The LSU Tigers have tumbled all the way to 25th in the AP rankings after dropping four of their last five games. LSU is back home in the P-MAC tonight as they host Ole Miss. The Rebels are just 2-6 in SEC play but only allow 66 points per game and use multiple defenses, something coach Will Wade says the Tigers will have to adjust to.
Cut 16 (22) “…do a great job.”

Last night, both Southern and Grambling won as the Jaguars defeated Jackson State 75-64, and Tigers topped Alcorn State 80-73. In the NBA, the Pelicans stumbled down the stretch and lost to the Cavaliers 93-90;

The Saints will reportedly interview former Dolphins coach Brian Flores for their head coaching vacancy today. The 40-year-old went 24-and-25 in three seasons in Miami. The NFL Network also reports the Saints will interview Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn tomorrow and current defensive coordinator Dennis Allen either tomorrow or Thursday. Former Eagles Coach Doug Pederson has already interviewed for the job.

It was a big sports weekend for online sports betting to debut in Louisiana with several former high profile LSU players playing in the AFC and NFC Championship games, which provided an added incentive to place a wager. Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Johns says everything went off without a hitch.
Cut 8 (12) “….rolled out.”
Johns says there are currently six different online betting platforms avaiable in Louisiana and expects the state will authorize a few more.

The search for the next head coach of the Saints is picking up steam. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport says the team has already spoken with former Eagles head coach Doug Pederson and plans this week to meet with former Dolphins coach Brian Flores Tuesday, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn on Wednesday, and current Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen on Thursday. Pederson, Flores, and Allen all have prior head coaching experience, with Pederson leading the Eagles to a win in Super Bowl 52.

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Former LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr is one of five Tigers who will be playing in Super Bowl 56. After a rocky few seasons that put his career in question, Beckham is back on top. Beckham had nine catches for 113 yards for the Rams in their NFC Championship win over the 49ers.  Advancing to the Super Bowl was a surreal experience for the player once considered a superstar, who had been traded, injured, and released before finding a home in LA.

Cut 7 (10) “…an amazing moment.”

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And the Pelicans visit the Cavs tonight, looking to complete a season sweep of their 2-game series.

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25^th-ranked LSU men’s basketball has received another major commitment, as Coach Will Wade has added a second five-star prospect to the 2022 class. 6-10 forward/center Yohan Traore is rated as one of the top 20 players in the country and joins five-star forward Julian Phillips and four-star wing Devin Ree to give the Tigers the 11^th-ranked recruiting class for next season.

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On the diamond, four Tigers have been named Preseason All-Americans by Baseball America. Dylan Crews and Jacob Berry were selected for the first team, with Tre Morgan and Cade Doughty earning second-team honors. Berry may be the headliner after batting .352 with 17 home runs and 70 RBI as a freshman at Arizona. Coach Jay Johnson says the switch-hitting Berry has a simple approach.

Cut 18 (18) “…both sides.”

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And Tulane guard Jalen Cook has earned American Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors for the second time this season.

The search for the next head coach of the Saints is picking up steam. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport says the team has already spoken with former Eagles head coach Doug Pederson, and plans this week to meet with former Dolphins coach Brian Flores Tuesday, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn on Wednesday, and current Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen on Thursday.

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There will be a distinct LSU flavor to Super Bowl 46. Wideout Odell Beckham Jr. and lineman Andrew Whitworth will represent the Los Angeles Rams, but all eyes will be on Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and the upstart Cincinnati Bengals. Burrow threw for 250 yards and two TDs as the Bengals came back from 18 down to shock the Chiefs at Arrowhead. Burrow said as the season went on, he felt Cincy had the talent to get to the big game.

Cut 20 (20) “…personally as well.”

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Preseason practice is underway for college baseball teams, including the LSU Tigers, who are ranked in the top 10 in the polls. Pitching is one of the biggest concerns for the Tigers opening the season. Devin Fontenot is trying to go from closer to starter and first year coach Jay Johnson says Fontenot has the ability to do it…Now in his fifth season in Baton Rouge, Fontenot has yet to reach the College World Series. Fontenot says the goal is to play postseason games in The Box this year and get back to Omaha.

Cut 17 (15) “…our fans.”

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In basketball…Kim Mulkey won her 650th game of her hall of fame career as the Lady Tigers defeated Kentucky 78-69 in front of 87-hundred fans at the PMAC.

The LSU men’s basketball team hosts Ole Miss tomorrow night after losing to TCU on Saturday 77-68.

UNO defeated McNeese 84-78 to improve to 5-0 in the Southland.

And the Pelicans are on the road tonight in Cleveland to face the Cavs. Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, and Jonas Valanciunas are all listed as questionable.

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In 2019, when Joe Burrow led the LSU Tigers to a national championship game the Bengals won only two games. Now Burrow is leading the Cincinnati Bengals to their third Super Bowl appearance as Joe Cool led Cincinnati back from a 21-3 halftime deficit to beat the Chiefs 27-24 in overtime. Burrow says as the season went along, he felt the team had enough talent to get there…
cut 20 (20) “….want to do well”
Burrow and the Bengals will face the Los Angeles Rams, who also had a come-from-behind win in the NFC Championship as L-A fought past the 49ers 20-17.

