There are seven teams from Louisiana competing in conference tournaments this week. Highlighting the group is the LSU Tigers, who will be the #2 seed in the SEC Tournament and they’ll play on Wednesday at around 1 PM.

There are three Louisiana schools that will compete in the Southland Tournament in Sugar Land, Texas. 2nd seeded Southeastern Louisiana will face 7th seeded UNO at noon on Wednesday. Top-seeded McNeese State will play Lamar. The Cowboys and Lions have a high enough RPI that they could make the NCAA Tournament, without winning the Southland tournament championship and receiving an automatic bid.

Louisiana Tech and UL Lafayette probably need to win a couple more games to make sure they get an invite. The Bulldogs will play Charlotte on Wednesday night in Biloxi. Charlotte won two of three from Tech earlier this season and the Diamond Dogs are coming off a disappointing series loss to Middle Tennessee.

The Cajuns are the four-seed in the Sun Belt Tourney. UL-Lafayette will play Georgia Southern on Wednesday night. The Eagles defeated the Cajuns in a series in Lafayette two weeks ago.

Tulane is the 5th seed in the American Athletic Conference. They’ll play South Florida in the championship opener on Tuesday afternoon in Clearwater, Florida.

Nicholls State University pitcher Cole Stapler was named the Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week Sunday. The Prairieville native concluded his senior campaign in style, recording his first career shutout Thursday against the University of Central Arkansas.

In softball, No. 18 LSU defeated No. 14 UL-Lafayette early this morning, forcing a Game 7 to determine the champion of the Baton Rouge Regional. The Tigers will be the home team in today’s game, and the Ragin’ Cajuns will be the visitor.

Louisiana Tech took No. 1 ranked Minnesota into extra innings before the Gophers went on to defeat the Lady Techsters in the Tuscaloosa Regional.

Bruce Peddie will no longer be the head coach for ULM baseball. The Warhawks finishing a program worst 12-43, including 6-24 in the Sun Belt and ending the year on a 13 game losing streak. The announcement comes just days after ULM President Nick Bruno announced that athletic director Brian Wickstrom would also not be returning next year.

If LSU wins tonight, they’ll clinch the SEC West. The Tigers defeated Mississippi State three to one last night, behind strong pitching from Alex Lange and two relievers, Zach Hess and Hunter Newman. Zach Watson drove in two runs and fellow freshman Josh Smith drove in the third run…
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Smith and the Tigers will battle the Bulldogs tonight at 6:30.

McNeese State clinched the regular season Southland Conference title last night with a 10-2 win over Lamar. The Cowboys are now 21-7 in the league. Nicholls improved their chances of making the Southland tourney with a five to nothing win over Central Arkansas. Southern was eliminated from the SWAC Tournament.

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees told the Dan Patrick Show that he would not tell his wife, Brittany, if he had suffered a concussion. Brees made the comments in response to Tom Brady’s wife, who said Brady has had multiple concussions inlcuding one last year. Brees says he wouldn’t want his wife to worry about it. The Saints QB also said on the Dan Patrick Show that the NFL’s proposal to limit overtime to 10 minutes is a bad idea and he prefers the overtime in college football.

ESPN’s Marc Stein reports the Pelicans are close to hiring Denver Nuggets assistant coach Chris Finch. Finch got credit for helping Denver improve its offensive numbers last season and Pelicans management reportedly believes he can capitalize on the skills of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins.

Shreveport Mayor Ollie Tyler says she would like to see a dowtown arena built that can be used various events and be home to a minor league basketball team. The Pelicans are launching their own NBA D-League team and they are looking at several different cities in the Gulf South.

Senate President John Alario says the upper chamber is committed to fully funding the TOPS scholarship program. Alario says the budget plan approved by the House takes money away from the Department of Health to fully fund TOPS and they are taking a close look at that proposal.
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Alario also says the Senate also disagrees with a House bill to raise the minimum GPA in order to recieve the TOPS scholarship.

