The NBA’s trade deadline came and went this afternoon and the Pelicans are keeping Lonzo Ball. There were reports the Bulls and Knicks were interested in acquiring Ball, but he’s staying in New Orleans. Ball has not played the last two games because of a strained right hip flexor, but we’ll see if he’s in the lineup tomorrow when the Pels host the Nuggets.

The La Tech basketball team will take on Conference USA rival Western Kentucky in the NIT tonight at 9 p.m. These teams played each other in early January, which each team winning once during a two-game series in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Tech coach Eric Konkol says the familiarity should make for a good game.
Cut 16 (10) “…great matchup.”
Tip-off is at 9:00 on ESPN 2.

LSU baseball is making a change with its pitching rotation heading into this weekend’s series in Knoxville against Tennessee. Junior right-hander Landon Marceaux will start on Friday night and Jaden Hill will slide back to Saturday. Marceaux has not allowed an earned run in 31.1 consecutive innings. Tiger Rag Editor Ron Higgins says Marceaux has been magnificent…
cut 30 (10) “…what he’s doing”
Offensively, the Tigers are number one in the nation in homers with 37. The series begins tomorrow at 5:30 central time.

21st ranked Louisiana Tech begins Conference USA play this weekend with a four-game series at Southern Miss. Each team is playing well, the Bulldogs have won six in a row, while the Golden Eagles have won nine of their last ten.

The Ragin Cajuns open Sun Belt play this weekend by hosting Coastal Carolina and ULM is at Texas State.

Multiple reports say the New Orleans Saints and Caesars Entertainment are close to finalizing a deal for Superdome naming rights.  The current naming rights deal with Mercedes Benz expires in July.

The Saints have reportedly signed veteran Tight End Nick Vannett to a three-year deal.  This signing comes on the heals of New Orleans cutting tight ends Jared Cook and Josh Hill.  Vannett caught 14 passes for the Denver Broncos last season.

Also, former Saints linebacker Alex Anzalone has signed with the Detroit Lions

The NBA trade deadline is 2 p.m. today and there have been trade rumors involving Pelicans guards JJ Redick and Lonzo Ball.  The Chicago Bulls are a team that have reportedly shown interest in Ball.  If New Orleans is unable to trade Redick, the team may buy out his contract.

Grambling State has suspended all football activities because of positive COVID tests.  The Tigers upcoming games against Alabama A-and-M on March 27th and Texas Southern on April 3rd have been canceled.

The La Tech basketball team will take on Conference USA rival Western Kentucky in the NIT tonight at 9 p.m. These teams played each other in early January, with each team winning once during a two-game series in Bowling Green, Kentucky. When the Bulldogs and Hilltoppers battle it out on the hardwood, it will be broadcast on ESPN 2.  Coach Eric Konkol says playing on a big-time stage is a great opportunity.

Cut 18 (16) “represent everybody”

When the LSU baseball team takes on Tennessee in Knoxville this weekend, there will be a noticeable change in the rotation.  During his appearance on “Off The Bench” coach Paul Mainieri says  Landon Marceaux will get the start on Friday night, instead of his usual Saturday spot in the rotation. Marceaux has thrown 33 and a third innings, striking out 36 batters and has not allowed an earned run all season.  Jaden Hill will get the start on Saturday.

Multiple reports say the Saints and Caesars Entertainment are close to finalizing a Superdome naming rights deal. The Athletic’s Jeff Duncan reports the two sides are discussing a 20-year deal that would pay the franchise 10-million dollars annually. The current naming rights deal with Mercedes Benz expires in July.

After releasing Jared Cook and Josh Hill, the Saints were in the market for a veteran tight end. They found one in Nick Vannett, who has reportedly agreed to a three-year deal with the team. Vannett is known more as a blocker than a pass receiver. He caught 14 passes last season with Denver.

Former Saints linebacker Alex Anzalone has signed with the Lions and defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh re-signs with Tampa Bay.

Grambling State has suspended all football activities because of positive COVID tests. So the Tigers upcoming games against Alabama A-and-M on March 27th and Texas Southern on April 3rd have been canceled.

The NBA trade deadline is at 2 PM today. There have been trade rumors involving the Pelicans J-J Redick, but reports say he may get bought out, which will allow the three-point specialist to sign with another team as a free agent. Starting point guard Lonzo Ball is another trade candidate and the Chicago Bulls have reportedly shown interest in Ball.

The Louisiana Tech men’s basketball team will face Conference USA foe Western Kentucky tonight in the quarterfinals of the N-I-T Tournament. The Hilltoppers are led by Conference USA Player of the Year Charles Bassey and senior guard Taveion Hollingsworth. Tech Coach Eric Konkol says they need to keep Hollingsworth from getting to the foul line…
cut 17 (13) “….away from it”
Tip off is at 9 PM on ESPN 2.

