The Saints will look to finish 2016 on a three-game winning streak as they close out the regular season on Sunday against Atlanta. Quarterback Drew Brees on the state of the team heading into week 17…:
Cut 16 (20) “builds confidence”
A victory for New Orleans would mean they would avoid a third straight 7-and-9 season.

The Pelicans had a thrilling victory last night as the surged past the Clippers 102-98, highlighted by a 20 point performance by star Anthony Davis who had a soaring one handed alley oop dunk during a critical fourth-quarter charge. The Pels face the Knicks tomorrow at home.

Last night in college hoops, Northwestern State beats Louisiana College 88-66. Tulane fell to Central Florida 85-72. Southeastern got the victory over Southern 64-53. ULM had an easy time against Grambling winning 81-45. Nicholls State beat Spring Hill 88-64.

Today Vanderbilt comes to the PMAC to face LSU for an 8pm tip-off.

Tiger fans are gearing up for the Citrus Bowl against the Louisville Cardinals. Vice President of Development for the LSU Alumni Association, Rhett Butler, says they’ll have a contingent of fans arriving in Orlando on Friday and that includes a large group who live in Florida. He says there are several reasons why there is interest in this game….:
CUT 7 (08) “big draw”
He says the plan is to get everyone to Camping World Stadium in Orlando early in the morning for the 11 AM eastern time kickoff.

The Saints take on the Atlanta Falcons in the regular season finale for the Black and Gold on Sunday. Sunday’s game means a lot for Atlanta. A Falcons win and they secure a first round bye in the NFC playoffs. But running back Mark Ingram says it’s an important game for the Saints too, even though there are no postseason implications for New Orleans….
cut 18 (19) “…a rival”
Fullback John Kuhn and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe did not practice for the Saints. Center Max Unger and linebacker Craig Robertson were listed as limited on the practice report.

The LSU Tigers had their first practice in Orlando today. According to the Baton Rouge Advocate, defensive backs Kristian Fulton and Ed Paris were getting snaps with the first-team.

Southern Lab linebacker Chris Allen was named Defensive Player of the Year in Louisiana by the USA Today. The six-foot-four, 235 pounder had 82 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss and six sacks as he helped the Kittens win back-to-back division four titles.

One of the top running backs in the country has decided to play for Florida State, instead of LSU. Cam Akers from Clinton, Mississippi, gave his verbal commitment to the Seminoles.

Louisiana Tech fans will miss wide receiver Carlos Henderson. He’s decided to leave school early and enter the NFL draft after catching 19 touchdown passes this season.

The Pelicans host the Los Angeles Clippers tonight at the Smoothie King Center at 7 PM. New Orleans is attempting to win its third game in a row.

Tonight in college hoops…ULM hosts Grambling State. Both teams are 5-7 on the year.

Southeastern Louisiana is at Southern. The Jaguars beat the Lions last year with a three-pointer at the buzzer. Tulane begins American Athletic Conference play by hosting Central Florida.

The Saints are getting back to work today, getting ready for the regular season finale at Atlanta. A win and New Orleans will finish with an 8-and-8 record, but they’ll miss the playoffs for a third consecutive year. Head Coach Sean Payton says he’d rather finish the season with a win than a loss…
cut 17 (14) “…another game”
It will be the final game for the Saints in the Georgia Dome. They are 7-and-3 in that stadium since 2006 and five of the last seven games played between these two teams in that building have been decided by three points or less.

The LSU Tigers had their first practice in Orlando today as they continue to get ready for Saturday’s Citrus Bowl matchup against the Louisville Cardinals. The Tigers are a three point favorite to win.

The Pelicans host the Los Angeles Clippers tonight at the Smoothie King Center at 7 PM. L-A is already without Blake Griffin because of a knee injury and Chris Paul and J-J Reddick are questionable with injuries. New Orleans is attempting to win its third game in a row.

Tonight in college hoops…ULM hosts Grambling State. Both teams are 5-7 on the year. This will be 11th meeting on the hardwood between these two schools and the Warhawks lead the all-time series as they’ve won seven of the ten previous matchups.

Southeastern Louisiana is at Southern. The Jaguars beat the Lions last year with a three-pointer at the buzzer. Tulane begins American Athletic Conference play by hosting Central Florida. Nicholls takes on Spring Hill in Thibodaux and Northwestern State plays host to Louisiana College.

Louisiana Tech receiver Carlos Henderson has announced he’ll forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft. Henderson caught 19 touchdown passes and had 1,535 yards receiving in 2016.

The Saints return to the practice field today to get ready for the regular season finale on Sunday at Atlanta. Running back Mark Ingram enters the contest 60 yards shy of 1,000 for the season. Ingram says eclipsing 1,000 yards would mean a lot…
Cut 16 (13) “on the season”
A win on Sunday and the Saints will finish with an 8-and-8 record, but they’ll miss the playoffs for a third consecutive year.

LSU has arrived in Orlando for it Citrus Bowl matchup against Louisville. Of course, the Tigers first stop was dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings. Today, they’ll practice at 10:30 central time to get ready for that 10 AM kickoff on Saturday.