State Police say three young adults from St. Amant were killed when their vehicle veered off the road, went airborne, striking a tree and splitting in half. All three victims were found outside the vehicle. State Police Trooper Bryan Lee says there’s still a lot of questions…
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A family member of one of the victims found the dead bodies last night.

Crews are in the process of taking down the statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee. One of the most recognizable monuments in New Orleans. It’s the fourth Confederate-related statue to be removed in the last couple of weeks. Mayor Mitch Landrieu has called a press conference this afternoon to discuss this issue further.

A Senate-approved proposal to alter the state’s film tax credit program has the support of the Louisiana Film and Entertainment Association. Halen Doughty has more…
Voicer 2 (30) “I’m Halen Doughty”

LSU starting pitcher Alex Lange made one bad pitch. That was to the first man he faced in Thursday’s SEC series opener with Mississippi State. After giving up the long ball, Lange put together his third straight dominant performance in a 3-1 win over the Bulldogs. LSU can clinch the SEC West with a win today over State.

McNeese State picked up the program’s first Southland Conference regular season championship since 2006 following its incredible 10-2 win over Lamar. A strike out by relief pitcher Aidan Anderson for the final out of the ballgame emptied the McNeese dugout as the Cowboys dog piled near the pitcher’s mound in celebration. Game 2 of the series is today.

Nicholls State blanked Central Arkansas 5-0 on the road in the first of three, and – senior Cole Stapler tossed his first career shutout. The win puts Nicholls at a four-way tie for fourth. The top 8 advance to the Southland tournament.

Southeastern lost the series opener to Seton Hall big time as the Lions fall 16-3.

Elsewhere, Louisiana Tech dropped a three game series opener to Middle Tennessee, 6-3. The Diamond Dogs now sit in a tie for fourth place in Conference USA.

In the Sun Belt, UL-Lafayette dominated ULM as the Ragin Cajuns defeat the Warhawks 16-2 in the series opener in Monroe. The win moves the Cajuns a game and a half out of first place in the west division with two games to go.

The NCAA softball regional in Baton Rouge begins today and three of the four teams are from Louisiana. They are No. 13 LSU, UL-Lafayette, McNeese State. Louisiana Tech is in Tuscaloosa for the regional hosted by Alabama.

New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis has been named to the first-team All-NBA. This is the second time Davis has earned the distcinction.

Former and current Saints players will participate in a weekend of fishing, shooting and entertainment at the Black and Gold Classic in Grand Isle. Former Saints tackle Stan Brock hosts the event and says today teams will participate in a private shooting event and tomorrow the fishing rodeo begins at 6 a.m. He says all the proceeds go to the Green Beret Foundation and All American Caliber, groups which support veterans:
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It should be a fun next three days for LSU baseball fans as the Tigers can win an SEC West championship by beating the Bulldogs in the final regular season series of the season, which starts tonight in Starkville. Mississippi State is one game back of LSU in the division standings. They have one of the top players in college baseball. Brent Rooker is hitting .406 with 20 home runs and 71 RBIs. Rooker is the SEC leader in all three of those categories, along with doubles. LSU pitcher Jared Poche is hopeful the Tiger pitchers can limit Rooker’s impact…
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First pitch is at 6:05.

ULM President Nick Bruno announced today that athletics director Brian Wickstrom will not seek to renew his contract, which is set to expire on June 30th. Wickstorm has been with the Warhawks since July 2013. In a statement, Wickstorm said it’s his destire to make a long-term move to a bigger program.

Pelcians star Anthony Davis has been named to the All-NBA first team, along with LeBron James, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Kawhi Leonard.

The top high school basketball player in the state, Scotlandville’s Javonte Smart, has LSU among the six schools he’s considering. The others are national powers Kansas, Kentucky, UCLA, Oklahoma State and Florida State.

Former LSU Tiger Tre’Davious White has signed his rookie contract with Buffalo and now seeks a starting spot in the Bills secondary.

