Both of Ruston High’s hoops teams returned to the road Tuesday night with the Lady Bearcats getting a 50-13 win over Bossier, while the boys fell 53-20.
“You never know how you will come out of a long break but tonight we played hard,” Ruston High head coach Meredith Graf said. “The girls were all ready, stayed focused, and executed. It was good to see the high level of unselfishness and sharing of the ball. We were able to work on a few specific things which will help us later this week as we travel to the Hamilton Christian Tournament in Lake Charles.”
Ruston outscored Bossier 30-8 in the first half and held the Bearkats to five second half points. Junior Kiersynce McNeal led Ruston scorers with eight points and three steals.
On the boys’ side, Bossier outscored the Bearcats 21-8 in the first quarter en route to their win.
“We just have to put this behind us and focus on Quitman and Cedar Creek,” Bearcat head coach Ryan Bond said.
Senior Lonnie Dimmer finished with eight points, while freshman KeShun Malcolm finished with seven.
Both teams will play in weekend tournaments: the Lady Bearcats will be at the Hamilton Christian Tournament down south, and the Bearcats will participate in the Quitman Tournament, which will be held at the RPAR Sports Complex.
Ruston Police arrested a West Monroe man last week after he was stopped driving the wrong way on Trenton Street and was allegedly found to be under the influence.
Jon Tyler Anderson, 28, was stopped for driving the wrong way on a one-way street about 10:30 p.m. on November 22. An officer detected a strong odor of alcoholic beverages on Anderson. A series of field sobriety tests indicated Anderson was impaired.
It was determined Anderson’s driver’s license had been suspended for a previous DWI. He was arrested and taken to the Lincoln Parish Detention Center where he refused to provide a breath sample to determine his blood alcohol content. He was booked for driving while intoxicated-second offense and driving under suspension. Bail was set at $2,500.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Charles Voyde is considered by some to be a legend in Texas because of his high-profile criminal history. Charles was a carpet salesman, professional gambler, and a convicted contract killer, a hitman. Charles was born in 1938 in Lovelady, Texas. His criminal career began sometime in the late 1950s and escalated from petty crimes to murder.
Charles had a wife and two children, the oldest of which was Woodrow. In 1968, when Woodrow was seven years old, Charles was arrested for the murder of Alan Harry Berg, also a carpet salesman. Woodrow’s father disappeared from his life. While awaiting trial, Charles and two others were charged with the murder of wealthy grain broker Sam Degelia near McAllen, Texas. In September 1970, Charles was acquitted of murdering Berg. After the first trial for Sam Degelia’s murder ended in a deadlocked jury, Charles was convicted in 1973 and sentenced to 15 years in prison. According to trial testimony, Charles was paid just $2,000 to murder Degelia. In 1978, after serving five years of his sentence, Charles was released for good behavior.
Like Charles, Jamiel “Jimmy” Chagra was a carpet salesman and a professional gambler. Jimmy was also a drug trafficker operating out of Las Vegas, Nevada and El Paso, Texas. In February 1979, Jimmy was indicted by a federal grand jury on cocaine and marijuana smuggling charges in Midland, Texas, and the case was assigned to Federal Judge “Maximum” John Wood. The judge earned the nickname “Maximum” for his tough treatment of drug dealers and smugglers. Jimmy tried back channels, and, when that failed, threatened Judge Wood, but he refused to step down as the presiding judge in Jimmy’s case. Jimmy decided to hire a hitman.
According to courtroom testimony, in April 1979, Jimmy Chagra met Charles and Jo Ann, Charles’ third wife, in Las Vegas. At that meeting, Charles agreed to murder the federal judge for $250,000. In the following month, Jo Ann, using the false name Fay King, bought a Weatherby rifle in a Dallas gun shop. A few days later, May 29, 1979, Judge John Wood was standing outside his car at his home in San Antonio, purportedly looking at a flat tire on either his or his wife’s car. A neighbor heard what he thought was a car backfiring and looked out of his window and saw the judge fall into his car. He had been shot in the back. He fell into and died in his wife’s lap. In the following month, Teresa Starr Jasper, Charles’ stepdaughter, picked up a briefcase which contained $250,000 in Las Vegas from Elizabeth Chagra, Jimmy’s wife.