Preseason practice is underway for college baseball teams, including the LSU Tigers, who are ranked in the top 10 in the polls. The biggest question mark for the Tigers is starting pitching as it’s hard to predict who will be the weekend starters. Devin Fontenot is trying to go from closer to starter and first year coach Jay Johnson says Fontenot has the ability to do it…
Cut 16 (16) “..see that.”
Fontenot is entering his fifth season at LSU and has not pitched in the College World Series.

In basketball…Kim Mulkey won her 650th game of her hall of fame career as the Lady Tigers defeated Kentucky 78-69 in front of 87-hundred fans at the PMAC.

The LSU men’s basketball team hosts Ole Miss tomorrow night after losing to TCU on Saturday 77-68.

UNO defeated McNeese 84-78 to improve to 5-0 in the Southland.

For the first time since 2006 the Saints are looking for a new head coach. General Manager Mickey Loomis says the search has very little in common with the search that resulted in the hiring of Sean Payton 16 years ago…
cut 13 (15) “….a head coach”
The Saints have reportedly lined up four interviews. Current defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, Lions D-C Aaron Glenn and former Dolphins head Coach Brian Flores.

Split playoffs will continue on the 5A level as votes to have public and private schools compete against each other in the postseason in football, basketball, baseball and softball failed at the LHSAA convention. Division Four will expand its football bracket to 24 teams and hold the championship game in the Superdome.

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The Pelicans had trouble making shots and lost to the Denver Nuggets 116 to 105 last night. New Orleans shot a season-low 5-of-34 from three point territory and 39-percent from the field. Rookie Herb Jones played well as he led the Pels with 19 points, seven rebounds and five steals.

18th ranked LSU takes on TCU in Fort, Worth, Texas in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge. It’s the first time these two teams have met since 1986. Tip time is at 11 AM. The Horned Frogs are 13 and 4 and receiving votes in the polls.

Big game in the Thomas Assembly Center this afternoon as Louisiana Tech hosts North Texas. The Bulldogs, the Mean Green and UAB are all tied for first place in Conference USA with 7-and-1 league records. Tip time is at 3.

Also today, the Cajuns host Georgia Southern, Georgia State is at ULM. Northwestern State hosts Texas A-and-M Corpus Christi.

Saints executive vice president and General Manager Mickey Loomis provided an update on the status of the team’s head coaching search on Friday. New Orleans is the last team in the NFL to begin its search, but Loomis doesn’t believe that will have an impact on finding the right person.

Cut 12 (12) “…circumstances are different.”

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Brian Flores is the latest name to be added to the Saints list of candidates to replace Sean Payton. Flores is the fourth coach, joining Dennis Allen, Aaron Glenn, and Byron Leftwich, that the Saints will interview. In his three seasons with Miami, he led the team to a 24-25 record and consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2002-03.

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Khayla Pointer become the first LSU player with 1500 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists in a career, but it wasn’t enough to help the 12^th-ranked Tigers overcome torrid shooting by Arkansas in a 76-90 defeat on Thursday night.

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After a vote by Class 5A representatives, Friday at the LHSAA convention, the state’s largest public and private schools will continue to play for separate championships in football, basketball, baseball, and softball. A number of proposals failed to reach a simple majority. All state divisions have been separated in football since 2013, with the other sports following in 2017. There was hope that uniting Class 5A would be the first step in rejoining schools in all five classes for the postseason.

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Joe Burrow has the Cincinnati Bengals on the doorstep of their first Super Bowl appearance in more than 30 years. Burrow has a well-earned reputation as a big-game player. Bengals reciever Ja’Marr Chase knows that as well as anyone, with their connection dating back to the practice fields outside of Tiger Stadium. Chase says that when the game is on the line, there’s no one that wants the ball more.

Cut 17 (14) “…come down to.”

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Louisiana has officially joined 18 other states in allowing mobile sports betting. In November 2020, 55 parishes voted to legalize sports betting and today the digital dollars begin to flow. First-year gross revenue projections exceed $200 million, with roughly 10 percent of that coming back to the state. While it isn’t a jackpot just yet, Eric Ramsey of the PlayUSA.com network says it’s a nice early payout.

Cut 6 (10) “…a tax standpoint.”

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The Louisiana High School Athletic Association annual convention has already produced some big news. Unification of sports between so-called select and non-select schools continues to be a divisive issue. All proposals to rejoin class 5A failed during a vote Friday morning. Executive director Eddie Bonine did announce that the Division IV football playoffs will expand to 24 teams, with the championship game to be played at the Superdome.

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Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores is the latest name to be added to the Saints list of candidates to replace Sean Payton. Flores is considered a long-shot, since he is a finalist for the top job with the New York Giants, and could take that position in the coming days. Flores is the fourth coach, joining Dennis Allen, Aaron Glenn, and Byron Leftwich, the Saints will interview. In three seasons with Miami, he led the team to a 24-25 record and consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2002-03.

