11:40 LRN Sportscast March 10

Will Wade leads the fifth-seeded LSU Tigers into the SEC men’s tournament in Tampa looking to find some momentum after going 9-9 in conference play. The Tigers won two of three to close the regular season and have some of the top individual talents in the league. Wade thinks his team is playing more like the team that started the season 15-1, rather than the one that scuffled through the SEC.

Cut 16 (13) “…we’re in Tampa.”

LSU will play Missouri at 1:30 today.

Led by the bats of Gavin Dugas and Jacob Berry, the Tigers topped McNeese 6-3 at The Box last night. Dugas and Berry went a combined five-for-eight at the plate with two home runs and five R-B-I. Will Helmers pitched three scoreless innings to pick up his second win of the season for sixth-ranked LSU, which improved to 10-3. McNeese falls to 8-5.

Louisiana Tech dominated Southeastern 13-1 in a mid-week matchup. Taylor Young went four-for-five with two R-B-I and Wade Elliott drove in three more for the Bulldogs.

The New Orleans Pelicans have gone from one extreme to the other. After handing out beat downs during a four-game win streak, the Pels have lost three straight, including last night’s disappointing 102-106 defeat at the hands of the Orlando Magic. CJ McCollum scored 32 and Jonas Valanciunas added 30 more but they weren’t enough to overcome an early, 13-point deficit. Adding to the sting of the loss, forward Brandon Ingram will be out 7-10 days with a sore hamstring, meaning he will miss at least the next three games.

In college hoops, Grambling and Southern will add another chapter to their rivalry when they meet in the SWAC tournament this afternoon at 2 pm. The Tigers took both games from the Jags during the regular season.

Over in the Southland, McNeese advanced by beating Northwestern State Wednesday night. Their reward is a matchup with third-seeded UNO this evening. Top-seeded Nicholls and number two Southeastern are off until tomorrow’s semifinals.

And Major League Baseball has announced the cancellation of 93 more games as the owner’s lockout drags on. So far 184 games have been chopped off the schedule, or just under eight percent. The earliest the season could begin is April 14th. Both sides continue to negotiate.

6:45 LRN Sportscast

The LSU men’s basketball team will face Missouri this afternoon in the SEC Tournament. Coach Will Wade’s team is looking to build momentum heading into next week’s NCAA Tournament and he believes the SEC has them battled-tested…
cut 17 (16) “…at the top”
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has LSU as a five seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Louisiana Tech advanced in the Conference USA Tournament last night with a 77-67 victory over Marshall. Tech shot 62-percent from the field in the second half and Kenneth Lofton had a team-high 21 points and nine boards. The Bulldogs will face Western Kentucky tonight.

McNeese beat Northwestern State 80-67 in the Southland Tournament and the Cowboys will play UNO tonight at 6:30.

The LSU baseball team improved to 10-and-3 last night with a six to three win over McNeese. Gavin Dugas and Jacob Berry homered. Right-hander Will Hellmers got the win as he fired three shutout innings.

Louisiana Tech trounced Southeastern Louisiana 13 to 1. Wade Elliot drove in three runs and on the mound Jackson Lancaster tossed three shutout innings and struck out five.

ULM ended a nine-game losing streak with a six to two win over Northwestern State. Sophomore Landon Cato crushed a three-run homer.

Elsewhere, Nicholls shut out St. Thomas 10 to nothing, Grambling swept a doubleheader from Wiley and Houston topped Southern seven to four.

In the NBA, Brandon Ingram didn’t play again last night and the Pelicans lost again as Orlando dribbled past New Orleans 108 to 102. The Pels are 2 and 14 when Ingram doesn’t play and he’s out at least a week with a hamstring injury.

Today…Southern faces Grambling at 2 PM in the SWAC Tournament.

LRN 4:45 Sportscast March 9

March Madness is in full effect as we build towards Selection Sunday. Louisiana Tech, the third seed in Conference USA after posting a 12-6 league record, faces seventh-seeded Marshall tonight in its opener. The Bulldogs are chasing their first NCAA bid since 1991 when they were members of the now-defunct American South.

It isn’t the Bayou Classic, but Grambling and Southern will play each other in the quarterfinals of the SWAC tournament on Thursday. Grambling won both regular-season meetings with the Jaguars.

And Northwestern State faces McNeese in the opening round of the Southland tourney, with the winner facing UNO on Thursday.

