ESPN reports Anthony Davis and Pelicans executive vice president David Griffin met this morning in Los Angeles. The two are expected to keep talking as Griffin is making a case for the All-Star to remain in New Orleans. A-D can be a free agent next summer.

Tigers basketball coach Will Wade spoke for the first time yesterday since he was suspended for failing to address allegations of illegal payments to recruits with LSU officials. Wade dodged questions about the reported strong offer made to Javonte Smart, but he did address the allegation of a 300-thousand dollar offer for Naz Reid…
cut 24 (07) “….did not happen”
Wade says he regrets the way he handled the accusations when they first surfaced that lead to him missing the Tigers entire postseason run.

Forward Emmit Williams announces he’s returning to LSU. He’s one of four Tigers who entered their name into the NBA draft, but have decided to come to back LSU.

The LSU-Alabama football game will not be a CBS primetime game this year. Instead the network has decided to televise an SEC night game in September. It’s expected to be the Norte Dame-Georgia game. The SEC Showdown between LSU and Alabama has been shown on CBS at night since 2010. CBS could still televise the big game, but it will kick-off at 2:30, instead of 7 PM.

LSU Baseball Coach Paul Mainieri is expected to announce tomorrow who will start in Friday night’s game against Stony Brook. Cole Henry, Eric Walker and Landon Marceaux are options to get the ball.

The McNeese Cowboys are a three seed heading into the Nahsville Regional, where the Vanderbilt Commodores are the top seed. Coach Justin Hill says for the Pokes to win games in Music City they’ll need good outings from senior right-hander Aiden Anderson….
cut 18 (10) “….all year”
McNeese’s first game is Friday afternoon at noon.

Proponents to legalize sports betting are disappointed as it appears legislation to bring the gaming activity to Louisiana’s casinos and racetracks will not pass before the session ends June 6th. Wade Duty is the executive director of the Louisiana Casino Association…
cut 11 (10) “…direction”
So many amendments have been added to the sports betting bill that the casino association has dropped its support for the legislation. As it stands now, it doesn’t appear the votes are there to get the proposal approved before the legislative session concludes June 6th.

The Saints have signed a couple of running backs, Javorius Allen and Matt Dayes. Allen rushed for 12-hundred yards and eight touchdowns during four seasons in Baltimore. He also caught 129 passes. Dayes played on special teams for the 49ers last season.

LSU basketball Coach Will Wade dodged questions about the reported strong offer that was made to sign Tigers guard Javonte Smart. Wade took questions from reporters for the first time yesterday…
cut 26 (09) “…place right now”
Wade says those allegations were thoroughly discussed with LSU and NCAA officials during a meeting last month.

McNeese State baseball is a three-seed in the Nashville Regional. The Cowboys first game is Friday against Indiana State. McNeese Coach Justin Hill says they hope for a big weekend from Nate Fisbeck…
cut 19 (22) “….defensive team”

LSU Basketball Coach Will Wade admits the last couple of months have been difficult. He spoke for the first time yesterday in front of reporters at the SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Florida. Wade dodged questions about the reported FBI wiretap that said he made a strong offer to sign Javonte Smart. But says mistakes were made when he made the decision not to speak with LSU officials about that allegation…
cut 5 (08) “…those issues”
Attorney Michael McGovern advised Wade not to talk with LSU officials in early March and that led to a suspension that lasted until April 14th.

Wade is back with the Tigers basketball program and so is Emmit Williams . The six-foot-six forward has removed his name from NBA draft consideration. He was one of six Tigers to enter the draft and four have them decided to return, Williams, Javonte Smart, Marlon Taylor and Skylar Mays.

McNeese is in the NCAA Baseball Tournament for the first time since 2003 as the Cowboys will face Indiana State on Friday afternoon in Nashville. The Cowboys received an automatic berth after winning the Southland Tournament. Coach Justin Hill’s team was outstanding on the mound and he hopes to see a little more hitting in Music City…
cut 17 (17) little bit”
The Cowboys face Indiana State on Friday in Nashville.

And it doesn’t look like the state legislature will approve a bill that could lead to the legaliziation of sports betting. The House Appropriations Committee rejected the sports betting bill, even though tax revenues would go towards early childhoold education. Metairie Representative Cameron Henry voted against it…
cut 13 (09) “…education”
It could be another two years before lawmakers are able to legalize sports betting.

LSU will get another shot at playing Stony Brook as the two teams will meet Friday in the opening round of the NCAA Baseball Regional in Baton Rouge. In 2012, the Seawolves upset the Tigers in a Super Regional Series. Coach Paul Mainieri says Stony Brook’s 2012 team had seven players drafted in the first few rounds and they deserved to beat LSU seven years ago
Cut 16 (20) “…good teams”
LSU will face Stony Brook at 6 PM on Friday. The first game of the regional is at one Pm as Arizona State will take on Southern Miss.