And the Steelers have released former Ragin Cajuns tight end Ladarius Green after injury riddled 2016 season.

LSU and Mississippi State begin a three-game series tonight where the winner will be declared the champions of the Western Division. The Tigers arrive in Starkville playing their best baseball of the season, winning eight of their last nine SEC games. LSU right fielder Greg Deichmann is not surprised with how the team has responded down the stretch….
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The series also features two of the better power hitters in college baseball. Deichmann has 17 bombs, while Mississippi State’s Brent Rooker has 20 home runs to lead the SEC. Rooker is also hitting .406 with 26 doubles and 71 RBIs. First pitch is at 6 PM.

KNOE Sports is reporting that ULM athletic director Bruce Wickstrom’s contract will not be extended. Wickstrom was hired in 2013 and the Monroe TV station is also reporting that Wickstrom did not want his contract extended.

This could be the last series for ULM baseball Coach Bruce Peddie. His Warhawks host the Ragin Cajuns. ULM has lost 10 in a row and they are 12-and-40 on the season. Meanwhile, UL Lafayette needs a sweep to help boost their NCAA Tournament resume. The Cajuns enter the series with an RPI of 41.

Louisiana Tech is also looking to increase its chances of making the NCAA Tournament as they face Middle Tennesseee. McNeese State can clinch a Southland Conference regular season title with a win over Lamar and a Houston Baptist Loss. Southeastern Louisiana looks to finish the regular season strong by hosting Seton Hall and Nicholls is trying to secure a spot in the Southland Tournament as they begin a series at Central Arkansas.

LSU and Mississippi State battle for the SEC West championship starting tonight with a three-game series in Starkville. The Tigers lead the Bulldogs by one game in the standings. To add a little spice, former LSU assistant coach Andy Cannizaro is in his first season as the head coach of Mississippi State. Bayou Bengals right fielder Greg Deichmann…
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The Tigers are playing their best baseball of the season as they’ve won nine of their last eleven. First pitch is at 6:05.

La Tech has won six consecutive conference series for the first time in program history and they visit Middle Tennessee tonight. McNeese can win the Southland title tonight win a win over Lamar and if Houston Baptist loses.

UL Lafayette is at ULM as the Warhawks finish up a disappointing season. Bruce Peddie’s club is just 12-and-40. And Grambling and Southern both lost yesterday in the SWAC Tournament.

Former LSU running back Leonard Fournette has signed his rookie contract with Jacksonville. Fournette’s four-year deal is expected to be around 27 million dollars, including an 18-million dollar signing bonus. Fournette says the money is money, but he’s in Jacksonville to win.

Former LSU Tiger Leonard Marshall says he’ll donate his brain to research after he passes away. The former defensive lineman and two-time Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants says he already has short-term memory and erratic behavior.

LSU men’s golf won its first ever NCAA Regional title by beating Duke by eight strokes at the University Club in Baton Rouge.

The LSU-Alexandria softball team is heading to the N-A-I-A World Series for a third time in four years.

The fifth ranked LSU baseball team hit three home runs last night in a 9-3 win over Northwestern State. Greg Deichmann hit his 17th home run, Kramer Robertson and Zach Watson also had balls that left the yard. Today, the Tigers left for Starkville, where they begin a three-game series against Mississippi State tomorrow night. LSU has a one-game lead for first place in the SEC West over the Bulldogs.

McNeese baseball can clinch its first Southland Conference championship in 11 years tomorrow when they begin a three-game series against Lamar in Lake Charles. The Pokes are 20-7 in league play and their magic number to clinch a title is two. If McNeese wins and Houston Baptist losses, the Cowboys can claim the title.

Louisiana Tech started 1-and-7 in Conference USA action. Now they are 16-11 and tied for third place in the league. The Diamond Dogs conclude the regular season with a three-game series at Middle Tennessee starting tomorrow.