The murder of the federal judge prompted a massive investigation, and, in August 1979, Jimmy Chagra was convicted in absentia in federal court of continuing criminal activity and sentenced to 30 years without parole. Five months later, Jimmy was captured in Las Vegas and sent to Leavenworth federal prison. While in prison, Jimmy bragged to another inmate, Jerry Ray James, that he had Judge John Wood killed and provided some specific details. Jerry Ray shared the information he learned with investigators. In September 1980, Charles was arrested in Van Horn, Texas following a 10-hour cocaine-fueled standoff with police. It was when news broke of the 10-hour standoff that Woodrow learned the whereabouts of his father whom he had not seen in over ten years.
During interrogation, Charles admitted to killing Judge John Wood. In all fairness, during the same interrogation he also claimed to have killed several other people including President John F. Kennedy. In April 1982, a federal grand jury indicted Jimmy, Jimmy’s little brother Joe Chagra, Jimmy’s wife Elizabeth, along with Charles and Jo Ann for conspiracy and other charges in the John Wood murder case. Joe Chagra made a plea-bargain for a lesser sentence. Elizabeth Chagra was found guilty of conspiracy for delivering the $250,000 payment to Charles’ stepdaughter. Jo Ann, who bought the rifle that killed Judge John Wood was sentenced to 25 years in prison for obstruction. Charles, the hitman who admitted to killing the judge, was sentenced to serve two consecutive life sentences for the murder. Jimmy was ultimately acquitted of hiring Charles to kill Judge John Wood but was found guilty on numerous drug trafficking charges.
In the late 1980s, Charles and Woodrow grew closer. Woodrow visited his father in prison at least once a year. In 1985, Woodrow became a bartender and began helping his father to get a new trial. In 1987, when Charles married his fourth wife by proxy, Woodrow stood in for his father during the ceremony. Charles argued that his legal representation was not adequate in his 1979 trial. “No matter what you did,” Charles said, “you have a right under that Constitution to a fair and impartial hearing of your peers, and I did not get that.” In 1998, Woodrow told reporters that it was the “sad truth” that the legal system “seems to work a lot better for those who have enough money.” Woodrow fought to get his father a new trial until March 21, 2007, when the 69-year-old contract killer died in prison of a heart attack.
Woodrow once said the fight to get his father a new trial cost a lot of money, but his bartending job paid more than most bartending jobs. You see, Woodrow, the son of a hit man, was a bartender at the Boston, Massachusetts bar “where everybody knows your name.” The name of the fictional bar was Cheers. Charles Voyde Harrelson was the father of actor Woodrow “Woody” Harrelson.
Sources:
1. El Paso Times, May 30, 1979, p.1.
2. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, October 21, 1984, p.89.
3. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, October 25, 1984, p.69.
4. Tampa Bay Times, August 7, 1998, p.22.
5. The Monitor (McAllen, Texas), July 16, 1999, p. 26.
6. Austin American-Statesman, March 22, 2007, p.21.
Do you find yourself worrying about things that really aren’t that important?Do you overreact to issues and wish you could have the opportunity to respond differently? Do you find yourself getting caught up in the frenzy of public opinion only to look back later and wonder what you were thinking?
The lack of perspective is the common element in each of these scenarios.Perspective is the capacity to view things in their true sense or relative importance.When we fail to accurately assess a situation or accurately weigh the importance of a matter, we quickly lose perspective and subject ourselves to problematic behavior.
To avoid losing perspective in key areas of life, we need to recognize the potential causes along with a corrective response.Here are a few of those causes and corrective responses for you to consider:
• Lack of knowledge:When you have limited information on a matter, you may be prone to assume the worst possible outcome or prematurely draw wrong conclusions on a matter.A better response would be to ask more questions, seek more information, and acquire more understanding.Energy invested in gaining more knowledge and perspective will yield a much better return than excessive worry or overreaction.
Lack of margin:When we are so busy in our lives that we have no time to reflect, no money for emergencies, no emotional energy to share, or no time to think, we will often fail to properly evaluate challenges of life.When we are running on empty, the slightest issue will seem like a mountain.We need to create and maintain margin in every area of our life to allow us to view things accurately and be able to respond as needed.
