson as he will not play because he’s been placed in health and safety protocols. Zion is averaging 25 points, seven rebounds, and five assists a game and has helped New Orleans to an 18-and-12 record.

In college hoops last night, LSU edged out East Tennessee State 72-68. K-J Williams had 28 points and 12 rebounds. The Tigers next game is the SEC opener at home against Arkansas on Wednesday.

Louisiana Tech ended a three-game losing streak with a 108-52 victory over Jarvis Christian. The Bulldogs will host U-T-S-A a week from tonight. 7th ranked Texas trounced the Cajuns 100-72 and third-ranked Houston handled McNeese 83-44.

New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis was selected to the NFC’s Pro Bowl Team Wednesday night, the first time in his outstanding 11-year career he’s earned the honor. The Saints will leave today for Cleveland and will play the Browns on Saturday.

06:45 LRN Sportscast, December 22nd

LSU signed 25 new recruits during the first day of the early signing period yesterday. LSU commit four-star cornerback Daylen Austin flipped his commitment to Oregon, but the Tigers were able to flip Vanderbilt-commit tight end Ka’Morreun Pimpton giving LSU a much-needed three tight ends in the 2023 class. LSU Coach Brian Kelly says recruiting takes a village…:
Cut 16 (16) “graduate champions”
According to 247Sports, LSU’s impressive hunt of players ranks No. 6 in the nation.

Coach Brian Kelly announced on his radio show last night that senior defensive end Ali Gaye will not play in the Citrus Bowl on January 2nd. Kelly also confirmed junior defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy will not play in the game as he declared for the NFL draft.

The LSU Men’s Basketball team was able to hold off an East Tennessee State second half rally to win 72-68 Wednesday night in the PMAC. The Tigers are now 11-1 on the season and open SEC play on Wednesday, December 28th against Arkansas.

Also in men’s hoops, Louisiana Tech clobbered Jarvis Christian Wednesday 108-52. Tulane prevailed over Mississippi Valley State 84-63. Southeastern beat Southern 80-62. McNeese State fell to Houston 83-42. UL-Lafayette lost to Texas 100-72.

The New Orleans Pelicans will face San Antonio tonight and they’ll do it without forward Zion Williamson who ESPN reports has been placed in the league’s health and safety protocols. The Pels are 18-12 and in third place in the Western Conference. New Orleans will also be without forward Brandon Ingram for at least two more games, coach Willie Green said earlier Wednesday.

New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis was selected to the NFC’s Pro Bowl Team Wednesday night, the first time in his outstanding 11-year career he’s earned the honor.

4:45 LRN Sportscast

A three-day early signing period for high school recruits began today. LSU is already on the verge of a top 5 signing class. On3.com ranks the tiger’s class featuring defensive backs cornerback Daylen Austin and safeties Javien Toviano and Kylie Jackson 7th in the nation. On3.com’s Shea Dixon says LSU has a shot at signing five-star cornerback Desmond Ricks…

Cut 16

The Louisiana Tech men’s basketball team celebrates a massive 108-52 victory over Jarvis Christian earlier today. With the win, the Bulldogs advance to 7-5 on the season.

The LSU men’s basketball team will return to action tonight against East Tennessee in their final game before the Christmas break and SEC play. Tiger’s coach Matt McMahon wants better perimeter defense from a team that’s allowed 18 threes over the last two games…

Cut 20

The Tigers are currently 10- on the season and Joe Lunardi’s bracketology has them on the bubble for making this year’s NCAA tournament. Tip-off in the P-MAC is set for 7:00 tonight

UL-Lafayette will visit 7th-ranked Texas tonight as the Sun-Belt leading Cajuns look to establish themselves on the national stage.

UNO faces number-one-ranked Purdue in West Lafayette at 8:00 tonight.