Former LSU Tiger Leonard Fournette has signed his contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The franchise selected Fournette with the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft. By league rules, it’s a four-year deal and the team has an option for a fifth year.

ESPN.com is reporting that NFL owners will likely vote for a proposal next week that would shorten overtime from 15 to 10 minutes during regular-season games.

LSU Hall of Famer Leonard Marshall says he’ll donate his brain to research after he dies. Marshall, who is also a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Giants, says he’s struggling with short-term memory loss and erratic behavior. Marshall made the announcement at the annual Brain Trust conference, which is hosted by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Conference USA men’s and women’s Basketball championships in 2018 and 2019 will be held in Frisco, Texas.

LSU hit three home runs as the Tigers trounced Northwestern State nine to three in the final regular season home game of the year last night. Greg Deichmann hit his 17th home run of the season, Kramer Robertson hit his sixth homer and Zach Watson whacked his fourth home run of the year. Austin Townsent homered for the Demons. Todd Peterson was the winning pitcher as he allowed one run in five innings.

Also last night…Houston edged McNeese State five to four. Cowboys center fielder Robbie Podorsky had three hits, two runs scored and three stolen bases, giving him 37 on the season, which is a school record.

Tulane topped UNO eight to six, Southern Miss downed Southeastern 11-3 and the SWAC Tournament starts in New Orleans today. Grambling faces Alcorn tonight.

Tuesday was not a lucky night for the Pelicans. New Orleans had a four-percent chance to land a top three pick in the NBA draft lottery and as expected they did not. Since they don’t have a top three pick, Sacramento gets their first round selection as part of the DeMarcus Cousins trade.

LSU is planning to do major renovations on the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. The arena will get a new four-sided video board that will hang over the middle of the court during the summer, but in the coming summers LSU would like to take out some of the seats, so they can add club and suite seating. The LSU administration also would like to put a sports bar in Tiger Stadium that can be used for those in the general seating areas, but they’ll need to get the blessing from the Southeastern Conference for that to occur.

The Conference USA men’s and women’s Basketball championships in 2018 and 2019 will be held at the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas.

LSU’s offense exploded for nine runs on 14 hits in a 9-3 win over Northwestern State last night at The Box. It was the final home game of the regular season for the Tigers, who improve to 36-17. Senior shortstop Kramer Robertson went 4-for-5 at the plate with two doubles and a home run.

The 20-31 Demons return to action Thursday when they host New Orleans. LSU holds a one-game lead over Mississippi State in the SEC West ahead of a series between the Tigers and the Bulldogs begins tomorrow.

McNeese State had a 5-4 loss to the 18th ranked Houston Cougars in the final non-conference game of the season for the 28th ranked Cowboys. The highlight of the night for the Pokes was thanks to center fielder Robbie Podorsky who nailed his 36th stolen base of the season, breaking the previous record of 35. McNeese will play for the Southland Conference championship against Lamar beginning tomorrow.

No. 15 Southern Miss defeated Southeastern 11-3 in Biloxi. Tulane picked up an 8-6 win over UNO last night in New Orleans.

Last night in the NBA draft lottery the Pelicans lost their chance at keeping its first-round draft selection and missed out on the pick’s top-three, forcing to send it to the Kings to complete the trade for DeMarcus Cousins. The Boston Celtics will have the No. 1 pick followed by the Los Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers.

New Orleans native Payton Manning will host the ESPY Awards on July 12th which honors the past year’s best athletes and sports moments.

Former LSU Tiger Davon Godchaux has signed a rookie contract with Miami. The Dolphins selected the defensive lineman in the fifth round last month.

And former Cajuns wide receiver Al Riles has signed with the Colts, while ex UL Lafayette linebacker Otha Peters inks a deal with Seattle.

Good news for Louisiana Tech basketball fans. ESPN’s Jeff Goodman reports Bulldogs guard Jacobi Boykins has withdrawn from the NBA draft and he’ll return for his senior season.