Lack of wise counsel:Public opinion, popular views, and other’s opinions can be overvalued and wrong at times.Many of us listen too much to wrong voices.These voices are on social media, the media in general, or maybe just the voices in our lives.We all need trustworthy people in our lives to help us stay grounded and to see things clearly.Invest in those types of relationships, seek out trustworthy advisors, and find people you can trust.
Lack of clarity:Many of us have not clearly defined our purpose, our goals, or ultimate desired destination in various aspects of our life.When we lack clarity, we can oftentimes misjudge the relative importance of issues, opportunities, or even people.Taking the time to clearly define our objectives or desired outcomes will provide us with the ability to properly assess the importance of events and people encounters along our path.
Lack of healthy humility:Any time we expect too little or too much of ourselves, we can lose sight of values, convictions, and priorities.When we lack a healthy internal view of ourselves, we will oftentimes create unnecessary stress and unreachable expectations.However, when we have a clear understanding of our strengths and weaknesses, along with an understanding that we will make mistakes, we can pursue realistic desires and avoid harmful stress and unnecessary disappointment.An honest internal evaluation might be a good investment!
Perspective might just be what you need as we come to the end of year, continue in the holiday season, and enter a new year with new challenges and opportunities.You might be surprised at the impact you have by changing your perspective!
Which of the five perspective killers noted above do you need to address in your life?
Anna Larr Roberson scored 12 points in Wednesday night’s game against ULM.
Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
Louisiana Tech and ULM were in a defensive battle for 40 minutes Wednesday night in the Thomas Assembly Center. The Warhawks ended with a 60-52 win over the Lady Techsters.
“They were the tougher team,” said Tech head coach Brooke Stoehr. “Looking at it, we went 17 of 52 and struggled to score. We only got six offensive boards, three of which are dead balls. We have to find a way to generate some offense.
“One way is to get yourself to the free throw line. We got there 22 times, but we put them there 23. We fouled there at the end and gave them eight free throws. You can’t let someone come in on your home court and dictate those things. We got stops, and our zone was effective.”
Silvia Nativi picked up where she had left off from the previous three games. The guard connected on her first two shots to give the Lady Techsters an early 6-4 lead halfway through the first. Jianna Morris and Salma Bates added three free throws, but the Lady Techsters would go scoreless over the final three minutes of the quarter.
The pace of play started to pick up, but both teams continued to pressure the other. The Lady Techsters forced the Warhawks into four turnovers, but ULM would connect on three 3-pointers to take the 25-19 lead into the half.
Bates knocked down a corner three to open the half and breathe life into the Lady Techsters. ULM would get five quick points in response, but LA Tech would start to attack the basket and get the Warhawks into foul trouble.
An and-one by Robyn Lee sparked a 12-4 run to tie the ballgame up for the first time since early in the second quarter. However, ULM’s Daisha Bradford started to take control of the game with the final four points to end the quarter with the Warhawks up 38-34.
“It’s just a matter of going track down a loose ball,” said Stoehr. “When you’ve got a size advantage, you’ve got to win the rebounding battle. For this group right now, we’re struggling to score, and we’ll continue to work through that and fight and figure out ways to generate some offense, but we got to rebound the ball.”
ULM would extend their lead to eight early in the final stanza. With under three minutes remaining, the Lady Techsters tried to make one last push and pulled within three at 51-48 before ULM would knock down seven free throws in the final minute to come away with the win.
Anna Larr Roberson, Morris, and Nativi would all finish in double-figure scoring. Roberson led the way with 12 points and eight rebounds. Morris had 11 points, and Nativi finished with 10.
Bradford finished with 26 points and nine rebounds for the Warhawks.
Isaiah Crawford scored a game-high 24 points in the loss at New Mexico. (Photo by Kane McGuire)
Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
Louisiana Tech had its five-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday night, falling by a score of 74-65 to New Mexico in front of 10,216 fans inside The Pit.
