19th ranked LSU basketball can make a huge statement tonight when they visit 5th ranked Kentucky. Both teams are 9-and-1 in the SEC. LSU has made a habit of getting behind by double digits, but still pulling out a victory. Coach Will Wade says that strategy will not work tonight
Cut 18 (10) to win”
Kentucky’s top player is six-foot-eight sophomore forward PJ Washington, who is averaging 14 points and 8 rebounds a game. They’ve also been very good on the defensive end, allowing just 60 points a game in SEC contests. Tip off is at 6 PM.

The Pelicans host Orlando tonight at 7 PM. Both teams are 25-and-32 on the season. Anthony Davis is expected to play for New Orleans, but Coach Alvin Gentry says a decision on whether A-D will continue to play with the Pels after this weekend’s All-Star break has not been made.

According to Tiger Rag Editor James Moran, LSU Baseball Coach Paul Mainieri will announce his startering pitching for the opening weekend on Thursday. The Tigers open the season by hosting ULM on Friday. Zach Hess is expected to start on Friday and freshman Landon Marceaux is also expected to get a start this weekend.

Ragin Cajuns Coach Tony Robichaux has named Gunner Leger as his opening day starter. Leger missed the entire 2018 season, because of surgery on his knee and elbow. In 2017, Leger was 10-and-2 with a 1.97 ERA. The Cajuns host 23rd ranked Texas on Friday.

D-1 Baseball reports that Louisiana Tech senior left-hander David Leal is out two months after undergoing surgery to repair a broken foot. Leal led the team in strikeouts and innings pitched last season and compiled a 4-and-4 record with a 2.27 ERA.

LSU freshman defensive tackle Davin Cotton has entered the NCAA transfer portal.

19th ranked LSU is a nine point underdog heading into tonight’s game against 5th ranked Kentucky. Both teams are 9-1 in the SEC, but Tigers Coach Will Wade says his team faces a different animal tonight and they’ll need to do the little things to win…
cut 17 (20) “…their late”
The Tigers last win in Lexington was in 2009. tip-off tonight is at 6 PM.

The Pelicans host the Orlando Magic tonight. Coach Alvin Gentry says disgruntled superstar Anthony Davis will play in the two games leading up to this weekend’s All-Star break, but nothing has been decided after that. Tip time is at 7 PM.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has responded to Governor John Bel Edwards letter expressing his disappointment with the officiating error that cost the Saints a chance at winning the NFC Championship game. Goodell says they will look at whether expanding instant replay to include judgement calls on penalties should be reviewed. Goodell also says the league looks forward to bringing back the Super Bowl to New Orleans in 2024.

The Saints have hired Darren Rizzi as its new special teams coordinator. He’s spent the past 10 seasons with the Miami Dolphins and over the past eight seasons, Miami ranked first in the NFL in blocked punts and second in blocked kicks.

Former LSU Tiger Eric Reid has re-signed with Carolina Panthers, inking a three-year deal. Reid played in 13 games with the Panthers last season and finished sixth on the team in tackles.

LSU freshman defensive tackle Davin Cotton has entered the NCAA transfer portal. The former Evangel star played in just two games last season will have a hard time cracking the starting line-up with Bredien Fehoko and Tyler Shelving returning.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has responded to Governor John Bel Edwards’ letter in which he expressed disappointment in the blown pass interference call in the NFC Championship game. In a letter to the governor, Goodell said that he agrees the league must look at whether expanding replay to review decisions by officials on penalties could be a way to prevent a similar occurrence in the future. Goodell added that the NFL treasures its relationship with New Orleans and they look forward to the city hosting its 11th Super Bowl in 2024.

The Saints announced the hiring of Darren Rizzi as special teams coordinator. Rizzi spent the last 10 years with the Dolphins and over the past eight seasons, Miami ranked first in the NFL with eleven blocked punts and second in the league with 22 blocked kicks.

Former LSU safety Eric Reid has signed a 3-year contract extension worth more than 22-million dollars to remain with the Carolina Panthers. Reid started 13 games with Carolina last season and had one interception.

LSU has moved up two spots to number 19 in the latest A-P Top 25 poll. The Tigers have won 12 of their last 13, but Coach Will Wade is careful not to give his team too much praise…
cut 30 (10) “….done that”
The Tigers will face their biggest test of the season tomorrow when they visit fifth ranked Kentucky.

Warhawks Senior guard Daishon Smith has been named National Mid-Major player of the week by College Sports Madness. Smith averaged 37 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and 2.5 steals per game as the Warhawks beat Georgia State and Georgia Southern last week.

LSU announces that all baseball fans will be able to purchase beer and wine during home games this season in a new section called the Yard. They will be tented areas located in the left and right outfield corners. The Yard will operate in much the same way as the Chute at Tiger Stadium.