The Athletic’s Jeff Duncan is reporting that Caesars Entertainment is expected to land the Superdome naming rights. Mercedes Benz currently has a naming rights deal with the Dome but that contract runs until July this year. Duncan reports that Saints owner Gayle Benson and team executives recently met with Caesar’s reps in Las Vegas to discuss a deal that would pay the NFL franchise 10-million dollars over the next 20 years.

At LSU’s spring practice, Coach Ed Orgeron likes what he sees from his new defensive coordinator, Daronte Jones. The Tigers’ last defensive coordinator Bo Pelini led LSU to a historically bad season on defense and Orgeron says he’s more hands-on this year…
cut 18 (22) “…doing it”
Orgeron says linebacker and safety are the big position battles on defense.

The 21st ranked Louisiana Tech baseball team won its sixth straight game last night as the Bulldogs rallied to beat ULM nine to seven. Tech second baseman Taylor Young had three hits and drove in three runs.

The Pelicans took advantage of a short-handed Lakers team and defeated Los Angeles 128 to 111 last night. L-A was missing Lebron James and Anthony Davis because of injuries, while the Pels two best players had good nights. Brandon Ingram scored a season-high 36 points and Zion Williamson had 27 points and nine rebounds. That’s now 21 straight games of 20 points or more for Williamson…
cut 20 (23) “…I do it”
New Orleans is now 19 and 24 and they are 2.5 games back of 10th place in the Western Conference. The teams who finish between seventh and tenth place will compete in a play tournament to get in the playoffs. There are multiple reports that say the Pelicans and J-J Redick are likely headed toward a buyout.

The 2020 LSU football season did not go as planned for the Tigers as they struggled and finished with a 5-5 record. Coach Ed Orgeron made several changes with his coaching staff after the .500 season and admits he did a poor job of hiring coaches after winning the national championship…

Cut 17 (25) “tremendous job”

Louisiana Tech baseball has extended their winning streak to six games as they take down ULM 9-7.

Southern’s upcoming football game against Jackson State on April 3 has been moved to ESPN.  The game between the Jaguars and Tigers will kickoff at 4 p.m.

Saints Quarterback Jameis Winston got emotional talking about Drew Brees and the possibility he may replace Brees next season. Winston recently signed a one-year deal with New Orleans for the opportunity to replace the future hall of famer. He spent this past as Brees’ backup and says it was a dream for him to have an opportunity to learn from a great Q-B….

Cut 19 (19) “he understands”

The New Orleans Pelicans beat the Los Angeles Lakers 128-111 last night.  Forward Brandon Ingram led the way offensively for the Pels as he scored a game-high 36 points.  Zion Williamson added 27 points in the win.  The Pelicans are now 19-24 on the season.

The 2020 LSU football season did not go as planned for the Tigers as they struggled and finished with a 5-5 record. Coach Ed Orgeron made several changes with his coaching staff after the .500 season and admits he did a poor job of hiring coaches after winning the national championship…
Cut 17 (25) “…tremendous job.”
Orgeron says the quarterbacks continue to get equal reps and freshman defensive lineman Maason Smith has looked good as the Tigers are in the second week of spring practice.

In the latest F-C-S Top 25 poll, Nicholls is ranked 17th, while Southeastern Louisiana dropped to 23rd.

Saints Quarterback Jameis Winston spoke with the media yesterday for the first time since signing a one-year contract to compete with Taysom Hill for the starting quarterback job. Winston says he’s grateful for the opportunity…
cut 20 (14) “….that I can”
Winston says he’s excited about the opportunity to keep working with head coach Sean Payton.

The Pelicans didn’t have to work too hard to beat the Lakers last night. Lebron James and Anthony Davis did not play for Los Angeles and the Pels beat the short-handed Lakers 128 to 111. Brandon Ingram had a season-high 36 for New Orleans.

The 21st ranked Louisiana Tech baseball team won its sixth straight game last night as the Bulldogs rallied to beat ULM nine to seven. Tech second baseman Taylor Young had three hits and drove in three runs.

The LSU basketball team’s season ended last night with an 86-78 loss to Michigan in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines shot 54-percent from the field and hit 10 three-pointers. Cam Thomas had 30 points for the Tigers, while Javonte Smart had 27…
cut 17 (16) “…40 minutes”
We wait to see if Thomas and Smart will return next season.

Former LSU leader F King Alexander lasted less than one year as Oregon State’s President as the Board of Trustees at that PAC-12 school accepted his resignation today. Board Chairwoman Rani Borkar says they heard from faculty, students, alumni and sexual assault survivors that King must go for mishandling sexual misconduct complaints at LSU…
cut 9 (04) “….no longer possible”

Jameis Winston got emotional talking with reporters today about the opportunity he has to replace Drew Brees as the Saints Quarterback. Winston will have to battle with Taysom Hill to be the starter after signing a one-year deal with New Orleans. He served as Brees’ back-up this past season and said it was a dream of his to play with number nine…
cut 29 (19) “…that torch”

At the Smoothie King Center tonight, the Pelicans will host the Lakers. No Lebron James or Anthony Davis for the Lakers as they are both hurt.

