Rapid Reaction: LSU 69, South Carolina 57 
February, 18, 2012
2/18/12
4:18
PM ET
By
David Helman | ESPN.com
LSU couldn’t quite pull away, but the Tigers held off South Carolina for a 69-57 win Saturday afternoon.
The win gives LSU (16-10, 6-6) its third-straight SEC win -- the first time the Tigers have accomplished that feat since 2009. By downing the Gamecocks (10-16, 2-10), LSU maintains its place in a five-team logjam for fourth place in the conference.
South Carolina, meanwhile, falls further into the SEC cellar with its 2-10 conference mark.
The win gives LSU (16-10, 6-6) its third-straight SEC win -- the first time the Tigers have accomplished that feat since 2009. By downing the Gamecocks (10-16, 2-10), LSU maintains its place in a five-team logjam for fourth place in the conference.
South Carolina, meanwhile, falls further into the SEC cellar with its 2-10 conference mark.
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Tigers down Air Force, 10-2, in season opener
February, 17, 2012
2/17/12
10:46
PM ET
By
David Helman | ESPN.com
BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU took advantage of early Air Force mistakes for nine early runs Friday night, coasting to a 10-2 win against the Falcons in the Tigers' season opener.
The Tigers (1-0) did most of their damage in the game’s first two frames and then rode a strong season-opening performance from Kevin Gausman to the win.
Bertelson’s Blunders: Despite taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the Falcons (0-2) buried themselves under a forgettable inning for starter Ben Bertelson.
The Tigers (1-0) did most of their damage in the game’s first two frames and then rode a strong season-opening performance from Kevin Gausman to the win.
Bertelson’s Blunders: Despite taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the Falcons (0-2) buried themselves under a forgettable inning for starter Ben Bertelson.
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Baker brings physicality for class of 2013
February, 16, 2012
2/16/12
3:54
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By
David Helman | ESPN.com
BATON ROUGE, La. -- The college recruiting process doesn't happen much faster or easier than it did for Chuck Baker.
Baker (Slidell, La./Salmen) surprised LSU fans everywhere a couple of weeks ago when he showed up at junior day in Baton Rouge and, without much fuss or hesitation, pulled the trigger on accepting a scholarship offer.
"This is what any kid in Louisiana or in America pretty much dreams for when they play football," Baker said. "Playing for Coach Les Miles and LSU, which has a lot of history behind the whole school -- it's a dream come true."
Baker (Slidell, La./Salmen) surprised LSU fans everywhere a couple of weeks ago when he showed up at junior day in Baton Rouge and, without much fuss or hesitation, pulled the trigger on accepting a scholarship offer.
"This is what any kid in Louisiana or in America pretty much dreams for when they play football," Baker said. "Playing for Coach Les Miles and LSU, which has a lot of history behind the whole school -- it's a dream come true."
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Arkansas, LSU junior days for Lagow
February, 16, 2012
2/16/12
12:18
PM ET
By
Damon Sayles | ESPN.com
Quarterback Richard Lagow (Plano, Texas) has interest from several schools, but he is patiently awaiting his first offer. At 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds, Lagow believes that offer will come in due time.
Until then, Lagow will continue to work in the off-season and focus his attention on upcoming junior days and unofficial visits. He is planning on attending Arkansas’ junior day on March 3 and LSU’s junior day on March 31. Lagow also is looking to schedule visits to Oklahoma State, Colorado and Northwestern in the near future.
Lagow has yet to pull his first offer but said that he’s received the most interest from Oklahoma State, Colorado and Arkansas.
Until then, Lagow will continue to work in the off-season and focus his attention on upcoming junior days and unofficial visits. He is planning on attending Arkansas’ junior day on March 3 and LSU’s junior day on March 31. Lagow also is looking to schedule visits to Oklahoma State, Colorado and Northwestern in the near future.
Lagow has yet to pull his first offer but said that he’s received the most interest from Oklahoma State, Colorado and Arkansas.
