The Smoothie King Center should be rockin tonight as the Pelicans host Portland up two games to nothing. But Jake Madison, host of Locked on Pelicans podcast, says this series is far from over as the Trail Blazers still have a shot….
cut 19 (23) “…the end”
Portland’s talented backcourt of Damian Lillard and C-J McCollum have missed a combined 29 shots. Tip-of is at 8 PM.

The Saints schedule comes out tonight. The Black and Gold will reportedly host Tampa in the season opener and the Falcons on Thanksgiving night and travel to Dallas for another Thursday night matchup.

The Saints are reportedly bringing back wide receiver Brandon Coleman for another season. Coleman saw a lot of playing time last season and caught 23 passes for 364 yards.

The Buccaneers have announced former LSU Tiger Kendell Beckweith suffered an ankle fracture in a single-vehicle car wreck last week and needed surgery to repair the injury. General Manager Jason Licht says the injury occurred in Louisiana and Beckwith was a passenger. No timetable on when he’ll return. The linebacker had a solid rookie campaign as he had 73 tackles and seven tackles for a loss last season.

Former UL-Lafayette and LSU football player Jeryl Brazil is facing a charge of third-degree rape. A police report says Brazil allegedly forced himself on a girl at a residence after night out with friends and roomates. Brazil who also rank track at UL Lafayette was considered a draft prospect after posting a 40-time of 4.35.

Louisiana sports fans are falling in love with Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday. The veteran scored a career playoff-high 33 points in last night’s 111 to 102 win over Portland….
cut 4 (09) “…right now”
Holiday also held Portland All-Star Damian Lillard to 17 points last night. The Pels are up two games to nothing and host Game 3 tomorrow.

LSU’s starting second baseman Brandt Broussard returns to the field tonight as the Tigers visit Tulane. Broussard missed just over three weeks with a thumb injury. He believes the injury will not hinder his performance going forward….
cut 17 (12) “…getting ground balls”
First pitch is at 6:30.

The Ragin Cajuns take a five-game winning streak into tonight’s home game versus Louisiana Tech. Coach Tony Robichaux’s team has won 17 of the last 18 games played in Lafayette against the Bulldogs. La Tech enters the week ranked third in the nation in ERA at 2.56. First pitch is at 6:00.

In other action tonight, Northwestern State hosts Little Rock. The Demons lost to Lamar three to two yesterday. Nicholls faces Mississippi Valley. The Colonels have a five-game winning streak over the Delta Devils. And UNO hosts South Alabama. The Privateers lost to Jackson State seven to four last night.

The NFL will release its schedule tomorrow night. Pro Football Talk is reporting the league is moving the kickoff times for its primetime games up a few minutes. So Sunday night games will kick off at 7:20, instead of 7:30. Monday night football will be 7:15, instead of 7:30 and Thursday night football 7:20, instead of 7:25. You’ll get to bed a few minutes earlier.

The Pelicans went up 2-0 on the Blazers in their first-round series Tuesday night with a 111-102 road win. They did this thanks in part to main man Anthony Davis—who picked up a 22-point double-double—but mostly because point guard Jrue Holiday took the game over and willed the Pelicans to a narrow victory… Holiday had a game-high 33 points to go with nine assists, and he was the dominant presence all night with a smorgasbord of spectacular offensive play.

LSU’s leading hitter, Brandt Broussard, is expected to return to the line-up tonight after missing just over three weeks with a fractured thumb. Broussard says he feels good swinging a bat…

Cut 16 (15) “…anything”

The Tigers are at Tulane tonight. LSU will play the next seven of its eight games on the road.

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McNeese fell behind 6-0 in the 2^nd inning to Houston Baptist, but the Cowboys rallied back with seven runs in the third inning for an 11-8 victory. Joe Provenzano and Carson Maxwell each hit home runs. Jake Cochran had three hits and drove in two runs for McNeese who has won four in a row.

Grambling State also won a wild game as the Tigers outlasted ULM 9-7 last night. Richard Ortiz and Rafael Ramirez homered in the victory.

14^th ranked Southern Miss crushed 12-4 Southeastern Louisiana as the Golden Eagles had 20 hits. Southern Miss scored six runs in the third inning to take control of the game.

Lamar scored a run in the 9^th inning and beat Northwestern State three to two. And Jackson State dropped UNO seven to four.

Tonight, the Ragin Cajuns host Louisiana Tech. UL Lafayette has won eight of its last nine and five in a row.

The Pelicans can take a commanding two games to nothing lead in their Western Conference playoff series tonight when they battle the Trail Blazers in Portland. New Orleans won Game 1 on Saturday and one reason for that victory was the defense they played on the Trail Blazers starting backcourt. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum compbined to shoot 13 of 41 from the field. Head Coach Alvin Gentry says it’s unlikely that will happen again…
cut 18 (20) “….to do”
New Orleans will like to rebound the ball better, they allowed 15 offensive rebounds in Game 1 and they also turned it over 14 times which led to 23 points for Portland. Tip-off tonight is at 9:30.