No LSU baseball game at Tulane tonight. It’s been canceled because of the stormy weather in New Orleans. But newly ranked Lousiana Tech is set to host I-20 rival ULM at 6 PM. The Bulldogs have won five in a row.

It was a back-and-forth game, but in the end, top-seeded Michigan was the better team and ended LSU’s season in the second round in the NCAA Tournament with an 86-78 victory over the Tigers last night.  LSU only turned it over three times but shot 39-percent from the field. Wade says they played well but ran into a great team…

Cut 17 (16) “40 minutes”

Cam Thomas had 30 points, while Javonte Smart had 27 points to go along with 9 rebounds and 6 assists.  Trendon Watford and Darius Days combined for just 17 points in the loss.

The New Orleans Pelicans will host the Los Angeles Lakers tonight at 6:30 in the Smoothie King Center.  The Pels are coming off of a big win against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday and are hoping to get a second-straight win against a Lakers squad that will be without LeBron James.

The Louisiana Tech baseball team’s five-game winning streak has them ranked in the Top 25 in two polls.  The 13-and-5 Bulldogs will host ULM tonight. They swept Tulane last weekend after beating nationally ranked Arkansas and Ole Miss. Burroughs says his players want to put Louisiana Tech on the college baseball map…

Cut 20 (16) “stay with it”

Tech is scheduled to host ULM at 6 PM tonight.

The LSU baseball team is scheduled to play at Tulane tonight, but that game has been canceled and will not be rescheduled due to inclement weather in the New Orleans area.  The Green Wave were swept by Tech last weekend while LSU is coming off of a weekend series loss to the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

The Southern baseball team will travel to Mobile to take on South Alabama tomorrow at 6:30.

It was a back-and-forth game, but in the end, top-seeded Michigan was the better team and ended LSU’s season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with an 86-78 victory over the Tigers last night. The Bayou Bengals got great games from Cam Thomas and Javonte Smart, but Coach Will Wade’s team allowed the Wolverines to shoot 54-percent from the field and hit 10 three-pointers…
Cut 16 (20) “…what we were doing.”
Thomas had 30 points, while Smart had 27 points. But the other two of LSU’s big four, didn’t have great games. Trendon Watford and Darius Days combined to score 17 points and had just seven rebounds. LSU’s season ends with a 19-10 record.

The Louisiana Tech baseball team’s five-game winning streak has them ranked in the Top 25 in two polls. Perfect Game ranks the Bulldogs 21st in the nation and D-1 Baseball has Tech as the 23rd best team in the country. Coach Lane Burroughs says his guys are deserving of the ranking
Cut 19 (24) “..while now.”
Tech is scheduled to host ULM at 6 PM tonight. LSU is scheduled to play at Tulane tonight. The Green Wave were swept by La Tech last weekend, while the Tigers lost a series to Mississippi State. LSU is ranked 22nd by D-1 baseball.

The Pelicans host the Lakers tonight.

This year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament has featured several upsets and eighth-seeded LSU will try to add to the upset tally when they face top-seeded Michigan at 6:10 PM tonight. Michigan’s leading scorer is seven-foot-one freshman Hunter Dickinson, who is averaging 14 points and seven rebounds a game. Six-foot-seven Junior Forward Darius Days on going up against Dickinson and the Wolverines….

Cut 17 (16) “for us”

The Pelicans finished off a three-game road trip by beating the Denver Nuggets 113 to 108 yesterday.  Forwards Zion Wiilliamson and Brandon Ingram each had 30 points in the victory while guard Nikeil Alexander-Walker contributed to the win as he poured in 20 points.  The Pels shot over 48 percent as a team and out rebounded the Nuggets 45-37.  New Orleans is 18-24 after the win.

The LSU baseball team finally showed some signs of life at the plate yesterday as they were able to win the final game of the three-game weekend series against Mississippi State.  Gavin Dugas blasted a solo home run to break a two-two tie in the sixth inning and the Tigers went on to win eight to three. Freshman designated hitter Brody Drost also homered.  The Bulldogs took the series two games to one.

Louisiana Tech is red hot after finishing off a sweep of Tulane this past weekend. Manny Garcia homered and drove in three runs for the Bulldogs who have won five in a row.  Tech is now ranked 23^rd in D1 Baseball’s latest poll due to the team’s latest winning streak.

The Warhawks won their opening Sun Belt Conference series by taking two of three from Georgia State.

The Ragin Cajuns dropped two of three to 15th ranked TCU. McNeese leads the Southland Conference after taking three of four from Houston Baptist.

In football news, McNeese and Southern both got wins on Saturday, while Southeastern Louisiana fell to Incarnate Word.