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Fanaika planning visit to Baton Rouge
February, 15, 2012
2/15/12
4:00
PM ET
By
David Helman | ESPN.com
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Signing day has come and gone, but LSU is still trying to plug some missing holes in the class of 2012.
The Tigers search has taken them to the College of San Mateo, a junior college in California, this past week.
There, LSU is hoping to secure the services of San Mateo offensive tackle Fehoko Fanaika, the school’s standout offensive guard in the 2012 class. LSU joined the likes of stalwart programs such as Georgia and Nebraska when offensive line coach Greg Studrawa called to offer Fanaika a scholarship.
The Tigers search has taken them to the College of San Mateo, a junior college in California, this past week.
There, LSU is hoping to secure the services of San Mateo offensive tackle Fehoko Fanaika, the school’s standout offensive guard in the 2012 class. LSU joined the likes of stalwart programs such as Georgia and Nebraska when offensive line coach Greg Studrawa called to offer Fanaika a scholarship.
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Rapid Reaction: LSU 69, Miss. State 67 (OT)
February, 14, 2012
2/14/12
11:46
PM ET
By
David Helman | ESPN.com
BATON ROUGE, La. -- It might not help them into the NCAA tournament, but LSU pulled off its best win of the conference season with a 69-67 overtime upset of No. 23 Mississippi State on Tuesday.
The Tigers (15-10, 5-6) rallied from a 17-point deficit to force a late tie against a hot-shooting Mississippi State team. LSU even had a chance to down the Bulldogs (19-7, 6-5) at the end of regulation, but power forward Justin Hamilton misfired from 3-point range to send the game into an extra period. In overtime, Hamilton and guard Anthony Hickey took over, scoring nine of the Tigers' 11 points to steal the victory.
The win is LSU's second against ranked opposition this season. The other came on Dec. 19 against then-No. 10 Marquette.
"The only thing that matters is that locker room is happy," LSU coach Trent Johnson said. "It's a big win because of how hard they worked."
There and back again: In the span of the game's final 45 seconds, LSU appeared to have clinched the game, and then lost it before Hickey ultimately delivered.
After two Storm Warren free throws gave the Tigers a two-point lead, Hickey danced his way through the Bulldog defense for a beautiful running layup. The basket gave LSU a four-point lead with 21 seconds left -- seemingly assuring victory. Of all people, 6-foot-8, 280-pound Bulldog forward Renardo Sidney cut the deficit to one with a well-timed 3-pointer.
With the game in the balance, Ralston Turner turned over the ensuing inbounds pass, and a foul sent State to the line with a chance to take the lead. Bulldog guard Brian Bryant tied the game, but couldn't sink his second shot.
With less than 10 seconds remaining, the ball once again fell to Hickey, who once again scrambled to the rim for the game-winner.
"Whatever happened, happened -- I was going to hit the open man," Hickey said. "But I looked at the shot clock and it was at five. So, my team has confidence in me and I have confidence in them, so I took the shot and it fell down."
Tigers rally: The only reason the game got to overtime was because of a fierce LSU rally late in the first half. With about six minutes to play in the first, the Tigers looked to be a lost cause. The Bulldogs were shooting 57 percent from the field, behind 13 points from Dee Bost, and held a commanding 30-13 lead.
As bleak as it looked, LSU ramped up the defense to turn things around. From the 5:58 mark of the first half to the 17:31 mark of the second half, the Tigers went on a 23-6 run to claw back. Warren played a big role, coming off the bench to contribute four points, seven boards and a block in just 12 minutes in the first half.
"Defensively to start, for whatever reason, our energy was just god awful," Johnson said. "(LSU's bench players) were great, and they got us back in this thing."
When Turner hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the first half, the Tigers cut the lead to seven and established that the game would be a fight.
Lockdown D: The big reason for State's early run was some lackluster defense on LSU's part -- a problem that's been uncharacteristic for a normally solid defensive group.
The Bulldogs didn't have to work hard for their shots in the early going, and they responded by shooting 57 percent from the field with a solid 4-of-7 mark from 3-point range.