LSU starting second baseman Brandt Broussard could return to the field tomorrow when the Tigers visit the Tulane Green Wave. Broussard fraxctured his thumb during the last weekend in March and he was expected to miss 3 to 5 weeks. So his return would be during that timetable.

McNeese catcher Dustin Duhon has been named this week’s Southland Conference hittoer of the week. In four games at the plate, Duhon was 11-for-16 at the plate and helped the Cowboys sweep U-N-O this past weekend. McNeese begins a four-game homestand tonight when they host Houston Baptist in a non-conference contest. The Pokes are 16-and-20.

The 19-and-15 Northwestern State demons Lamar tonight in Natchitoches. Northwestern already owns two victories over Lamar this season.

Southeasetern Louisiana hosts 13th ranked Southern Miss in Hammond. The Lions have lost five of their last six. First pitch is at 6 PM.

And ULM is at Grambling.

The Pelicans can take a commanding two games to nothing lead over the Trial Blazers as the two teams meet again tonight in Portland. New Orleans won Game 1 on Saturday night and have had two off days to get ready for tonight’s game. Coach Alvin Gentry says he’ll take the rest….
cut 17 (11) “….to us”
Dating back to the regular season, New Orleans has won six straight games. But they need to do better job of rebounding, they allowed Portland to grab 15 offensive rebounds that led to 21 chance points. Tip-off is at 9:30.

The LSU baseball team has moved up four spots to number 19 in the latest D-1-Baseball Top 25. Also, Tigers senior Austin Bain has been named SEC Co-Player of the week. He was 8-for-15 at the plate with eight runs driven in. He also recorded one save as well. LSU is at Tulane tomorrow night.

McNeese catcher Dustin Duhon has been named this week’s Southland Conference hittoer of the week. In four games at the plate, Duhon was 11-for-16 at the plate and helped the Cowboys sweep U-N-O this past weekend. McNeese begins a four-game homestand tonight when they host Houston Baptist in a non-conference contest. The Pokes are 16-and-20.

The 19-and-15 Northwestern State demons Lamar tonight in Natchitoches. Northwestern already owns two victories over Lamar this season.

Southeasetern Louisiana hosts 13th ranked Southern Miss in Hammond. The Lions have lost five of their last six. First pitch is at 6 PM.

And ULM is at Grambling.

In the high school softball playoffs, Class 5-A….21st seeded Denham Springs defeated 12th seeded Ruston 7-5. Also, 18th seeded East Ascension outscored 15th seeded Pineville 18-5.

The Pelicans are up 1-0 in their NBA playoff series with the Trail Blazers. Anthony Davis says they are not satisified with just one win in Portland, before the series shifts to New Orleans for Games 3 and 4….
cut 18 (17) “…first win”
Game two is tomorrow night at 9:30.

In college football, a new rule has been approved that says if the returning team calls for a fair catch inside the 25-yard line on a kick-off, the ball will be placed at the 25 yard-line. It’s an effort to end the strategy of the kick-off team using sky kicks in an effort to pin the opponent deep in its own end. College football, just like the NFL is trying to reduce injuries on kick-offs.

A wild six-run ninth inning by the LSU Tigers was capped off by Daniel Cabrera’s three-run walk off home run. It gave the Bayou Bengals an amazing come from behind win over Tennessee. Coach Paul Maineri says one of the key plays was an error by the Volunteers shortstop to begin the inning…
cut 30 (14) “…after that”
In that ninth inning, Austin Bain had a big two-run double to cut Tennessee’s deficit to one. For the week, Bain was 9-of-18 at the plate with 8 runs driven in. He was named SEC Co-player of the Week today.

McNese State swept UNO this past weekend and Cowboys catcher Dustin Duhon was named Southland Conference Hitter of the Week. He was 11 for 16 at the plate in four games last week.

Northwestern State took two of three from Southeastern Louisiana. The Demons got a big performance from left-hander Ridge Heisler, who threw a complete game shutout.

LSU entered the bottom of the 9th inning trailing 7-3, but the Tigers scored six runs for a stunning 9-7 victory that completed a sweep over Tennessee. Two errors helped the Tigers get within one run after an Austin Bain two-run double. Then freshman Daniel Cabrera slugged a three-run homer for a walk-off victory. Cabrera says he was ready for his big moment…
cut 20 (07) “…this situation”
It’s the first SEC series sweep of the season and the Tigers are now 9-6 and LSU’s RPI is up to 41.

Louisiana Tech has dropped out of the D-1 Top 25 poll after dropping two of three from Charlotte. The Ragin Cajuns are 8-7 in the Sun Belt after sweeping Appalachian State, while ULM was swept by Little Rock.

McNeese swept UNO this past weekend and they are now tied with Southeastern Louisiana for second place in the Southland. The Lions lost a series at Northwestern State.

The Pelicans have another day of preparation in Portland as they get ready for Game Two versus the Trail Blazers. New Orleans wrestled home court advantage away from Portland with a 97-95 win on Saturday night in Game One. Anthony Davis had 35 points in his first playoff victory in his six-year NBA career…
cut 17 (15) “….ready for Tuesday”
Tip-off tomorrow night is at 9:30.

