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.

6:45 LRN Sportscast March 7

Myles Brennan will have serious competition to be LSU’s starting quarterback next season. Former Arizona State Q-B Jayden Daniels is transferring to the Tigers after starting for three seasons with the Sun Devils. During his time at A-S-U, he threw for six-thousand yards, 32 touchdowns, and also rushed for 12-hundred yards and 16 T-Ds. Coach Brian Kelly says Daniels is a playmaker with a strong arm.

If you stayed up late last night to watch LSU baseball and the Pelicans you came away disappointed. The Tigers committed five errors in a 9-6 loss to Baylor. LSU will host McNeese tomorrow night. The Cowboys dropped two out of three to Louisiana Tech, but won yesterday five to two.

The Pelicans’ four-game winning streak came to an end last night with a 138-130 overtime loss to Denver.

The Ragin Cajuns play for an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament tonight as U-L Lafayette faces Georgia State in the Sun Belt title game.

The LSU men’s basketball team is the fifth seed in this week’s SEC Tournament and will play Thursday afternoon against the winner of Wednesday night’s game between Missouri and Ole Miss. Coach Will Wade’s team beat Alabama in overtime on Saturday to finish with a 21-10 record, 9-9 in the SEC….
Cut 16 (16) “…particularly defense”

Nicholls won its second straight Southland Conference regular-season championship on Saturday with a 92-85 win over U-N-O. Colonels Coach Austin Claunch…
cut 19 (15) “…you are”
The Colonels are the number one seed in the Southland Tournament and will play on Friday in Katy, Texas, needing two wins to get an invite to the NCAA Tournament.

07:30 LRN Sportscast March 5

Sensational win for the seventh ranked LSU baseball team last night as the Tigers rallied back from a three-run deficit to beat Oklahoma five to four in eleven innings at Houston’s Minute Maid Park. Cade Doughty hit a two run homer in the eighth to tie the game at three. Doughty had an RBI double in the 10th to tie it at four and Jordan Thompson hit a walk-off homer to win it in the eleventh. The Tigers face top ranked Texas at 7 PM.

The big upset on Friday occurred in Fayetteville, as Southeastern Louisiana shocked third ranked Arkansas seven to three. S-L-U scored all of its runs in the sixth inning.

Elsewhere, UNO upended ULM eight to two, the Cajuns scored four runs in the fifth to beat Southern Miss five to three. Tommy Ray was the winning pitcher and Brian Talley earned his first save. La Tech ended a four-game losing streak by trouncing McNeese 21-5. Cole McConnell drove in five runs.
______________________________________________
The Pelicans continue to play terffic basketball as New Orleans silenced the Utah Jazz 124 to 90 last night for its fourth straight win. Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum continue to be a dynamic duo as Ingram had 29 points and McCollum added 24. New Orleans is at Denver on Sunday night.

The LSU women’s basketball team’s stay in Nashville was a short one as the Lady Tigers were eliminated last night by a red hot Kentucky team. The Lady Cats led by 12 points after the first quarter and went on to win 78-63.

In men’s action today, LSU closes out the regular season as they host 25th ranked Alabama at 11:30 in the P-MAC. The Tigers are trying to finish with a nine and nine SEC record.

Also at 11:30, the Cajuns are looking to upset top-seeded Texas State in the Sun Belt Tournament. Louisiana Tech ends the regular season at U-A-B.

Nicholls hosts UNO, the winner is the Southland Regular season champion.

4:45 LRN Sportscast March 4

The LSU Tigers have started play at the Shriners College Classic in Houston’s Minute Maid Park, taking on the Oklahoma Sooners in the first of three games this weekend. The Tigers will also face top-ranked Texas and Baylor, providing LSU with its biggest tests of the young season. Blake Money took the hill against Oklahoma. He’s 2-0 so far, with a 0-point-0 ERA and 17 strikeouts in only 14 innings. All three games air on the MLB Network.