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Joe Burrow will lead the Cincinnati Bengals into Arrowhead Stadium this Sunday with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

Burrow has earned the nickname “Joe Cool” for his unflappable demeanor. He says that’s the way it has to be for success in the NFL, and this game is just another on the schedule.

Cut 18 (19) “…the entire year.”

The AFC Championship game starts at 2 p.m. this Sunday.

Louisiana officially joins 18 other states at 8 a.m. this morning in allowing mobile sports betting. In November 2020, 55 parishes voted to legalize sports betting and today the digital dollars begin to flow. Eric Ramsey of the PlayUSA.com network expects plenty of people who’ve never placed a bet before to get in on the action.
Cut 4 (09) “…for one thing.”
There will likely be a lot of Louisiana players putting a few bucks on Joe Burrow and the Cinncinnati Bengals, who will play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in the AFC Championship game. Burrow says getting off to a quick start will be important…
cut 16 (14) “….if you get down”
Kick-off is at 2 PM in Kansas City,

The Saints have reportedly requested to talk with Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich as they search for a replacement for Sean Payton. Glenn was the Saints defensive back coach from 2016 to 2020 before going to Detroit and Leftwich has been Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator since 2019.

In basketball last night…the 12th ranked LSU women’s basketball team gave up 13 three-pointers and lost to Arkansas 90-76 in Fayetteville.

In men’s hoops, the Ragin Cajuns were upset at home by Georgia State 68-64, ULM shot 30-percent from the field and lost to Georgia Southern 50-45.

But Louisiana Tech dribbled past Rice 80-63 as Kenneth Lofton had 19 points and 13 rebounds.

In the Southland Nicholls defeated McNeese in Lake Charles 81-71, Northwestern State defeated UIW 79-70 as Kendal Coleman had 25 points and 13 rebounds.

The Pelicans host the Nuggets tonight.

The search for Sean Payton’s replacement has begun. ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports the Saints have reached out to Tampa Bay with a request to interview offensive coordinator Bryron Leftwich and to the Detroit Lions to meet with defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Owner Gayle Benson promised the team would look at both in-house and external candidates. Rod Walker, who covers the Saints for NOLA.com, says New Orleans is the type of landing spot that any coach would be drawn to.

Cut 18 (6) “…good situation.”

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With mobile sports betting set to kick off on Friday morning, individual platforms have begun to announce who will be online for bettors. Companies include DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesar’s.

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The Tulane Green Wave set a school record for margin of victory in any conference game with a 97-63 destruction of Tulsa in New Orleans Wednesday night. Tulane’s previous largest victory in the AAC had been 23 points against South Florida in 2017, and the overall record came in a 33-point win against Virginia Tech in 1991.

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12^th-ranked LSU takes on Arkansas tonight, looking to rebound after their one-point loss at Florida. The Razorbacks come in hot, having won three of four including back-to-back routs of Alabama and Mississippi State. Arkansas plays small and shoots a lot of threes, having made an SEC-high 177 this year. Tigers coach Kim Mulkey understands the challenge for her big frontcourt..

Cut 22 (18) “…all over the floor.”

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The LSU athletic department lost money during the 2021 fiscal year. While revenues were down nearly $39 million, Tiger Rag-dot-com editor Adam Hunsucker says it could have been worse…

Cut 9 (11) “…9.6 million.”

Two days into the search for Sean Payton’s replacement as head coach of the New Orleans Saints, several names are beginning to emerge. Dennis Allen, the team’s defensive coordinator, is the current favorite, but Gayle Benson has promised a thorough search. NOLA.com Saints reporter Rod Walker says that even though there is plenty of familiarity with Allen, the Saints should cast their net wide as they fill one of the most attractive job openings in the NFL.

Cut 17 (15) “…whoever you want.”

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LSU men’s basketball ended its three-game losing streak and moved back to .500 in SEC play with a 70-64 win over Texas A&M, Wednesday night. Sophomore guard Brandon Murray led the Tigers with a game-high 21 points, and Eric Gaines added 16 points and six assists. LSU is back on the court Saturday when they host TCU at 11:00 a.m.

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After suffering its first conference loss of the season, Louisiana Tech will look to get back on track as the host Rice Thursday night at the Thomas Assembly Center. The Owls, who lead the conference in three-point shooting, present a major challenge. Tech coach Eric Konkol says for Tech to collect the victory, his team is going to have to play disciplined and together on the defensive end.

Cut 20 (21) “…want to do well.”

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There’s also a big in-state rival game tonight as Nicholls travels to face McNeese in Lake Charles. ULM is hosting Georgia Southern today, UL-Lafayette is hosting Georgia State, and Northwestern State hosts Incarnate Word.

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With mobile sports betting set to kick off on Friday morning, individual platforms have begun to announce who will be online for bettors. Companies include DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesar’s.

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