In New Orleans, Oklahoma and Auburn have arrived and they’ll face each other on Monday night in the Sugar Bowl.

Louisiana Tech receiver Carlos Henderson has announced he’ll forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft. Henderson caught 19 touchdown passes and had 1,535 yards receiving in 2016.

LSU failed to land five-star running back Cam Akers. The prospect from Clinton, Mississippi has decided to play at Florida State. Meanwhile, Jennings running back Travis Etienne plans to visit LSU January 27th. He also has visits planned at Tennessee and Texas A&M.

Tonight in college hoops…ULM hosts Grambling State. Both teams are 5-7 on the year. This will be 11th meeting on the hardwood between these two schools and the Warhawks lead the all-time series as they’ve won seven of the ten previous matchups.

Southeastern Louisiana is at Southern. The Jaguars beat the Lions last year with a three-pointer at the buzzer. Tulane begins American Athletic Conference play by hosting Central Florida. Nicholls takes on Spring Hill in Thibodaux and Northwestern State plays host to Louisiana College.

The Pelicans host the Los Angeles Clippers.

LSU left Baton Rouge this afternoon for Orlando to continue preparations for its Citrus Bowl matchup against Louisville and Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Lamar Jackson. Tigers defensive end Lewis Neal says playing the proper technique will be important on Saturday…
cut 18 (19) “…to the T”
During his call-in radio show, LSU Coach Ed Orgeron said new offensive coordinator Matt Canada will assess the quarterbacks on the roster and determine which one might be the right guy for 2017.

Louisiana Tech wide receiver Carlos Henderson has decided to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft. Henderson caught 82 passes for 15-hundred yards and 19 touchdowns this past season.

The Saints return to practice tomorrow to get ready for Sunday’s regular season finale against Atlanta. A victory for the Black and Gold and they’ll avoid a third straight 7-and-9 finish, while a Falcons win will give them a first round bye in the NFC playoffs. The game will kick-off at 3:25.

The Pelicans will try for their third straight win tomorrow night when they host the Los Angeles Clippers. New Orleans beat Dallas 111 to 104 last night. Anthony Davis had 28 points and despite a 12-21 record, the Pels are three games back of Sacramento for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

In college basketball…Louisiana Tech’s Erik McCree has been named the men’s college basketball player of the week by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. McCree averaged 24 points in two games last week and had a double-double in a loss to Florida Gulf Coast.

Tomorrow in college hoops action…ULM hosts Grambling State. Both teams are 5-and-7 on the year. And Tulane will host U-C-F to begin play in the American Athletic Conference.

The LSU Tigers have one more practice in Baton Rouge today and then its off to Orlando where the Bayou Bengals will complete their preparations for Saturday’s Citrus Bowl matchup with Louisville. The Cardinals are ranked 12th in the F-B-S in total defense and Tigers quarterback Danny Eltling says they look impressive on film…:
Cut 16 (19) “of Louisville”
Kickoff Saturday is at 10am.

Elsewhere in college bowl action, a blocked field goal helped Mississippi State hold off Miami of Ohio in the St. Petersburg bowl, 17-16.

In Shreveport, it may have been expected to be a close game but it was anything but as North Carolina State pounded Vanderbilt 41-17 in the Independence Bowl.

In the NBA, The Pelicans got a nice Christmas wish following their 111-104 victory over the Mavericks last night in the Smoothie King Center. New Orleans entered that game three games out of the NO. 8 spot in the Western Conference standings, and now have high hopes in the playoff hunt entering the new year. The Pels take on the Clippers at home tomorrow.

The time has changed once again for the Saints matchup with the Falcons on Sunday. Kickoff is now 3:25 in the Georgia Dome. Running back Mark Ingram will be heading into this season finale with the potential of hitting the 1000 yard mark on the year. Ingram enters Week 17 with 940 yards rushing.

The AP has voted gymnast Simone Biles the Female Athlete of the Year for her run of gold during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. The AP Male Athlete of the Year will be announced Tuesday.

Not surprisingly, the Cubs World Series victory is voted the AP Sports Story of the Year.

The LSU Tigers resumed their preparations today for their matchup against Louisville in the Citrus Bowl. Stopping Heisman Trophy winner and Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson should be priority number one. Junior linebacker Donnie Alexander…
cut 25 (12) “…make a play”
LSU practices tomorrow in Baton Rouge and then heads to Orlando.

Catholic High running back Clyde-Edwards Helaire says he remains committed to the LSU Tigers in a message posted on Twitter, but says he’s re-opening his recruitment process. Oklahoma, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State are some of the schools that have offered the three-star prospect.

In college bowl action, Mississippi State barely Miami of Ohio in the St. Petersburg bowl. The Bulldogs blocked a field goal as time expired to preserve a 17=16 win over the Redhawks.

For the third time in four weeks, the kickoff time for a Saints game has been changed. Instead of a noon kickoff, New Orleans and the Atlanta Falcons will kick-off at 3:25 this Sunday. The Falcons need a win to get a first round bye, while New Orleans is trying to at least finish its season with an 8-and-8 record.