In Nashville, LSU women’s basketball opens play in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament. The second-seeded Tigers tip-off against Kentucky at 6pm. Both teams are riding lengthy win streaks, with LSU coming in as winners of eight straight, and the Wildcats have taken their last seven in a row. The Tigers beat Kentucky 78-69 back on January 30 at the P-MAC. LSU last won the conference tournament championship in 2003.

LSU’s men will wrap up the regular season Saturday with a home matinee against 25th-ranked Alabama. The Tigers are eighth in the conference standings, tied with Texas A&M and Mississippi State, so a loss could drop them as low as tenth. Tip-off is at 11 am.

The New Orleans Pelicans have been the NBA’s hottest team since returning from the All-Star break. New Orleans has won three in a row, over the Suns, Lakers, and Kings, and have done so in convincing fashion, winning by an average of better than 24 points per game. The Pels will try to tie their season’s best by picking up win number four against the Utah Jazz tonight at the Smoothie King Center. Willie Green says defense has been the key to their success.

Cut 21 (12) “…looked very good.”

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis spoke to the media at the NFL Scouting Combine on Thursday. Loomis says that finding a quarterback is something the team looks at with a sense of urgency and expressed his interest in re-signing free agent Jameis Winston. Winston led the Saints to a 5-2 start with 14 touchdowns and three interceptions before his season ended with a torn ACL. Loomis also said the Saints need to add depth at receiver, even with the expected return of All-Pro Michael Thomas.

11:40 LRN Sportscast March 4

LSU women’s basketball opens play in the SEC tournament quarterfinals tonight at 6 pm, attempting to earn their first championship since 2003. The Tigers will face the Kentucky Wildcats, who extended their winning streak to six games with yesterday’s win over Mississippi State. Kentucky is led by two-time All-American Rhyne Howard, who averaged 20 points per game and earned First Team All-SEC honors this season for the fourth time. Kim Mulkey shares her thoughts on the resurgent Wildcats…

Cut 19 (19) “…good now.”

In the opening round of the men’s Sun Belt Conference tournament Thursday, the U-L Ragin Cajuns topped Texas-Arlington, 67-64 but UL-Monroe fell to Arkansas State, 77-82. The Cajuns will face top-seeded Texas State Saturday at 11:30 am.

The third-ranked LSU baseball team gets its first big test of the young season this weekend as they face Oklahoma, top-ranked Texas, and Baylor in the Shriners College Classic in Houston. LSU has won five in a row and is 8-and-1 on the season. Kendall Rogers, of D-1 baseball-dot-com, says the Tigers will have a chance to show that they really are a top ten team…

Cut 17 (19) “…the season”

Also on the diamond, Southern starts a 3-game set at Texas-San Antonio, Nicholls is at Memphis, Louisiana Tech visits McNeese, UNO hosts UL-M, and Tulane welcomes Ole Miss.

The Major League Baseball Players Association has announced the launch of a $1 million fund to help support workers impacted by the lockout and the cancellation of games by MLB owners. The AFL-CIO will help in determining the greatest areas of need and in distributing funds.

6:45 LRN Sportscast March 4

Saints G-M Mickey Loomis told reporters at the Draft Combine in Indianapolis that there’s a sense of urgency to find a starting quarterback. Loomis says free-agent Jameis Winston is a potential option and hopes Winston is an option for them. NFL free agency begins March 16th.

In conference basketball tournament action, the Ragin Cajuns men’s team advanced in the Sun Belt Tournament with a 67-64 win over U-T-A. Junior Guard Jalen Dalcourt hit five three-pointers and scored 16 points. U-L Lafayette faces top-seeded Texas State on Saturday at 11:30.

ULM was eliminated as they fell to Arkansas State 81-77.

Tonight the LSU Lady Tigers face Kentucky in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament. Coach Kim Mulkey believes what a team does in the regular season carries more weight than what happens over one weekend…
cut 18 (12) “….and all that”
Tip-off is at 6 PM.