“We knew it was going to be a physical game,” said head coach Talvin Hester. “At the end of the day, the second chance points they got, the fastbreak points they got, really hurt us. We will continue to fight and get better.”
LA Tech (5-2) did enough defensively against one of the top scoring offenses in the country in New Mexico (6-1). The Bulldogs held the Logos to just 37.9 percent shooting.
However, the ‘Dogs did not have enough go their way offensively to pull off the road upset, shooting a season-low 35.6 percent. While they were efficient from beyond the arc (8-of-19), LA Tech could not get many baskets to fall around the rim. Plus, starting point guard Sean Newman Jr. got hurt early in the contest and was able to make his usual impact.
“When we are missing easy shots, we have to rely on our defense a lot more,” said Hester. “I felt like we got some of the shots we wanted and late in the half they started going in. We spotted them too many points early. I was proud of our fight in the second half, but we have to put two halves together.”
It was 7-2 in favor of the Bulldogs after three minutes, but the Lobos came with an offensive blitz, going on a 16-1 run to take an 18-8 lead with 10:43 to go in the first half.
LA Tech could not buy a bucket, making just four of its first 22 shots. Down 12 late, the Bulldogs were able to find a glimmer of offense, primarily due to Isaiah Crawford who scored 10 of his team’s last 15 points of the half. He ended up with 13 of his game-high 24 points in the first stanza, including a half-court buzzer beater to make it a 35-28 deficit.
Crawford’s and-one got the Bulldogs back to within seven early in the second half, but another blitz came by the Lobos. This one was ignited by Jemarl Baker Jr. who buried back-to-back three-pointers as part of an 8-0 run that took just a minute to happen.
UNM got up by as much as 18, but the ‘Dogs continued to hang around. A driving layup by Jordan Crawford made it a 64-54 game with 3:28 to play, a bucket that forced a timeout by the Lobos.
“I was proud of Jordan,” said Hester. “He stayed on the attack and did things we were asking of him. He can grow from here.”
It was Baker again though putting UNM on his back, draining his sixth three following the TO in route to a game-high 18 points.
While Isaiah Crawford matched his season high in scoring, Jordan Crawford had a season-high 12 points as the Bulldogs only other double-digit scorer. Daniel Batcho finished with nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
BATON ROUGE, La. – Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of Tourism announced the line-up of float riders and performers chosen to represent the state in the 135th Rose Parade®presented by Honda in Pasadena, California, on January 1, 2024. For a third year in a row, Louisiana will parade across the national and international stages for this annual tradition. This year’s theme is “Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language.”
“Louisiana is a perfect fit for the theme of music. Music is a part of our culture, from Mardi Gras to our festivals, to our daily lives. We will kick off our new marketing campaign, Year of Music, in 2024 with this parade and we know we’re going to put on a show the audience will never forget,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “Our riders this year represent the celebratory spirit of Louisiana and our performers are bringing authentic Louisiana flare.”
Louisiana’s 2024 Rose Parade® float features a larger-than-life Mardi Gras jester, fleur-de-lis, second-line inspired umbrellas, and of course lots of purple, green and gold. Louisiana’s rolling performance will include all the sights and sounds of a Louisiana Mardi Gras. Performing will be Grammy-nominated Zydeco musician Sean Ardoin, Cajun fiddler Amanda Shaw, and legendary guitarist James Burton.
Seven premier sponsors of Louisiana’s float represent convention and visitors bureaus and tourism boards from across the state including Lafayette Travel, Natchitoches Convention & Visitors Bureau, New Orleans & Company, Tangipahoa Parish Convention & Visitors Bureau, Visit Lake Charles, Visit Shreveport-Bossier, and Visit The Northshore.
“I’m thrilled to be joined by this year’s sponsors as we demonstrate how you can Feed Your Soul in every corner of the state with our rich culture and amazing music,” added Lt. Governor Nungesser. “This year’s riders represent a variety of genres of music Louisiana either created or influenced throughout history.”