Tonight’s Monday night matchup is Dallas versus Detroit. The Lions are trying to win their first division championship in 23 years. We’ll see how much Dak Prescott plays. The Cowboys have already wrapped up home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

The Pelicans continue their five game homestand tonight against Dallas. New Orleans is 0-5 against their foes in the Southwest Division. The Mavs beat the Pels by 10 points about a month ago. Dallas has nine wins on the year, while New Orleans has 11. Tip-off is at 7 Pm.

The Saints 31-24 Christmas Eve victory over Tampa Bay, was the 100th win during Coach Sean Payton’s time with New Orleans — and the 94th in the regular season breaking a tie with Jim Mora for most in franchise history. Saints Quarterback Drew Brees says he’s luck to have been a part of every single one of Payton’s victories..:
CUT 1 (17) “it works”
Even though they beat the Bucs, New Orleans is now officially eliminated from playoff contention. The Saints face the Falcons Sunday in Atlanta.

In the NBA, the Pelicans will take on the Mavericks tonight in the Smoothie King Center at 7pm. New Orleans isn’t out of the playoff picture even though they are 11-21 and three games behind the Sacramento Kings who occupy the 8th seed.

The LSU Tigers return from Christmas Break today to continue preparations for Saturday’s game against Louisville in the Citrus Bowl. It’s the first ever meeting between the two teams and the Tigers are a slight favorite to win. LSU Coach Ed Orgeron says they expect a tough game in Orlando…:
cut 14 (11) “ready to go”
Kickoff is at 10am Saturday in Orlando.

This afternoon in Shreveport, it will be Vanderbilt versus North Carolina State in the Camping World Independence Bowl. Both teams are 6-and-6 on the year, and it’s the first bowl game for Vandy since 2013. Bowl Spokesperson Stefan Nolet says Commodore fans are excited to be here…:
cut 13 (12) “we’re excited”
Kickoff is at 4:00 PM on ESPN2.

All Saints fans want for Christmas is a playoff spot. That’ll be the hope today in New Orleans’ final home game as they face Tampa Bay in the Mercedes Benz Superdome. Buccaneers Quarterback Jameis Winston says this game against the Saints is one Tampa has to win to win as the postseason run is in full swing.
CUT 1 (20) “bigger week right here”
The game kicks off at 3:25 on Fox.

Louisiana Tech fans are happy campers today as the Bulldogs pulled out an incredible win against Navy in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl. Trent Taylor scooped up 12 catches for 233 yards and 2 touchdowns while garnering the game’s MVP award in the 48-45 victory.

One week from today LSU will be kicking off against Louisville in the Citrus Bowl. But for this weekend Tigers Coach Ed Orgeron says he’ll enjoy the time off with his family for Christmas…:
CUT 2 (09) “back with the team too”
The Citrus Bowl kicks off in Orlando at 10am December 31st.

Two of LSU’s wide receivers Malachi Dupre and D.J. Chark have a decision to make. Turn pro or come back for their senior seasons. Orgeron says new offensive coordinator Matt Canada has met with draft-eligible juniors…
cut 20 (08) “…several juniors”
Dupre could be a second or third-round draft pick.

In college hoops Tulane had a frustrating overtime loss to Texas State 69-66. The Wave falls to 3-9 on the season.

NBA, the Pelicans handled the Heat last night 91-87 in the Smoothie King Center.

The Saints final home game of the year is tomorrow as they host the Tampa Bay Bucs, who are fighting for a playoff spot. New Orleans playoff chances are very slim and they could be eliminated from the postseason before tomorrow’s 3:25 kickoff. Saints cornerback Delvin Breaux will not play because of a shoulder injury. Craig Robertson, Max Unger, Dannell Ellerbe and John Kuhn are all questionable.

Two right tackles for Tampa Bay will miss the game, Demar Dotson and Goser Cherilus. Defensive end William Gholston will also not play for the Bucs.

Two of LSU’s wide receivers Malachi Dupre and D.J. Chark have a decision to make. Turn pro or come back for their senior seasons. Tigers Coach Ed Orgeron says new offensive coordinator Matt Canada has met with draft-eligible juniors…
cut 20 (08) “…several juniors”
Dupre could be a second or third-round draft pick.

LSU Coach Johnny Jones didn’t have much of a Christmas spirit after last night’s 110-76 loss to Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons hit 16 three-pointers and shot 74-percent from the field in the second half. LSU shot 40-percent from the field for the game and they were just 29-percent from three-point land. The Tigers will return to action on Thursday when they host Vanderbilt in the SEC opener.

In other college basketball action last night…Louisiana Tech easily defeated LSU-Shreveport 95-53, VCU knocked off ULM 78-65 and North Carolina State upended McNeese State 89-57. Earlier today, it was Texas State beating Tulane 69-66 in overtime.

In the NBA tonight…the Pelicans continue their five-game homestand by hosting Miami. Each team has the same amount of victories…ten. Tip-off is at 7 PM from the Smoothie King Center.