Starting late in the first half, the Tigers stepped up their game. Mississippi State shot 37 percent in the second half, and LSU forced a whopping 21 Bulldog turnovers. After the hot start from long range, LSU also stopped giving up open 3's, as Mississippi State finished the night 6-of-18 from behind the arc after the 4-of-7 start.
"The start was horrendous," Johnson said. "I don't know what they told you, but there wasn't a lot of adjustments going on at halftime -- just one immature basketball coach."
The Tigers (15-10, 5-6) rallied from a 17-point deficit to force a late tie against a hot-shooting Mississippi State team. LSU even had a chance to down the Bulldogs (19-7, 6-5) at the end of regulation, but power forward Justin Hamilton misfired from 3-point range to send the game into an extra period. In overtime, Hamilton and guard Anthony Hickey took over, scoring nine of the Tigers' 11 points to steal the victory.
The win is LSU's second against ranked opposition this season. The other came on Dec. 19 against then-No. 10 Marquette.
"The only thing that matters is that locker room is happy," LSU coach Trent Johnson said. "It's a big win because of how hard they worked."
There and back again: In the span of the game's final 45 seconds, LSU appeared to have clinched the game, and then lost it before Hickey ultimately delivered.
After two Storm Warren free throws gave the Tigers a two-point lead, Hickey danced his way through the Bulldog defense for a beautiful running layup. The basket gave LSU a four-point lead with 21 seconds left -- seemingly assuring victory. Of all people, 6-foot-8, 280-pound Bulldog forward Renardo Sidney cut the deficit to one with a well-timed 3-pointer.
With the game in the balance, Ralston Turner turned over the ensuing inbounds pass, and a foul sent State to the line with a chance to take the lead. Bulldog guard Brian Bryant tied the game, but couldn't sink his second shot.
With less than 10 seconds remaining, the ball once again fell to Hickey, who once again scrambled to the rim for the game-winner.
"Whatever happened, happened -- I was going to hit the open man," Hickey said. "But I looked at the shot clock and it was at five. So, my team has confidence in me and I have confidence in them, so I took the shot and it fell down."
Tigers rally: The only reason the game got to overtime was because of a fierce LSU rally late in the first half. With about six minutes to play in the first, the Tigers looked to be a lost cause. The Bulldogs were shooting 57 percent from the field, behind 13 points from Dee Bost, and held a commanding 30-13 lead.
As bleak as it looked, LSU ramped up the defense to turn things around. From the 5:58 mark of the first half to the 17:31 mark of the second half, the Tigers went on a 23-6 run to claw back. Warren played a big role, coming off the bench to contribute four points, seven boards and a block in just 12 minutes in the first half.
"Defensively to start, for whatever reason, our energy was just god awful," Johnson said. "(LSU's bench players) were great, and they got us back in this thing."
When Turner hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the first half, the Tigers cut the lead to seven and established that the game would be a fight.
Lockdown D: The big reason for State's early run was some lackluster defense on LSU's part -- a problem that's been uncharacteristic for a normally solid defensive group.
The Bulldogs didn't have to work hard for their shots in the early going, and they responded by shooting 57 percent from the field with a solid 4-of-7 mark from 3-point range.
Starting late in the first half, the Tigers stepped up their game. Mississippi State shot 37 percent in the second half, and LSU forced a whopping 21 Bulldog turnovers. After the hot start from long range, LSU also stopped giving up open 3's, as Mississippi State finished the night 6-of-18 from behind the arc after the 4-of-7 start.
"The start was horrendous," Johnson said. "I don't know what they told you, but there wasn't a lot of adjustments going on at halftime -- just one immature basketball coach."
Three keys: LSU vs. Mississippi State
February, 14, 2012
2/14/12
3:39
PM ET
By
David Helman | ESPN.com
BATON ROUGE, La. -- After tonight, it's all downhill.
Once LSU (14-10, 4-6) finishes up with No. 23 Mississippi State (19-6, 6-4), the Tigers will be done with the toughest stretch on their schedule. Their remaining five opponents sit in the bottom half of the SEC standings.
