The Pelicans played with heavy hearts last night as they ended Utah’s seven-game winning streak by beating the Jazz 100-96. Jrue Holiday came off the bench to score 21 points, and Anthony Davis added 19 points.

Before the game, the Pelicans learned that their former had coach Monty Williams, lost his wife in a car accident. 44-year-old Ingrid Williams was involved in a wreck near downtown Oklahoma City and the driver of the other car was also killed.

Williams was hired as the Pelcians head coach in 2010 and was fired after last season, despite leading New Orleans to the postseason. Williams is currently an assistant coach at Oklahoma City and that’s where the Pels are tonight. They’ll play the Thunder in their final game before the All-Star break.

LSU got 20 points from Ben Simmons last night but it wasn’t enough as they lost to South Carolina 94-83. The Tigers gave up 55 points in the 2nd half.

The Ragin Cajuns put their eight game winning streak on the line tonight when they host Arkansas State at the Cajundome. UL Lafayette is also undefeated at home and Coach Bob Marlin hopes their winning ways in front of the Cajun fans continues…
cut 16 (24) “….the season”
The Cajuns are 9-3 in league play, two games behind Sun Belt leader Arkansas Little Rock. The Trojans are at ULM tonight. The Warhawks are undefeated at home this season and fans are encouraged to wear white as they’ll be having a “White Out” inside the Fant-Ewing Coliseum.

Also tonight…UNO is at McNeese State, while Louisiana Tech hosts Middle Tennessee. Tech is tied for fourth in the Conference USA standings after suffering a tough loss last Saturday to North Texas.

LSU couldn’t fend off South Carolina last night as the Gamecocks pick up a shared spot for first place in the SEC after defeating the Tigers 94-83 in Columbia. Ben Simmons, however, put on another stellar performance picking up 20 points, six rebounds and six assists. Antonio Blakeney had 22 points to lead the Tigers. LSU plays No. 15 Texas A&M at home Saturday.

The Ragin Cajuns put their eight game winning streak on the line tonight when they host Arkansas State at the Cajundome. UL-Lafayette is also undefeated at home and coach Bob Marlin says the fan base is fired up about the team’s recent winning ways…:
CUT 17 (16) “your team”
Tipoff is at 7:15.

In more college hoops action tonight, ULM will put their 9-0 record at home on the line against the Sun Belt’s top ranked team, Arkansas-Little Rock. The Warhakws are playing the Trojans in Monroe with their first white-out since the College Basketball invitational finals last spring.

ESPN released its college “Way Too Early Top 25″ update and after signing day has LSU at NO. 6 to start the season.

New Orleans Pelicans owners Tom and Gayle Benson issued a statement in response to the death of the wife of former Pels coach Monty Williams. 44-year-old Ingrid Williams died after being involved in a car crash in Oklahoma City. The Bensons say Ingrid will be remembered as one of the most generous, kind and humble individuals they’ve ever known. Monty Williams was the coach of the Pelicans for five seasons. He and Ingrid have five children. After New Orleans’ win last night against Utah, players and coaches shed tears in the media session. Williams currently serves as an assistant coach with the Oklahoma City Thunder who host New Orleans tonight.

LSU begins an important week today as they face No. 20 South Carolina in Columbia. The Gamcocks are 20-3 overall and 7-3 in SEC play, a game behind the first place Tigers. After tonight, it’s LSU versus 13th ranked Texas A-and-M at home on Saturday. Freshman Antonio Blakeney is coming off a 31 point performance in a win over Mississippi State and is trying not to get too hyped…:
Cut 18 (07) “of what we do”
Tipoffs for tonight’s SEC battle is set for 6pm on ESPN2.

It’s reported that Pelicans star point guard Tyreke Evans will undergo season-ending surgery on his knee. It’ll be the third surgery Evans has undergone since May on the same knee and he’s missed the past seven games because of tendinitis. He joins Quincy Pondexter and Eric Gordon as Pelicans who have missed significant time due to injury. Tonight the Pelicans host the Utah Jazz.