Multiple reports say wide receiver Willie Snead was present today as the Saints begin offseason workouts. Snead has yet to sign his tender, which is the lowest level as a restricted free agent. He only caught eight passes last season after grabbing 138 balls in his first two seasons in New Orleans.

And Saints head Coach Sean Payton tells S-I’s Peter King the quarterback class does not feature any prospects as good as Andrew Luck or Carson Weintz. Payton says Sam Darnold would his best guess as to who might be still in the league four or five years from now.

LSU baseball begins an SEC series tonight against Tennessee with a 6-and-6 record in league play. The Tigers are looking to get on a hot streak. LSU is fifth in the SEC in batting average, but tied for 12th in the 14-team league in runs scored. Second baseman Austin Bain says guys have to hit better with runners on base…
Cut 18 (15) “execute”
First pitch tonight is at 7:00 and tomorrow’s game has been moved back until 8 Pm because of the threat of severe weather late in the afternoon.

The severe weather moving in has forced a couple of postponements. Lousiaina Tech’s series versus Charlotte will begin tomorrow with a doubleheader at 2 PM. Northwestern State and Southeastern Louisiana will also have a double dip tomorrow.

The Pelicans are in Portland getting ready for the start of their playoff series with the Trail Blazers, who feature two outstanding guards in Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. New Orleans Head Coach Alvin Gentry….
cut 28 (12) “…pretty good”
Tip off tomorrow night is at 9:30.

And new Saints receiver Cameron Meredith spoke with the New Orleans media for the first time since joining the black and gold as a free agent. Meredith says the rehab on his knee that kept him out of the 2017 season is progressing well…
cut 29 (13) “…be a problem”
Meredith just signed a two-year deal with the Black and Gold.

The LSU Tigers begin a weekend series tonight against the Tennessee Volunteers. Zach Hess will start on the mound tonight for the Tigers, while freshman Ma’Khail Hilliard will be the starter on Saturday, replacing Caleb Gilbert. Coach Paul Mainieri has yet to decide who will start Sunday. Mainieri says Gilbert, Devin Fontenot or Nick Bush are potential options….
cut 17 (16) “…talking about”
LSU enters this weekend with a 6-6 record in the league, a game and a half back of first place Arkansas. Tennessee is 5-and-7 in the SEC.

Because of the threat of severe weather in north Louisiana, Louisiana Tech will not begin its series tonight with Charlotte. The two teams will play a doubleheader tomorrow, starting at 2 PM. The Cajuns are at Appalachian State, while the Warhawks visit Little Rock.

Gayle Benson tells other NFL owners in a letter that she will own and operate the Saints until her death. Benson has said several times she’s not interested in selling the team and now it’s in writing. She also told the NFL owners that they will continue to operate with the same sens of pride and good business practices going forward.

Former Saints special teams standout Steve Gleason is under consideration for the Congressional Gold Medal. Gleason is battling A-L-S and has been a leader on efforts to develop and provide technology for those suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease. The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honor Congress can bestow.

The Pelicans first-round playoff series against the Trail Blazers begins tomorrow night in Portland. The Trail Blazers do not have anyone that can match up with Anthony Davis, but the Pelicans will have to figure out how to slow down Damian Lilliard. He scored 41 points in the last game the two teams played in. Tip-off is at 9:30.

The 19th ranked LSU Tigers begin an SEC series versus Tennessee tonight at Alex Box Stadium. Zach Hess will start on the mound tonight for LSU and freshman Ma’Khail Hilliard will get the ball on Saturday. Coach Paul Mainieri is not sure who will start on Sunday…

Cut 16 (15) “…for Sunday”

LSU has scored just nine runs in its last four games. Austin Bain says the Tigers need to execute better when runners on base. The senior says he sometimes sings himself a song to calm his nerves during pressure at-bats….

Cut 19 (09) “…pay off”

Also this weekend, 25^th ranked Louisiana Tech hosts Charlotte, ULM at Little Rock and Cajuns visit Appalachian State.

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Saints Owner Gayle Benson told other NFL owners and Commissioner Roger Goodell in a letter that she will own and operate the New Orleans franchise until her death and do so with the same drive and focus towards success that her husband displayed throughout his life. Gayle Benson was at the NFL owners meetings two weeks ago and is now in New York for the NBA Board of Governors meeting.

The Pelicans Anthony Davis has been named the NBA Player of the Month for the months of March and April. Davis also won the award in February. Over the last 20 games, A-D averaged 28 points and 11 rebounds and four blocks. New Orleans’ enters the postseason on a five game winning streak. Game 1 of the Best Seven Series with the Trail Blazers is tomorrow night in Portland.

LSU has added much needed depth to its defensive secondary as former John Curtis standout Terrence Alexander has been added to the Tigers roster. He’ll be eligible to play in 2018 as he’s coming to LSU as a grad transfer. He served as a backup for Stanford and played in 41 games and had one interception. He also missed nearly of 2017 because of an injury.