Beating the Bulldogs will be no easy task, but the Tigers pushed Mississippi State in the teams' first meeting in Starkville, Miss.
Once LSU (14-10, 4-6) finishes up with No. 23 Mississippi State (19-6, 6-4), the Tigers will be done with the toughest stretch on their schedule. Their remaining five opponents sit in the bottom half of the SEC standings.
Beating the Bulldogs will be no easy task, but the Tigers pushed Mississippi State in the teams' first meeting in Starkville, Miss.
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Johnson: Lin stood out in high school
February, 13, 2012
2/13/12
6:00
PM ET
By
David Helman | ESPN.com
"Linsanity" might be sweeping the NBA, but it's easy to see the ripples in college basketball.
Jeremy Lin has had a torrid week for the New York Knicks. He's come from being an undrafted free agent on the verge of being cut to becoming the toast of the league. The Harvard graduate bounced around the league after going undrafted, but has suddenly caught fire in the Big Apple after earning a start as a last resort.
Interestingly enough, one of the first people to hear about Lin is now the head man in Baton Rouge.
Jeremy Lin has had a torrid week for the New York Knicks. He's come from being an undrafted free agent on the verge of being cut to becoming the toast of the league. The Harvard graduate bounced around the league after going undrafted, but has suddenly caught fire in the Big Apple after earning a start as a last resort.
Interestingly enough, one of the first people to hear about Lin is now the head man in Baton Rouge.
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Rapid Reaction: LSU 67, Alabama 58
February, 11, 2012
2/11/12
10:22
PM ET
By
David Helman | ESPN.com
BATON ROUGE, La. -- A win is a win, but considering the circumstances, LSU didn’t exactly shine in its performance Saturday against Alabama.
Facing off against a Crimson Tide lineup crippled by suspensions to four of its top six scorers, the Tigers (14-10, 4-6) gutted out a 67-58 victory against their overmatched competition. But the win didn’t come before LSU allowed the Tide to rally from a 16-point halftime deficit and force some uncomfortable moments.
The win secured LSU’s best SEC record since 2009, when the Tigers won the conference. Alabama (16-8, 5-5) dropped to .500 in conference play, with a game against Florida looming.
Facing off against a Crimson Tide lineup crippled by suspensions to four of its top six scorers, the Tigers (14-10, 4-6) gutted out a 67-58 victory against their overmatched competition. But the win didn’t come before LSU allowed the Tide to rally from a 16-point halftime deficit and force some uncomfortable moments.
The win secured LSU’s best SEC record since 2009, when the Tigers won the conference. Alabama (16-8, 5-5) dropped to .500 in conference play, with a game against Florida looming.
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BATON ROUGE, La. -- The box score might not reflect it, but LSU put up a solid fight against one of the SEC’s better teams in Vanderbilt on Wednesday night.
After facing the likes of the Commodores and No. 1 Kentucky, the Tigers (13-10, 3-6) now begin a much more manageable home stretch. Five of LSU’s remaining seven games are against teams with losing conference records.
To start though, they have two rematches against teams jockeying for postseason consideration in Alabama and No. 18 Mississippi State.
After facing the likes of the Commodores and No. 1 Kentucky, the Tigers (13-10, 3-6) now begin a much more manageable home stretch. Five of LSU’s remaining seven games are against teams with losing conference records.
To start though, they have two rematches against teams jockeying for postseason consideration in Alabama and No. 18 Mississippi State.
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The University of Alabama looks to extend its current three-game winning streak on the road at LSU on Saturday. The Tide won Round 1 of the home-and-home series, but this time the game shifts to Baton Rouge, La., where the Tigers are 8-3 on the year.
Alabama coach Anthony Grant was asked of the suspension to junior forward Tony Mitchell at Friday's news conference but said there was “nothing new,” adding that he would not play against LSU on Saturday. Mitchell, who is second on the team in points per game, first in blocks and second in steals, still has the opportunity to rejoin the team this season, according to Grant.
