A cruel April Fool’s joke was played on the LSU baseball team on Saturday. Up 3-0 in the 9th inning, pitcher Caleb Gilbert and the Tigers gave up 4 runs and ended up falling to Texas A&M 4-3 and lose the series to the Aggies. Coach Paul Mainieri says the defeat was a hard punch to the stomach…:
Cut 16 (11) “good team”
The loss drops LSU’s record to 5-4 in the SEC. It’ll be the Tigers vs. the Tigers tomorrow as LSU hosts Grambling.

No. 21 UL-Lafayette surged past South Alabama Sunday in a 10-2 victory for the Ragin Cajuns at home…which is the team’s sixth series win of the year. Also in the Sun Belt, ULM dropped a conference series after a 9-0 loss to host Georgia Southern.

Tulane dropped its American Athletic Conference series finale to No. 25 USF, 7-5 in New Orleans. But The Wave claimed the series with wins Friday and Saturday.

Nicholls State fell 3-2 Sunday afternoon to Texas Southern. It snapped an eight-game home winning streak for the Colonels.

In softball, LSU swept a weekend series in SEC play against Mississippi State following a 4-1 victory for the Tigers on Sunday. UL-Lafayette also completed a sweep Sunday with a 6-2 win at Georgia Southern.

It’s possible that the New Orleans Pelicans are now eliminated from playoff contention after falling to the Bulls 117-110 on Sunday. If Portland beats Minnesota tonight, there will be no post-season for the Pels. Chicago’s Jimmy Butler put up 39 points and made 14 of 26 shots, including all three 3-pointers. Anthony Davis had 30 points and 11 rebounds for New Orleans, while DeMarcus Cousins added 26 points and 18 rebounds.

The slumping LSU baseball team tries to get back in the win column tonight when they host Texas A&M. The Aggies blanked the Bayou Bengals four to nothing last night as LSU was held to just four hits and it took until the 9th inning for a Tiger base runner to get into scoring position. Jared Poche is on the hill tonight for LSU. It’s an 8:00 first pitch at the Box.

A big series gets underway today in Hammond as Southeastern Louisiana hosts McNeese. The Cowboys are 9-0 in league play, while the Lions are 5-4. The first game of the series is tonight and then the two teams will play a doubleheader tomorrow at 4 PM.

Another series to watch this weekend is in Lafayette as the Ragin Cajuns host South Alabama. The Jaguars lead the Eastern Division of the Sun Belt with a 5-1 record. UL-Lafayette is 4-2 in league play. Coach Tony Robichaux is looking for better production from the Cajun hittters. They are only hitting .262 this season.

The Pelicans host the Sacramento Kings tonight. It’s the first time the two teams have played each other since that blockbuster trade in February that sent All-Star Center DeMarcus Cousins to New Orleans. Cousins says he doesn’t want this game to be about him…
cut 30 (14) “…get better”
Even though the Pels have been playing better lately, their playoff chances are on life support.

Pelicans Owner Tom Benson announced today they are getting the ball rolling on having their own D-League affiliate and it will begin play with the 2018-19 season. The Pelicans are one of eight teams in the NBA that didn’t have its own D-League team this year. In a press release, the Pels says they are looking at eleven different cities, seven of them in Louisiana to place the new club.

The Saints announced the signing of quarterback Chase Daniel to a one-year deal.

For the second time in six days, the LSU baseball team failed to score a run as Texas A&M shutout the Tigers four to nothing. LSU starting pitcher Alex Lange pitched very well, allowing just two runs in eight innings, but for his second straight start he didn’t get any run support. LSU will hope the bats will come alive tonight when they host the Aggies again at 8 PM.

After dropping two games to Southeastern Louisiana on Wednesday, the Cajuns return to Tigue Moore Field to host South Alabama. The Jaguars are 5-1 in league play. ULM is at Georgia Southern. Both teams are 3-and-3 in the Sun Belt.

Louisiana Tech, who is tied for last in Conference USA is at Texas San Antonio. The big series in the Southland is Southeastern hosting McNeese. The Cowboys are 9-0 in league play. Grambling will look to get above the .500 mark in SWAC play when they host Priarie View for three games starting tonight.

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees said on an interview on NBS Sports Radio that it was tough to see Brandin Cooks get traded to the New England Patriots. But he hopes the wide receiver got what he wanted. Cooks complained during last season about the lack of passes thrown his away.

The Pelicans host the Kings tonight at the Smoothie King Center. It’s the first meeting between the two teams since the blockbuster trade that sent DeMarcus Cousins to New Orleans. Cousins spent his first six years in the NBA in Sacramento and he says he doesn’t have any personal vendettas going into this game…
cut 30 (20) “…the game”
Portland won again last night, so the Pels trail the Trail Blazers by five games for the final playoff spot in the West with five games left.

DeMarcus Cousins will for the first time face his old team, the Sacramento Kings, as a Pelican tonight. When asked repeatedly by reporters how he felt going into the matchup with a team that traded him, Cousins had a little fun with the media answering the same way over and over…:
CUT 25 (24) “try to get a win”
The Pelicans are five games out of the eighth playoff seed in the Western Conference.