The LSU Tigers have won 11 of their last 12 heading into tomorrow night’s highly anticipated matchup with Kentucky in Lexington. On Saturday, the Tigers defeated Auburn 83 to 78 as LSU beat up the War Eagles on the glass, collecting 22 offensive rebounds, which led to 29 second chance points. Coach Will Wade’s team leads the SEC in offensive rebounding percentage and effort is a big key in getting the job done …

cut 30 (20) “…go hard”

It will be LSU versus Kentucky tomorrow night at 6 PM.

The Pelicans also return to the court tomorrow as they’ll be in Orlando to face the Magic. The Pels lost to the Grizzlies 99-90 on Saturday and we can expect Anthony Davis will play again in Orlando tomorrow, even though he wants to be traded out of New Orleans.

At 12:45 this afternoon at Amite High School, we’ll find out where the state’s top two remaining uncommitted football players will sign. Ishmael Sophser is considered one of the nation’s top defensive tackles. He’s been recruited heavily by Alabama, LSU and Oregon. Wide receiver-slash-defensive back Devonta Lee will also make his decision known and Billy Embody of 24-7 sports expects Lee to stay in Louisiana…
cut 6 (12) “…pick LSU”
24-7 ranks LSU as having the sixth best recruiting class in the nation.

24-7 sports says the Ragin Cajuns will bring in the best recruiting class in the Sun Belt. UL-Lafayette just received a commitment from three star linebacker La’Kamion Franklin from Neville High School. ULM’s class is ranked as the 9th best in the Sun Belt.

__________________________________________________

Saints rookie pass rusher Marcus Davenport is recovering from surgery. He posted a picture on social media that shows him in the hospital and his right foot his heavily bandaged. Davenport wrote he played through a season ending injury and promises to come back better. We do know that Davenport suffered a toe injury during the season, but wasn’t on the injury report during the final weeks of the regular season or postseason.

The Pelicans are in Chicago tonight and Anthony Davis’ injured finger is healthy enough to practice, but the team will reportedly have him sit on the bench tonight. The Pels are apparently not interested in playing him until after Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.

21st ranked LSU is at Mississippi State tonight. The Tigers have won four straight road games. Tip off is at 8 PM.

In the Southland…McNeese visits the first place Sam Houston State Bearkats. UNO is at Northwestern State. Southeastern Louisiana travels to Texas A-and-M Corpus Christi.

Since it appears the Pelicans are not interested in moving forward with any of the Lakers trade proposals for Anthony Davis, Los Angeles has reportedly put on hold it’s efforts to acquire A-D. There have been reports the Pelicans are seeking a huge return for their All-Star big man and may prefer to wait until the summer to see what other deals are out there.

Davis has missed the last several games with an injured finger, but the Chicago native is listed as questionable to play in tomorrow night’s game versus the Bulls. The NBA trade deadline is Thursday.

Tomorrow it’s national signing day in college football, LSU hopes the nation’s top defensive tackle Ishmael Sopsher will sign with the Tigers over Alabama. His teammate at Amite, Devonta Lee, could also sign with LSU tomorrow. LSU has six available spots to fill out their 2019 recruiting class.

21st ranked LSU looks to bounce back from its first SEC loss of the season on Saturday to Arkansas when they travel to Starkville to face Mississippi State on Wednesday night. Tigers Coach Will Wade says the Bulldogs do a lot of stuff well…
Cut 16 (20) “…games.″
LSU guard Tremont Waters is a semifinalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. He’s averaging 19 points a game in SEC play and leads the conference in steals.

In Southland Conference action tomorrow night, McNeese visits the first place Sam Houston State Bearkats. UNO is at Northwestern State. The Privateers are 7-3 in league play, while the Demons are 3-and-6. Southeastern Louisiana is at Texas A-and-M Corpus Christi. The Lions are 5-4 in league play.

The short-handed Pelicans lost again last night, falling to Indiana 109-107. It’s the third straight defeat for New Orleans as they played once again without All-Star Anthony Davis. A-D has been cleared to practice, but management reportedly does not want him playing in any games. Davis has asked to be traded and the Pels are looking for a significant haul for the six-time All-Star. The Lakers have reportedly offered various trade scenarios to the Pels, but Los Angeles is growing pessimistic a deal can be done by Thursday’s trade deadline. There’s belief the Pels should wait until the summer to trade Davis, because they’ll get better offers.

The nation’s number one defensive tackle Ishmael Sopsher finally makes his choice known tomorrow on where he’ll attend college. LSU and Alabama have been after the five star prospect for several months. Amite’s Devonta Lee, who plays wide receiver and could possibly be a defensive back, will also sign his letter of intent tomorrow on national signing day.