LSU opens play in the SEC tournament Thursday afternoon against the winner of tonight’s matchup between Missouri and Mississippi. The Tigers arrived in Tampa today, and Coach Will Wade says his team will be working hard prepping for either opponent. LSU lost by 4 to Ole Miss and beat Mizzou by 20 in their only meetings this year.

Cut 21 (16) “…both teams.”

LSU’s initial response to the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations regarding the men’s basketball program didn’t shed much light on the situation. A statement released by the athletic department reads as follows…

“Per NCAA rules and procedures, LSU is unable to comment on any aspect of the ongoing case. We will continue to cooperate fully with the IARP as we work together toward a resolution.”

The Tigers have been caught in the NCAA’s crosshairs since a federal investigation into corruption in college basketball produced voice recordings of head coach Will Wade discussing alleged payments made to then-recruit Javonte Smart in 2017.

LSU could face stiff penalties if there are major violations contained in the NOA.

Tigers women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey has been named Coach of the Year by The Athletic after spearheading the largest turnaround by a first-year coach in SEC history. LSU, now 25-4 on the year, and ranked ninth in the latest AP poll, will likely host first and second-round games of the NCAA tournament. The Tigers have already recorded the most wins in a season since 2007-08 when they went to the Final Four under Van Chancellor.

On the diamond, Northwestern State is at UL-Monroe, Tulane visits Southern Miss, Louisiana Tech welcomes Southeastern, and LSU hosts McNeese.

11:40 LRN Sportscast March 9

The LSU men’s basketball program could soon be hit with NCAA penalties for recruiting violations. Glen Guilbeau with outkick-dot-com says the clock is likely winding down on Wade’s time in Baton Rouge, despite his on-court success. Especially if athletic director Scott Woodward can mitigate the program’s punishment by cutting Wade loose.

Cut 15 (12) “…their penalties”

Louisiana Tech begins play in the Conference USA Tournament tonight after finishing the regular season with a 12-and-6 league record. Bulldogs coach Eric Konkol on what it will take to make a long run in the league tourney.

Cut 16 (17) “…I’ve had.”

The Bulldogs will match up with Marshall today at 6 PM.

After a four-game win streak, the New Orleans Pelicans have lost two in a row. Last night, the Pels took it on the gullet, falling to the Memphis Grizzlies 111-132. The Pelicans were without Brandon Ingram, but he likely wouldn’t have made a difference against the Grizzlies buzz saw. CJ McCollum led New Orleans with 32 points and 11 assists. Memphis had three players score at least 20 points, including MVP-candidate Ja Morant, who had 24 to go along with eight boards and eight assists.

The Pels are back on the court tonight at home against the Orlando Magic to start a critical, four-game homestand.

LSU’s Kim Mulkey has been named as a finalist for Naismith Coach of the Year after leading the greatest turnaround by a first-year coach in SEC history. The Tigers have improved by leaps and bounds in Mulkey’s first season in Baton Rouge, taking their record from 9-13 to 25-5 so far this season, more than doubling their winning percentage, and giving LSU its best regular season since 2007-08 when the Tigers finished 31-6, making it all the way to the Final Four.

They’ll try to play some college baseball today if the weather cooperates. One matchup has been postponed, as UL and UNO have moved their game from tonight in New Orleans to March 30.

 

6:45 LRN Sportscast

LSU may finally face penalties for recruiting violations within its men’s basketball program. David Grubb explains…
Cut 1 (33) “…I’m David Grubb.”

The Pelicans were without Brandon Ingram last night and Memphis went on to score 44 points in the first quarter to beat New Orleans 132 to 111. The Pels are now 2-and-13 when Ingram doesn’t play. He missed last night’s game with right hamstring soreness.

1991 was the last time the Louisiana Tech men’s basketball team made the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs will have to win four games over the next four days to get an automatic bid to this year’s tournament. Tech will face Marshall tonight in the Conference USA Tournament. The Bulldogs are led by six-foot-seven forward Kenneth Lofton Junior, who is averaging 16 points per game. Coach Eric Konkol says teams have tried a variety of ways to slow him down…
cut 17 (20) “….the season”
Tech and the Thundering Herd face off at 6:30.

In the Southland Tournament, McNeese meets Northwestern State at 7:30.

And at the Boys Basketball Tournament, The Calvin Cougars out of Winnfield will play in their first state championship in boys basketball since 1939 after beating Simpson 57-42 in the Class C semifinals yesterday.