LSU basketball coach Will Wade spoke publicly today for the first time he was suspended on March 7th. Wade told reporters covering the SEC Spring Meetings in Destin, Florida that it’s been a couple of difficult months for the basketball program. But Wade says allegations of illegal recruiting were thoroughly addressed with LSU administrators and NCAA officials.

Southern is in the NCAA Baseball Tournament for the first in 10 years and they will head to Starkville to play Mississippi State on Friday afternoon. The Jags beat LSU earlier this year and last season played a tight game against the Bulldogs through seven innings, before State pulled away. Southern Coach Kerrick Jackson..
Cut 18 (11) “where they may”
Friday’s game is set for noon at Dudy Noble Field.

A proposal to allow sports betting at the state’s casinos and racetracks failed in the House Appropriations Committee. Amendments were added to the legislation to get some money for horseman and allow sports betting at video poker establishments, which drew the opposition of the Louisiana Casino Association. Executive Director Wade Duty…
cut 13 (11) “…we can support”
There’s still a chance the sports betting bill could be revived through legislative procedures, but the odds are against the measure from passing.

LSU will face a familiar foe on Friday night in the opening round of the Baton Rouge Regional. Stony Brook, who upset the Fighting Tigers in the Super Regionals in 2012, returns to B-R to take on LSU once again. Coach Paul Mainieri says Friday’s game will have nothing to do with 2012
Cut 15 (15) “was unbelieveable ”
The Seawolves are in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. Senior right-hander Bret Clarke is their top pitcher, with an 8-0 record and a 3.76 ERA. Nick Grande is Stony Brook’s top hitter. He’s hitting .342 with 19 stolen bases. First pitch is at 6 PM.

McNeese will meet Indiana State at noon on Friday in the Nashville Regional. The Cowboys are in the NCAA Baseball Tournament for the first time since 2003.

Southern University is in the NCAA Baseball Tournament for the first time in 10 years and the Jaguars will travel up to Starkville to face Mississippi State on Friday afternoon. The other two teams in the Starkville Regional are Central Michigan and Miami, a traditional power in college baseball. Southern Coach Kerrick Jackson says this Regional will serve as a measuring stick…
cut 20 (19) “of college baseball”
Southern was just 9-and-33 last season and here they are back in the NCAA Tournament.

Skylar Mays and Marlon Taylor are back with the LSU basketball team as they have reportedly removed their names from NBA draft consideration. Emmit Williams could also return, tomorrow is the deadline to do so.

The LSU Baseball team will host Stony Brook, Arizona State and Southern Miss in the Baton Rouge Regional this weekend. Shortstop Josh Smith says it looks like a tough regional….
cut 17 (15) “…to it”
LSU will face Stony Brook on Friday night in a rematch of the 2012 Super Regionals that was won by the Seawolves. The Sun Devils are the two seed and they lead the country with 91 home runs. The Golden Eagles are the three seed and they are led by Matt Wallner and his 21 home runs.

McNeese State is a three seed in the Nashville Regional and the Cowboys will face Indiana State at noon. It’s the Cowboys fifth NCAA Regional appearance and the first since 2013. The other two teams in that regional are top seeded Vanderbilt and Ohio State is the four seed.

The Southern Jaguars are in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 10 years and they’ll play Mississippi State at noon on Friday at Dudy Noble Field. The Jaguars won just nine games last season and second-year coach Kerrick Jackson is proud to bring a winner back to Southern….
cut 19 (23) “…our team”
The other two teams in the Starkville Regional are Central Michigan and Miami.

LSU’s Skylar Mays and Marlon Taylor have reportedly removed their names from NBA draft consideration. Mays averaged 13 points and two steals a game last season and Taylor averaged seven points and four rebounds. Emmit Williams could also return, tomorrow is the deadline to do so.

The LSU Tigers will get another chance at Stony Brook. The school from New York came down to Baton Rouge and beat the Tigers in a Super Regional Series in 2012. Stony Brook will be back in B-R this weekend for the Baton Rouge Regional hosted by LSU. The Tigers and Seawolves will face each other Friday night at 6 PM in the Box.

The other two teams in the Baton Rouge Regional are Arizona State and Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles are Conference USA Tournament champs, while the Sun Devils lead the NCAA in home runs with 91.

McNeese, who won the Southland Conference Tournament on Saturday, will head to Nashville where they’ll be a three-seed take on Indiana State out of the Missouri Valley Conference. Vanderbilt, one of the top teams in the country, will host the regional and the Commodores will play Ohio State.

Southern Jaguars will make their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 10 years. The Jaguars will head to Starkville to face Mississippi State on Friday afternoon. The other two teams in that regional are Central Michigan and Miami.