LSU basketball has fallen two spots in the latest A-P poll to number 21. The Tigers are entering a tough stretch. After tomorrow night’s road game against Mississippi State, they host Auburn and then travel to Kentucky. Coach Will Wade says they’ve been able to beat teams with their talent, length and athleticsm, but they need to do more to beat these upcoming teams
Cut 18 (15) ourselves”
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has LSU as a number five seed in his latest bracket projection.

The long time Voice of Louisiana Tech Dave Nitz is headed to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame as he will receive the 2019 Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism. Nitz is in his 44th season as the radio voice of La Tech sports.

The Pelicans battled hard last night but came up short and fell to the Indiana Pacers 109-107. New Orleans struggled from three-point territory as they were 9-of-38. Another good game from the former number three overall pick Jahlil Okafor as he led all scorers with 25 points and 13 rebounds…
cut 30 (15) “…playing hard”
All-Star Anthony Davis did not play again because of a finger injury, but Coach Alvin Gentry say A-D has been cleared to practice. But Gentry gave no timetable on when Davis will return to game action.

The NBA trade deadline is Thursday and the Lakers have reportedly upped their offer for Davis. There’s a belief New Orleans would receive better offers if they waited until the summer to trade Davis.

LSU moved down two spots to number 21 in the latest A-P poll. The Bayou Bengals 10-game winning streak was snapped over the weekend. The Tigers gave up 13 3-pointers and turned it over 21 times on Saturday in a 90-89 defeat to Arkansas. Tremont Waters committed a critical turn over in the final minute, with LSU up by one point. Coach Will Wade says the Tigers have to play smart in order to win close games…
cut 17 (13) “…especially at home”
Waters is a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award. He’s averaging 19 points, six assists, four rebounds and 2.5 steals a game in SEC play. The Tigers are at Mississippi State tomorrow.

The long time Voice of Louisiana Tech Dave Nitz is headed to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame as he will receive the 2019 Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism. Nitz is in his 44th season as the radio voice of La Tech sports.

Saints fans promised to boycott the Super Bowl and they followed through with that threat as the overnight television rating showed only a quarter of the TVs in the New Orleans market had the game on. The 26.1 rating is half of what the rating was for last year’s Super Bowl.

Dennis Allen is reportedly signing a three-year contract to stay as the defensive coordinator of the Saints. Cincinnati had interest in Allen, who took over a struggling Saints defense and improved it dramatically.

Junior college defensive end Soni Fonua has committed to LSU and is expected to sign with the Tigers on Wednesday. Fonua is from Utah and played the last two seasons at Mesa Community College in Arizona.

The long time Voice of Louisiana Tech Dave Nitz is headed to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Nitz will receive the 2019 Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism and will be enshrined in the Hall this summer. Nitz is in his 44th season as the radio voice of La Tech sports.

New England’s uninteresting 13-3 win over Los Angeles denied veteran Rams offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth from winning a Super Bowl ring. But the former LSU and West Monroe star says he will not allow this loss to define him…
cut 30 (22) “…moving forward”
Whitworth says he’s yet to decide if he’ll return for a 14th season.

LSU basketball fell two spots to number 21 in the AP Top 25 poll. The Tigers 10-game winning streak ended Saturday with a one-point loss to Arkansas. LSU is at Mississippi State on Wednesday.

The Pelicans host Indiana tonight. ESPN is reporting the Lakers have offered a new package to New Orleans for Anthony Davis. It reportedly includes multiple young players, draft picks and salary cap relief.

The Super Bowl. The overnight rating for the New Orleans market was a dismal 26.1, which is the lowest ever for the Big Easy and the lowest of any market in the country. There were second line parades, concerts and viewing parties to re-watch the Saints Super Bowl victory over the Colts, instead of watching the Patriots win their sixth Super Bowl title.

New England’s uninteresting 13-3 win over Los Angeles denied veteran Rams offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth from winning a Super Bowl ring. But the former LSU and West Monroe star says he will not allow this loss define him…
cut 30 (22) “…moving forward”
Whitworth says he’s yet to decide if he’ll return for a 14th season.

Dennis Allen is reportedly signing a three-year contract today to remain as the defensive coordinator of the Saints. Cincinnati had interest in Allen, who has led the turn around of the Saints defense, which was one of the worst in the NFL, when New Orleans was going through three consecutive seven and nine seasons.

Junior college defensive end Soni Fonua has announced his commitment to the LSU football program and is expected to sign with the Tigers on national signing day this Wednesday. Fonua is from Utah and played the last two seasons at Mesa Community College in Arizona.

The LSU basketball team had its 10-game winning streak on Saturday with a one-point loss to Arkansas. The Tigers now face a tough stretch of games, starting Wednesday at 22nd ranked Mississippi State.

And Grambling State’s Shakyla Hill is the first Division One player to have two quadruple-doubles in a season. Hill had 21 points, 16 rebounds, 13 assists and 10 steals in Grambling’s 20 point win over Arkansas Pine-Bluff.