The New Orleans Saints have brought back Rafael Bush after the safety spent a season with the Lions. Bush, now signed to a one-year contract with the Saints, previously spent the 2012-2015 seasons in Black and Gold.

A struggling LSU baseball team was shut out by Texas A&M last night at The Box, falling 4-0. Tigers junior right-hander Alex Lange struck out 12 Aggie hitters, but it was Texas A&M pitching that earned the win. LSU fell to 18-9 and 4-3 in the SEC with the loss. Game 2 of the series is set for tonight at 8pm.

In the Southland, first-place McNeese and Southeastern will face off in Hammond.

In the Sun Belt, NO. 21 UL=Lafayette return to conference action hosting South Alabama in a three game series. ULM hit the road to take on Georgia Southern for the weekend.

C-USA, Louisiana Tech will look to continue their success with a three-game set against UTSA.

Former LSU quarterback Brandon Harris told the Baton Rouge Advocate he spoke with Les Miles about changing up the offense, running more spread and throwing the ball more, but the ex-head coach never followed through with a promise to open up the offense.

The Zurick Classic in New Orleans picked up a huge commitment as Jimmy Walker, the 2016 PGA Champion winner, announced he’ll play in the new two-man format.

LSU and Texas A&M meet in Alex Box Stadium tonight for the start of a three-game SEC series. The Tigers are 4-2 in league play and in third place in the SEC West, behind Arkansas and Auburn, who are both 5-1. Shortstop Kramer Robertson says even though LSU has lost three of its last four, he still sees better days for this Tigers baseball team…
cut 30 (17) “…last year”
Alex Lange starts on the hill tonight for LSU . The Aggies will counter with junior right-hander Brigham Hill, who is 4-2 with a 3.16 ERA. First pitch is at 6 PM.

Also in the SEC tonight…Mississippi State is at Ole Miss. Both teams are 3-3 in league play.

Southeastern Louisiana won two games over the Ragin Cajuns last night, five to 14 in 14 innings in the completion of a suspended game and then 15-3 was the final in the regularly scheduled game. Tomorrow, UL Lafayette hosts South Alabama, while the Lions begin a three-game series against McNeese State.

Former LSU quarterback Brandon Harris told the Baton Rouge Advocate he spoke with Les Miles about changing up the offense, running more spread and throwing the ball more, but the ex-head coach never followed through with a promise to open up the offense.

In the NFL, the Saints have signed safety and special team standout Rafael Bush. Bush was with Detroit last seaosn, prior to that, he played for four seasons in New Orleans. Bush played in all 16 games for the Lions last season and recorded two interceptions.

Tomorrow in the Smoothie King Center, the Pelicans will host the Sacramento Kings. It’s the first time that DeMarcus Cousins will face his old team since the blockbuster trade. Tip-off is at 7 PM.

After a tough loss to Tulane on Tuesday night, LSU baseball returns to the box tonight to start an SEC series against Texas A&M. The Bayou Bengals have lost three of their last four, but senior shortstop Kramer Robertson says no one on the team is pushing the panic button….
cut 30 (14) “…long run”
Tonight’s game is at 6 PM on the SEC Network.

Southeastern Louisiana’s bats were just fine last night as the Lions won two games over the Ragin Cajuns. S-L-U won a suspended contest from a game on February 20th that was resumed yesterday by the final score of 5-to-4 in 14 innings and then won the regularly scheduled game 15-3. Nicholls State beat Alcorn State seven to six with an RBI base hit in the ninth inning.

Former LSU Quarterback Brandon Harris told the Advocate’s Ross Dellenger his two biggest regrets during his time in Baton Rouge is an interception he threw against Alabama in 2015 and that he didn’t redshirt as a freshman. Harris also admits he went into Les Miles office asking him to run a spread and throw the ball more. Harris recently announced he’ll play at North Carolina this fall after he graduates from LSU in the summer.

In recruiting news…West Monroe all-purpose back Slade Bolden has received a scholarship offer from LSU. Bolden helped the Rebels reach the state championship game alst season. He’s considered a three-star prospect and has offers from several SEC schools.

McNeese State has released its 2017 schedule and the Cowboys will play five home games. The five games in Lake Charles are Florida Tech, Houston Baptist, Incarnate Word, Southeastern Louisiana and Northwestern State.

Both Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins played last night and the Pelicans beat the Mavericks 121 to 118. That’s fifth win in the last seven games in which Davis and Cousins both played in. But it might be too little too late for the Pels to make the playoffs this season. They host Sacramento tomorrow.

A struggling LSU baseball team returns to SEC play tonight as the Tigers host Texas A-and-M. The Bayou Bengals have lost three of their last four but senior shortstop Kramer Robertson says they are NOT pressing…
cut 30 (13) “…gets us going”
Hitting in the clutch has been problem for the Tigers. They are 4-for-33 with runners in scoring position in their past four games.

Last night on the college baseball diamond, Southeastern Louisiana beat the Cajuns twice. The Lions won the resumption of a game halted by rain on February 20th. The score in that contest was 5 to 4 in 14 innings. And then S-L-U thumped UL Lafayette 15-3 in the regularly schedule game.