At 11 AM, the NCAA Baseball Regionals will be announced. LSU has been announced as a host site. They are one of six from the SEC that will host, the others are Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Georgia, Mississippi State and Ole Miss. The Rebels secured their host spot by making it to the SEC Tournament Championship game before they lost to Vanderbilt 11 to 10.

It’s the seventh time in eight years that LSU will host a regional.

The other three teams that will be in the Baton Rouge Regional will be announced at 11 AM. McNeese State could be one of those teams, the Cowboys have received an automatic bid as they won the Southland Conference Tournament by beating Central Arkansas Four to two. McNeese ran through the Southland Toruney by winning four straight and only giving up eight runs in the tournament. Senior Aidan Anderson was named conference Tournament MVP.

Southern will also be in the NCAA Tournament as they won the SWAC Tourney over a week ago.

UL Lafayette athletics director Bryan Maggard says he expects baseball coach Tony Robichaux will be back next season. The Cajuns just suffered through their first losing season since 2012. Robichaux just completed his 25th season and for the first time in his coaching career in Lafayette, the Cajuns are not headed to an NCAA Regional for a third consecutive year.

House approved Fantasy sports regulation is halfway to final passage as a bill that would tax the activity will soon receive a hearing in a Senate committee. As it stands, the tax rate for fantasy sports is currently at 15 percent, which Fairness for Fantasy Sports spokesperson Ryan Berni says would be the highest in the nation.
Cut 3 (09) “…winnings”
Opponents argue it’s a lower rate than what other gaming activities in the state must pay.

LSU fans are still buzzing about yesterday’s wild victory over Auburn. The Tigers scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to win four to three. The first run came in on a wild pitch and the winning run scored on a throwing error, all happening in a matter of seconds. Giovanni Digiacomo scored the tying run and here’s what he saw…
cut 18 (22) “…was in there”
The win keeps LSU alive in the SEC Tournament. The Tigers will get another shot at Mississippi State after losing to the Bulldogs in 17 innings on Wednesday night and Thursday morning. LSU is thin on pitching, so seldomly used senior Clay Moffit is expected to pitch for the Tigers. First pitch right around 6:30.

ULM is in the Sun Belt tournament semifinals for the first since 2012 as the Warhawks have won three games this week. Last night they trounced UT Arlington 18-5 as Trent Tingelstad drove in seven runs, three of them came on a home run. ULM has the day off in Conway, South Carolina. Tomorrow, they’ll play either UTA or Coastal Carolina at 11:30 AM.

In the Southland, McNeese is two wins away from winning that conference tournament. The Cowboys defeated Texas A-and-M Corpus Christi seven to two yesterday and they’ll play in the semi finals tonight against either U-I-W or Corpus Christi. Southeastern Louisiana edged Stephen F Austin four to three earlier today and they’ll play Central Arkansas at 5 PM.

Former LSU star Travin Dural is back on the practice field for the Saints. He missed all of last season after breaking his humerus in July. Coach Sean Payton on what he’s seeing from the Breaux Bridge native…
cut 30 (09) “..with him”

LSU is still alive in the SEC Baseball Tournament after a wild 4-3 victory over the Auburn Tigers. Coach Paul Mainieri’s team was trailing by one run in the ninth inning, with runners at second and third base, when a wild pitch and throwing error allowed both runs to score to end the ball game…
Cut 16 (20) “…do it”
The Tigers won the game despite only having a couple of hours of sleep, because their previous game, a 17-inning loss to Mississippi State, ended at three o’ clock in the morning.

And wouldn’t you know, LSU and Mississppi State will play again tonight at around 6:30. The other elimination game today is Arkansas and Ole Miss, which starts at 3 PM.

ULM has advanced to the Sun Belt Tournament Semifinals for the first time since 2012 as the Warhawks flew past U-T Arlington 18-5. Trent Tingelstad drove in seven runs, three came on a home run and he finished with five hits. Ty Barnes threw seven innings for his fifth win of the season. ULM will play again on Saturday in the semis.

U-L Lafayette and Louisiana Tech are done for the season. Troy eliminated the Ragin Cajuns from the Sun Belt Tournament with a 10-7 and Louisiana Tech was two and barbeque at the Conference USA Tournament with a 4-3 loss to Rice. The Bulldogs finish the year with a 34-24 record.

In the Southland Tournament, McNeese has advanced to the championship round of their side of the bracket after dominating seven to two win over Texas A-and-M Corpus Christi. It’s the first time since 2003 that the Cowboys have won their first two games of the torunament.

Southeastern Louisiana is still alive in the Southland Tourney. The Lions eliminated Northwestern State six to four yesterday and S-L-U faces Stephen F Austin this morning at 9 AM.