4:45 LRN Sportscast March 8

Saints fans hoping for a big name under center in 2022 will just have to keep hoping after the two biggest potential prizes have been taken off the table. Earlier Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers reportedly reached agreement with Aaron Rodgers on a four-year deal worth $200 million that would make the four-time MVP the highest-paid player in NFL history. Then, this afternoon the Seahawks and Broncos came together on a trade that will send Russell Wilson to Denver for a bevy of draft picks.

LSU has found another quarterback for its roster in Arizona State transfer Jayden Daniels. Daniels threw for more than 6000 yards for the Sun Devils, and Brody Miller, who covers LSU for The Athletic, says Daniels brings explosive running talent to the position to bolster the Tigers’ talented offensive attack.

Cut 17 (21) “…in the pocket.”

Cloudy skies are forcing the postponement of a number of college baseball games around the state. Northwestern State and UL-Monroe will have their mid-week battle pushed back for the third time with tonight’s 6 pm start moved to Wednesday in Monroe. It’s the same for LSU and McNeese, who will play tomorrow at 6:30 at The Box. Tonight’s game between Louisiana Tech and UL-Lafayette has been moved to April 6.

The battery case against Saints running back Alvin Kamara has been continued until late April while defense attorneys await records from the prosecution relating to the incident. In February Kamara, along with three other men, was arrested for allegedly beating and stomping a man, resulting in a fractured eye socket for the victim. If found guilty, Kamara could face a sentence of one to five years in prison with a mandatory $10-thousand fine.

In Memphis, the New Orleans Pelicans will be looking to bounce back from Sunday’s overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets. It won’t be easy picking up a win against MVP candidate Ja Morant and the team with the NBA’s second-best record. The Pels have been pretty successful against the Grizzlies, winning seven of 10 overall and two of their last three road meetings. New Orleans sits 10th in the Western Conference, one game behind the Lakers in the standings.

11:40 Sportscast March 8

LSU has added another piece to its offensive arsenal on the gridiron with the addition of former Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels spent three seasons with the Sun Devils, passing for more than six thousand yards. LSU beat writer, Brody Miller of The Athletic, says adding Daniels just makes sense.

Cut 16 (14) “…massive upside.”

Tigers forward Tari Eason has been named SEC sixth man of the year, as voted by the coaches. Eason led LSU with 16.9 points per game, coming off the bench in 26 of 30 contests. The sophomore was also tabbed for All-SEC First Team honors. Senior Darius Days was named to the second team, and Brandon Murray earned an All-Freshman team selection for LSU, which starts play in the conference tournament on Thursday.

All-SEC guard Khayla Pointer is one of five finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year award. She’s averaging 19 points, 5.2 assists, and 6.5 rebounds per game for LSU.

LSU moves down and Tulane moves up in the latest DI college baseball rankings. After dropping two of three at the Shriners Classic this past weekend, the Tigers fall to 12th in the rankings, sandwiched between Florida and Georgia Tech. The Green Wave rolls back in to the top 25 for the first time this season after a series win over defending NCAA champion Mississippi State. Tulane is 18th, its highest ranking in six years.

The Ragin Cajuns came up just short in their bid to become the highest-seeded team to win the Sun Belt men’s tournament, falling to Georgia State, 71-80. Jordan Brown led the eighth-seeded Cajuns with 24 points and eight rebounds. U-L finishes the season at 16-16.

The USFL has started releasing details of the 10-game schedule for its inaugural season kicking off this spring. The New Orleans Breakers are one of eight teams playing this year and they will start the season on April 17 against the Philadelphia Stars. All games this year will be played in Birmingham, Alabama, with most teams scheduled to be back in their home markets in 2023.

The Pelicans will try to get back on the winning side of things tonight on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies. New Orleans had its four-game win streak snapped Sunday in Denver. The teams have split the season series so far. The Pelicans have won 2 of their last 3 in Memphis.

6:45 LRN Sportscast March 8

The Ragin Cajuns impressive run through the Sun Belt Tournament as an eight-seed ended last night in the title game as U-L Lafayette fell to Georgia State 80-71. Jordan Brown had 24 points in a losing effort and Greg Williams Junior added 15 points. Coach Bob Marlin’s team beat top-seeded Texas State and fourth-seeded Troy to reach the championship game…
cut 20 (20) “…get home”

Nicholls State Senior Guard Ty Gordon has been named the Southland Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year. The Mississippi native averages 22 points per game and ranks seventh in the nation in three-pointers made per game.

Tonight the Pelicans visit the Memphis Grizzlies.