Keep Hankerson involved
Alabama coach Anthony Grant was asked of the suspension to junior forward Tony Mitchell at Friday's news conference but said there was “nothing new,” adding that he would not play against LSU on Saturday. Mitchell, who is second on the team in points per game, first in blocks and second in steals, still has the opportunity to rejoin the team this season, according to Grant.
Keep Hankerson involved
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Even though Texas’ campus is less than 70 miles from his high school, Vincent Taylor (San Antonio/Madison) couldn’t help but feel at home during his junior day at LSU.
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound defensive lineman grew up in New Orleans. He moved to San Antonio in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina.
“Growing up as a kid there in New Orleans, I always rooted for LSU in all the bowl games they went to,” he said. “It was good to go back for their junior day.”
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound defensive lineman grew up in New Orleans. He moved to San Antonio in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina.
“Growing up as a kid there in New Orleans, I always rooted for LSU in all the bowl games they went to,” he said. “It was good to go back for their junior day.”
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Jefferson's words prolong title loss
February, 9, 2012
2/09/12
9:01
PM ET
By
David Helman | ESPN.com
BATON ROUGE, La. -- One month later, the sour taste of a historic 21-0 loss to Alabama continues to linger.
A month to the day after LSU became the first-ever team to be shutout in a BCS Championship Game, former Tigers quarterback Jordan Jefferson took to the radio to air out his grievances with his team’s performance.
Speaking in an interview with radio station WCNN in Atlanta on Thursday, Jefferson questioned the Tigers’ readiness to face Alabama in the Jan. 9 national championship game -- a talking point that has baffled LSU fans for the last 30 days.
A month to the day after LSU became the first-ever team to be shutout in a BCS Championship Game, former Tigers quarterback Jordan Jefferson took to the radio to air out his grievances with his team’s performance.
Speaking in an interview with radio station WCNN in Atlanta on Thursday, Jefferson questioned the Tigers’ readiness to face Alabama in the Jan. 9 national championship game -- a talking point that has baffled LSU fans for the last 30 days.
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Miami (Fla.) Gulliver Prep defensive end/linebacker Stacy Thomas picked up scholarship offers from Florida State and LSU on Wednesday.
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound linebacker, who also holds offers from Duke and Louisville, said that he plans to unofficially visit FSU for the Seminoles' junior day Feb. 25.
"Coach [James] Coley messaged me on Facebook to tell me they offered, but he also called my high school coach," Thomas said. "LSU just told my coach they offered me."
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound linebacker, who also holds offers from Duke and Louisville, said that he plans to unofficially visit FSU for the Seminoles' junior day Feb. 25.
"Coach [James] Coley messaged me on Facebook to tell me they offered, but he also called my high school coach," Thomas said. "LSU just told my coach they offered me."
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Wilson favors LSU, will attend UT junior day
February, 9, 2012
2/09/12
4:23
PM ET
By
Max Olson | ESPN.com
Ishmael Wilson (Dallas/Bishop Dunne) wasn’t happy to leave Baton Rouge last weekend without an offer from LSU, but that slight hasn’t hurt the Tigers’ chances of landing one of the state’s top junior offensive linemen.
“My favorite school is LSU, hands down,” he said.
Wilson attended LSU’s junior day last weekend and was confident he’d get his offer. But coach Les Miles had yet to see any film of Wilson’s junior season, and he wouldn’t offer until he spent time breaking down the tape.
“My favorite school is LSU, hands down,” he said.
Wilson attended LSU’s junior day last weekend and was confident he’d get his offer. But coach Les Miles had yet to see any film of Wilson’s junior season, and he wouldn’t offer until he spent time breaking down the tape.
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ABOUT GEAUX TIGER NATION
Gary Laney
Gary Laney joined ESPN.com in 2012 after spending a year and a half as online sports editor of the Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate. Before that, he covered LSU sports for the Advocate. He has also been the sports editor at the Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise and covered McNeese State athletics for the Lake Charles (La.) American Press. Laney currently lives in Baton Rouge. Email him at glaneyespn@gmail.com