Sources say the New Orleans Saints have restructured linebacker Dannell Ellerbe’s contract. The deal was expected to count nearly six million dollars towards the salary cap. Quarterback Drew Brees and safety Jarius Byrd, as expected, aren’t going anywhere as their contract guarantees kick in today.

ESPN released its college “Way Too Early Top 25” update and after signing day has LSU at NO. 6 to start the season. Alabama is No. 1. The Tigers open the season on Saturday September 3rd against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field.

In college hoops ULM will put their 9-0 record at home on the line against the Sun Belt’s top ranked team, Arkansas-Little Rock. The Warhakws are playing the Trojans in Monroe with their first white-out since the College Basketball invitational finals last spring.

The Ragin Cajuns are riding a eight game win streak as they take on Arkansas State in the Cajundome tomorrow night.

The wife or former New Orleans Pelicans coach Monty Williams reportedly sustained life threatening injuries in a fatal crash Tuesday in Oklahoma City. NewsOK.com says 44-year-old Ingrid Williams was hit head on by a vehicle driven by a woman who died in the crash.

The LSU men’s basketball team looks to stay in first place in the Southeastern Conference when it visits 20th ranked South Carolina. The Tigers are 8-2 in the SEC, but Senior guard Keith Hornsby says they can’t feel satisfied with what they’ve done…
cut 17 (12) “…of business”
South Carolina is 20-3, 12-0 at home and 7-3 in league play. Tip-off is at 6 PM.

More bad injury news for the Pelicans. Shooting guard Tyreke Evans will reportedly miss the rest of the season, because he need surgery on his ailing knee. Evans has missed the last seven games because of knee tendinitis and had arthroscopic surgery on that knee in October.

Tonight the Pelicans host the Utah Jazz. The Jazz have won seven in a row, eight of their last ten.

The Saints and Danell Ellerbe have reportedly agreed to a restructured contract for the veteran linebacker. His contract was expected to count nearly six million dollars towards the salary cap. Ellerbe is moving into the second year of a three-year contract after being acquired in a trade last offseason. The 30-year-old only played in six games last year because of injuries.

It appears the NCAA has enough evidence to levy some penalties against the Ole Miss football program. The Associated Press is reporting the NCAA has cited 13 violations against the Rebels and nine of them have occurred during Hugh Freeze’s tenure as head coach. Some of the violations are considered serious and some have been self-reported by the school.

The LHSAA has released updated power ratings in boys basketball. Natchitoches Central is the highest rated team in Five-A, followed by Scotlandville and Ruston. In Four-A, St. Thomas More is number one, in 3-A it’s Peabody, two-A Madison Prep, One-A Lafayette Christian and in Class B and C it’s Fairview and Elizabeth.

The LSU Tigers play the first of two consecutive games against ranked teams tonight when they visit 20th ranked South Carolina. After tonight, it’s 13th ranked Texas A-and-M at home on Saturday. Coach Johnny Jones’ squad enters this stretch of games in first place in the league standings and understands a good week puts them in position to win an SEC title…
cut 16 (12) “…of games”
LSU enters the game with a record of 8-2 in the SEC. Tip-off is at 6 PM.

Last night…Southeastern Louisiana’s two-game winning streak ended as the Lions fell to Central Arkansas 88-72.

Tonight the Pelicans host the Utah Jazz, who have won seven straight. New Orleans is 19-and-32 and reportedly could be without guard Tyreke Evans for the season as he needs surgery on his ailing right knee.

It appears the NCAA has enough evidence to levy some penalties against the Ole Miss football program. The Associated Press is reporting the NCAA has cited 13 violations against the Rebels and nine of them have occurred during Hugh Freeze’s tenure as head coach. Some of the violations are considered serious and some have been self-reported by the school.