LSU has brought in a quarterback that Coach Brian Kelly calls a playmaker with a strong arm and the ability to make plays with his feet. Jayden Daniels was a three-year starter at Arizona State who threw for over six-thousand yards and 32 touchdowns in 30 games for the Sun Devils. He also rushed for nearly 13-hundred yards and 16 touchdowns. Daniels will compete with Myles Brennan for the starting quarterback duties. The Athletic’s Brody Miller says if Brennan loses out of the starting job, he could look to transfer again…
cut 18 (18) “…on table”

After losing two of three in Houston, LSU baseball has fallen in the latest college baseball polls. The Tigers fell five sports in the D-1 baseball rankings to number 12 and dropped eight spots in the Baseball America poll to 16. The Tigers host McNeese tonight. The Cajuns visit La Tech and ULM hosts Northwestern State.

4:45 LRN Sportscast March 7

Sunday evening former Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels announced he was transferring to LSU. In three years with the Sun Devils, he threw for more than six-thousand yards with 32 touchdown passes. Daniels is also a threat with his legs, rushing for nearly 13-hundred yards on the ground with 16 touchdowns. His addition gives the Tigers even more depth in a quarterback room that returns Myles Brennan and Garrett Nussmeier, and welcomes freshman Walker Howard. He is the 14th transfer signed since the hiring of Brian Kelly.

LSU President William Tate says no one at the university knew of any prior sexual misconduct allegations against running backs coach Frank Wilson. Former LSU associate athletic director Sharon Lewis claims Wilson exposed himself to her several years ago. The allegations are part of a federal lawsuit against the school. Tate was asked about them today.

Cut 15 (11) “…LSU officials.”

The UL Ragin Cajuns will play for their first Sun Belt tournament title in seven years when they face Georgia State in the championship final this evening at 6 pm. The eighth-seeded Cajuns are the highest seed to advance to the title game in SBC history. They are 6-2 all-time in championship games, last taking the crown in 2015. UL is 0-2 against GSU this year, including a 58-65 loss to end the regular season.

After their 80-77 overtime victory over Alabama Saturday, the LSU Tigers will take the fifth seed in the upcoming SEC men’s basketball tournament. LSU will face the winner between Missouri and Mississippi on Thursday at 2 pm.

The LSU women dropped to ninth in the AP rankings after their loss to Kentucky in the SEC tournament. Now the Tigers will have to wait until this Sunday to find out if they maintain their position as a top-two seed when the NCAA Women’s Championship bracket is announced.

Arch-rivals Southern and Grambling will face off in the opening round of the SWAC men’s basketball tournament on Thursday at 3 pm.

11:40 LRN Sportscast March 7

After their 80-77 overtime victory over Alabama Saturday, the LSU Tigers will take the fifth seed in the upcoming SEC men’s basketball tournament. LSU will face the winner between Missouri and Mississippi on Thursday at 2pm.  The Tigers finished fifth in the SEC at 9-9 in conference play, with five of those losses by five points or less. Coach Will Wade says it was good to close the regular season with a win in the clutch.

Cut 17 (17) “…21 times.”

LSU Baseball had a rough weekend, dropping two of three in Houston at the Shriners Classic. The Tigers bats, which had been talking loudly before the trip to Texas, scored just 11 runs in the series. After topping Oklahoma 5-4 in the opener, they were drubbed by the Longhorns 1-6 and committed five errors in a 6-9 loss to Baylor. LSU will host McNeese tomorrow night to cleanse the palette before a weekend series against Bethune-Cookman.

The Nicholls men’s basketball team won its second straight Southland Conference regular-season championship on Saturday with 92-85 win over U-N-0. Senior Ty Gordon scored a career-high 36 points and Colonels Coach Austin Claunch says Gordon gets his vote for Southland Player of the Year…

Cut 18 (10) “…special talent.”

The UL Ragin Cajuns will play for their first Sun Belt tournament title in seven years when they face Georgia State in the championship final this evening at 6 pm. The eighth-seeded Cajuns are the highest seed to advance to the title game in SBC history. They are 6-2 all-time in championship games, last taking the crown in 2015. UL is 0-2 against GSU this year, including a 58-65 loss to end the regular season.

The Pelicans saw their four-game win streak come to an end in Denver last night with a 130-138 overtime loss to the Nuggets. Brandon Ingram led New Orleans with 38 points and nine assists. Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic went off for 30 points in the fourth quarter and OT on his way to a 46 point, 12 rebound, 11 assist triple-double. The Pels visit Memphis on Wednesday night.