Nicholls State edged Alcorn State seven to six. Quade Smith drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth with a single.

While speaking with reporters at the NFL owners meetings, Coach Sean Payton squash speculation that the Black and Gold will sign Johnny Manziel. Payton admits he met with Heisman Trophy winning quarterback during Super Bowl weekend, but there’s nothing more to it….
cut 29 (19) “…it was that”
The Saints have signed quarterback Chase Daniel. He spent his first four seasons in the NFL in New Orleans, before signing with Kansas City in 2013. The Black and Gold have also re-signed backup tight end John Phillips. He caught five passes last season.

Anthony Davis had 30 points and 13 rebounds last night as the Pelicans held off the Dallas Mavericks 121-118. With seven games left, New Orleans 4.5 games back of Portland for final playoff spot in the West.

At the NFL owners meetings, Saints Head Coach Sean Payton gave an update on the situation involving Patriots restricted free agent cornerback Malcolm Butler. Based on what Payton said, it doesn’t sound like anything is imminent when it comes to acquiring Butler…
cut 30 (30) “…right now”
Payton also his meeting with former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Johnny Manziel during the Super Bowl was just to get to know him. But Payton says there was really nothing else to the meeting.

The Pelicans begin a four-game homestand tonight as they host Dallas. New Orleans has very slim playoff chances with eight games left.

LSU running back Darrel Williams says when his mother told him he was fat, the John Ehret star figured it was time to lose some weight. Williams says he’s dropped a few pounds and it’s helped him have a productive spring…
cut 18 (12) “…three years”
Williams is set to enter his senior season. He’s the primary back-up to starter Derrius Guice.

In college baseball tonight…the Cajuns are at Southeastern Louisiana. At 5 PM, they’ll resume a game that was halted by rain on February 20th and then they’ll play the originally scheduled game at 6 PM. The game that is resuming is tied at four in the 11th inning.

Also tonight…the Colonels host Alcorn State after ending a three-game skid by beating Alcorn 13-5 last night.

At the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix, Saints Head Coach Sean Payton says he knows Quarterback Drew Brees plans to play two-to-four more years, but that doesn’t mean they won’t draft a quarterback…
cut 30 (23) “…for him”
Payton also said today that they won’t sign Patriots restricted free agent cornerback Malcolm Butler to an offer sheet. It’s still possible they could work out a trade for him, but the Saints are not willing to give up the 11th overall pick.

The Pelicans begin a four-game homestand tonight against Dallas.

And new LSU basketball coach Will Wade names former North Texas head coach Tony Benford as his first hire for his new staff.

The LSU football team is now more than halfway done with Spring Football and Quarterback Danny Etling says he’s feeling a lot more comfortable in the Tigers new offense. Etling says he’s been working closely with new offensive coordinator Matt Canada….
Cut 16 (12) “ball too”
Running back Darrell Williams also likes what sees from LSU’s new offense…
cut 19 (10) “…gonna be nice”

LSU baseball fans are probably not in a nice mood today after watching Tulane rally back from a 5-2 deficit to beat LSU seven to six. Northwestern State outscored Lamar 11-9, Nicholls clobbered Alcorn State 13-5, Louisiana Tech trounced ULM 12-3 and the Cajuns defeated McNeese State 3-1. First home loss of the season for the Cowboys.

The LSU football team is now more than halfway done with Spring Football and Quarterback Danny Etling says he’s feeling a lot more comfortable in the Tigers new offense. He believes he’s already seen an improvement in his game with Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada teaching him how to become a better passer…:
Cut 17 (18) “grow with it”
The spring game kicks off at 7pm on April 22.

Will Wade has made first hire as LSU basketball coach, with former North Texas head coach Tony Benford joining his staff. Benford, who will serve as assistant coach, comes to LSU after five years as the head coach of the Mean Green, and a career of over 25 years in NCAA Division I basketball. In that career, Benford’s recruited and coached 11 NBA draft picks.

Tulane made it a tough baseball game for LSU last night as the Green Wave rallied from a 3 point deficit to defeat the Tigers 7-6 on a windy night in Baton Rouge. LSU Junior catcher Michael Papierski ripped a grand slam into left field to lift the No. 6 Tigers to a 5-2 lead in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough. The Green Wave’s Jake Willsey homered twice, and Lex Kaplan added a two-run home run.

UL-Lafayette launched two home runs and held a hot-hitting McNeese baseball team to just two hits on the night to take down the Cowboys, 3-1, and snap a 16-game home winning streak yesterday evening in Lake Charles.

The ULM baseball team could not keep up with host Louisiana Tech on Tuesday night as the teams combined for 20 total hits, but the Warhawks fell 12-3 to the Bulldogs in the first of two midweek meetings between the two schools this season.

In the NBA, the Pelicans return to the Smoothie King Center for a 7pm tipoff against Dallas. The Mavericks are in a similar position as the Pels going into tonight’s contest — trailing the last playoff spot by 4.5 games in the Western COnference.