Tulane’s 2016 football schedule is out and the Green Wave will kick off their season on September 1st at Wake Forest, which is a Thursday night. Tulane’s first home game is September 10th against Southern and they’ll host the Ragin Cajuns on September 24th. They visit Houston on November 12th.

The LHSAA has released updated power ratings in boys basketball. Natchitoches Central is the highest rated team in Five-A, followed by Scotlandville and Ruston. In Four-A, St. Thomas More is number one, in 3-A it’s Peabody, two-A Madison Prep, One-A Lafayette Christian and in Class B and C it’s Fairview and Elizabeth.

One of the greatest players in LSU basketball history will finally get a statue. The LSU athletic hall of fame committee has given the green light for a statue of Pete Maravich to be installed next to the building that’s been named for him. Since Pistol Pete never graduated from LSU a statue could not be erected in his honor, but the LSU Board of Supervisors recently changed tha policy and former LSU basketball player Collis Temple the Second couldn’t be happier…
cut 3 (10) “…what he did”
Maravich is still the NCAA all-time scoring leader with 3,667 points.

The Saints have released six-time pro bowl guard Jahri Evans in an effort to save money against the salary cap. Evans has been a starter on the Black and Gold’s offensive line for the last decade. New Orleans has also released linebackers David Hawthorne and Ramon Humber. More cuts are expected in the coming days.

The American Athletic Association released its 2016 schedule today and the Green Wave kicks off their season on September 1st at Wake Forest, which is a Thursday night. Tulane’s first home game is September 10th against Southern and they’ll host the Ragin Cajuns on September 24th. They visit Houston on November 12th.

In college hoops tonight just one game on the schedule…Southeastern Louisiana visits Central Arkansas. Last night….Nicholls upset Incarnate Word 71-60, while Northwestern State, Southern and Grambling each suffered defeats.

Tomorrow LSU is at 20th ranked South Carolina. The Gamecocks are 20-3 overall on the season and have not lost at home. The Tigers are 10-2 in league play and in first place in the SEC. The Pelicans host the Utah Jazz. New Orleans is six and a half games back of the Jazz for the final spot in the Western Conference.

The Saints have begin purging their roster as they released six-time pro bowl offensive lineman Jahri Evans, who has been a starter on the Black and Gold’s offensive line for the last decade. New Orleans has also released linebackers David Hawthorne and Ramon Humber and said good-bye to receiver Seantavius Jones. Cornerback Brandon Browner is also expected to be cut in the coming days.

The LSU Athletic Hall of Fame Committee unanimously approves a proposal for a statue honoring the late Pete Maravich to be installed on campus next to the building that’s named after him. Details on a design and construction will be released in the coming months. The LSU Board of Supervisors recently made changes to a policy that opened the door for a Maravich statue. The stumbling block has been that “Pistol Pete” passed away a few credit hours short of earning an LSU degree.

LSU basketball star Ben Simmons has been named SEC Freshman of the Week for a fourth time this season. The Tigers are at 20th ranked South Carolina tomorrow.

The Pelicans ended a four-game losing streak with a solid 116-102 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday led the way as each scored 27 points. Ryan Anderson added 26 points for the Pels, who are home on Wednesday night to host the Utah Jazz.

In college hoops…Nicholls State pulled off an upset last night as the Colonels upended Incarnate Word 71-60. TJ Carpenter had 19 points, including a three-pointer at the buzzer at halftime.

Despite 25 points from Zeek Woodley, Northwestern State fell to Stephen F Austin 83-72. A three-pointer with three seconds left ended Southern’s eight game winning streak as the Jaguars lost to Jackson State 81-80 and Grambling fell to Alcorn State 66-63.

For the second straight week, UL Lafayette’s Shawn Long is the Louisiana Sports Writers Association men’s basketball player of the week. Long averaged 24 points and 14 rebounds in two games last week. The Cajuns, who have won eight in a row, host Arkansas State on Thursday.