The third-ranked LSU baseball team gets its first big test of the young season this weekend as they face Oklahoma, top ranked Texas, and Baylor in the Shriners College Classic in Houston. LSU takes on Oklahoma today at 3 PM, Blake Money gets the start on the mound for the Tigers and the Sooners will throw left-hander Jake Bennett. D-1 Baseball-dot-com’s Kendall Rogers says O-U’s strength is its pitching…
cut 16 (15) “…for them”
Tomorrow night, the Bayou Bengals face off against top-ranked Texas.

In other college baseball action this weekend, the Ragin Cajuns host Southern Miss. UNO visits ULM. Louisiana Tech is at Memphis, Southeastern Louisiana visits third-ranked Arkansas and Nicholls is at Memphis.

4:45 LRN Sportscast March 3

The eighth-seeded UL Ragin Cajuns advanced to the second round of the Sun Belt Conference tournament after holding off Texas-Arlington, 67-64. Jalen Dalcourt led the way with 16 points. UL will face the number one seed, Texas State on Saturday at 11:30 am.

UL-Monroe takes to the court this evening for their opening round game against the sixth-seeded Arkansas State Red Wolves. They enter the SBC tournament in the midst of a five-game losing skid. Ten of UL-M’s 17 losses have come by single digits, so Coach Keith Richard would like to see a change of fortune with the WarHawks one loss from their season coming to an end.

Cut 17 (17) “…been in them.”

The LSU men were game but came up short in their upset bid against 14th-ranked Arkansas last night, falling to the Razorbacks, 76-77. Tari Eason led the Tigers with 24 points but fouled out in only 17 minutes. LSU ends the regular season at home against Alabama on Saturday.

LSU women’s basketball fans were not pleased with the Southeastern Conference postseason awards announcements. The Tigers finished second in the SEC standings yet only two players, guards Khayla Pointer and Alexis Morris, were named to the All-Conference team. On the eve of the SEC tournament, Coach Kim Mulkey is focused on team achievements, not individual honors.

Cut 19 (18) “…of the SEC.”

The second-seeded Tigers will face the winner of tonight’s matchup between Kentucky and Mississippi State. LSU defeated both during the regular season.

The New Orleans Pelicans are rolling. The Pels extended their win streak to three games after beating the Sacramento Kings 125-95 at the Smoothie King Center. Brandon Ingram scored a game-high 33 points to lead five players in double-figures. New Orleans is 8-4 since February 1st. They go for four in a row on Friday against the Utah Jazz.

11:40 LRN Sportscast March 3

LSU men’s basketball missed out on an opportunity to beat a ranked team on the road last night. The Tigers led by seven with 6:31 left in the game but fell to the Arkansas Razorbacks 77-76, despite 14 points from Tari Eason. LSU will close out the regular season on Saturday at home against Alabama.

Louisiana Tech will head to UAB on Saturday for the regular-season finale after beating Old Dominion 67-54. Cobe Williams led the way with 19 points for the Bulldogs.

Nicholls and UNO will play for a Southland Conference championship on Saturday after both won last night. The Colonels and Privateers will meet in Thibodaux for a 3:30 contest.

The Pelicans continued their strong play following the All-Star Break with a 125 to 95 win over the Sacramento Kings. Brandon Ingram had 33 points as New Orleans won its third straight game. In all three games, the Pels have scored 117 points or more. The Pels host Utah tomorrow night.

The men’s Sun Belt Conference Tournament gets underway today. The Ragin Cajuns are playing U-T Arlington as we speak, while ULM takes on sixth-seeded Arkansas State at 5 PM. The Red Wolves have both the Sun Belt player and defensive player of the year, center Norchad Omier (O-meer), but Warhawks Coach Keith Richard likes the way his team matches up everywhere else.
cut 18 (21) “….in the backcourt”

ULM beat Arkansas State in Jonesboro a month ago.

In baseball action last night…LSU defeated UNO 11-3 for its fifth straight win, Southeastern edged La Tech four to three. The Bulldogs have lost four in a row. The Cajuns doubled up Northwestern State six to three to sweep the mid-week series against the Demons. 2nd ranked Ole Miss knocked off ULM 11 to 1.