Many believe Peyton Manning played his last NFL game last night as he helped the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 24-10 in Super Bowl 50. Manning says his former head coach in Indianapolis, Tony Dungy, told him not to rush and make a decision…
cut 30 (17) “…emotional night”
Manning will turn 40 years old next month.

The Saints have reportedly released six-time Pro Bowl guard Jahri Evans. New Orleans selected Evans in the fourth round of the 2006 draft and he helped the Black and Gold win the Super Bowl in 2009. By releasing Evans, the Saints will reportedly save one-point-one million dollars against the salary cap.

With Super Bowl 50 in the books, the countdown to next season is on. NFL analyst Mike Detillier says for the Saints to get back into the playoffs, they improve one of the league’s worst defenses. On offense, he says look for New Orleans to provide quarterback Drew Brees with another pass catching target…
cut 15 (08) “…Marques Colston”

The LSU men’s basketball team enters the week in first place in the SEC after beating Mississippi State over the weekend. This week, the Tigers will visit 20th ranked South Carolina on Wednesday and on Saturday, they’ll host 13th ranked Texas A-and-M. Senior forward Keith Hornsby is looking forward to it…
cut 18 (14) “…be consistent”

New Orleans native Peyton Manning is a Super Bowl champion for a second time as Manning helped the Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 24-10 in Super Bowl 50. Peyton now has as many Super Bowl rings as his younger brother Eli, but that doesn’t matter in the Manning household…
cut 30 (06) “…do that”
Social media is having fun with Eli Manning, Eli didn’t look happy at one point in the game, even though his brother’s team was winning.

NFL analyst Mike Detillier says last night’s Super Bowl shows that defenses win championships. Detillier says this offseason the Saints will need to find a pass rusher, a run stuffing defensive tackle and a cornerback. He says hopefully the Saints will make better decisions, when it comes to free agent signees…
cut 14 (11) “…across the board”
On offense, Detillier expects the Saints to sign quarterback Drew Brees to a contract extension.

After a rough go during the nonconference schedule, the LSU men’s basketball team is now 8-2 in the SEC and in first place, one game ahead of three other teams. Coach Johnny Jones likes the direction the team is heading…
cut 17 (11) “…ways to go”
This week the Tigers will face two of the teams that are one game back behind LSU for first place, South Carolina on Wednesday and Texas A&M on Saturday.

In the NBA tonight…the Pelicans look to snap a four-game losing streak as they visit Minnesota. The Timberwolves are 20 games under 500, but have won two in a row.

In college hoops…Northwestern State has won a season-best three in a row and they are at Stephen F Austin tonight. The Lumberjacks are in first place in the Southland. Also in the Southland…Nicholls hosts Incarnate Word.

New Orleans native Peyton Manning is a Super Bowl champion for a second time as his Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 24-10 last night…
cut 30 (14) “…be victorius”
Manning only threw for 141 yards, but the Broncos defense was tremendous as they sacked Panthers QB Cam Newton six times and forced four turnovers.

NFL analyst Mike Detillier says Super Bowl 50 shows that if the Saints want to get back to the Super Bowl, getting better on defense should be their top priority this offseason…
cut 13 (12) “…three years”
Detillier says the Saints need a pass rusher, a run stuffing defensive tackle and another cornerback.

The LSU Tigers are in first place in the SEC after beating Mississippi State 88-77 on Saturday. Antonio Blakeney led the way with a career-high 31 points, Keith Hornsby had 25 points and Ben Simmons chipped in with 16 points. Coach Johnny Jones liked that the Tigers had 25 assists to go along with 32 made field goals….
cut 16 (19) “…basketball team”
This week the Tigers will face two of the teams that are one game back of LSU for first place, South Carolina on Wednesday and Texas A&M on Saturday.

In basketball tonight….the Pelicans are at Minnesota, while in college basketball Nicholls State takes on Incarnate Word and Grambling hosts Alcorn State.