Louisiana’s 2024 Rose Parade® float riders include:
Sydney “Big Sid” Williams; Owner, El Sid O’s Zydeco & Blues Club (Lafayette Travel – Premier Sponsor)
Katrice Lacour; Zydeco musician (Natchitoches Convention & Visitors Bureau – Premier Sponsor)
Curtis Doucette, Jr.; Lead developer of renovations at Dew Drop Inn (New Orleans & Company – Premier Sponsor)
Kasia Trepagnier; Actress/Producer (Tangipahoa Convention & Visitors Bureau – Premier Sponsor)
Kennidy Elizabeth Ann Peavy; 2023 Southwest Louisiana Miss Queen Mardi Gras (Visit Lake Charles – Premier Sponsor)
James Burton; Legendary guitarist (Visit Shreveport-Bossier – Premier Sponsor)
Amanda Shaw; Cajun fiddler (Visit The Northshore – Premier Sponsor)
Jordyn Finlyn Kelley; 64th Louisiana Fur and Wildlife Festival Queen (Calcasieu Parish)
Laura Jane Kirkpatrick; Miss Louisiana’s Teen 2023 (Baton Rouge)
Zharia Lemar; Miss Festival of the Bonfires XXXIII (St. James Parish – selected by First Lady-elect Sharon Landry)
Destiny Wilrye; 2023 Miss Ragley Heritage and Timber Festival (Beauregard Parish – selected by First Lady-elect Sharon Landry)
The Rose Parade® presented by Honda will roll January 1, 2024, and broadcast live all over the world at 8 a.m. Pacific through broadcast partners, including ABC and NBC.
For more information on how to join Louisiana and volunteer to decorate the 2024 Louisiana float in Pasadena, visit ExploreLouisiana.com/2024-rose-parade.
Have you ever noticed how the loss of a quarterback affects everyone around him also in terms of production on the field of play? It’s something we’re seeing come full circle this year with so many teams now missing their primary signal caller.
More specifically, the Jets, Patriots, Browns, Bengals, Colts, Titans, Raiders, Giants, and Vikings are all currently starting quarterbacks that were not their starters when the season started. Technically, the Cardinals fall into that category, being Kyler Murray is actually a big improvement over where they started. Anyway, the impact on the entire offensive system is overwhelming to the point that when I took a look at the weekly rankings for Week 13,
Ja’Marr Chase wasn’t even considered a top-15 option at his position. Amari Cooper was out of the top-25. And, the impact isn’t just on wide receivers. Running backs also bear the brunt of a quarterback departure due to injury as they’re forced to try to run with the safeties pulled into the box to stuff said run. What a tangled mess an injured QB leaves behind. There’s simply no substitute for competent quarterbacking in the NFL.
With all that in mind, who are the offenses at this point that ARE functioning properly? In other words, as the fantasy playoffs approach, who can you as a manager put your trust in? To answer that, we’ve identified a few offenses you can hitch your wagon to. So, read on and then hitch away…
Jacksonville Jaguars: It took about half a season, but Jacksonville has finally figured out how to use all of their talented pass catchers seemingly. Calvin Ridley has been among the top five receivers in fantasy football each of the past two weeks and Christian Kirk continues to be a player you can count on week in and week out for double digit scores. Assuming no regression, Jacksonville’s schedule for December includes the Bengals, Buccaneers, and Panthers. Look for the offense to continue to improve over that stretch of time.
Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott is enjoying his finest season as a Cowboy both in terms of fantasy production and real-world leadership. His play has been even good enough of late to pull Brandin Cooks back into relevancy alongside his superstar counterpart, CeeDee Lamb. There was a time when I thought Tony Pollard was hitting a wall, so to speak, after embracing the bell cow role in Dallas for the very first time. The last two weeks, though, he’s looked fresh and capable and now my thought is just to start every Cowboy that you can. The ‘Boys are getting it done.
Houston Texans: It seems strange to type the words “Houston Texans” after anything that is detailing offensive firepower, but with C.J. Stroud looking like the best rookie quarterback in a decade, this is becoming something of a juggernaut. Before the season started, the receiving corps of Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Noah Brown was likely seen as anything but above average. It’s funny, though, how a great quarterback elevates an entire offense. This is the inverse of our opening paragraph then as everyone on the Texans is better because Stroud is so good. Starting Texan skill position players, thus, isn’t just trendy. It’s flat out smart practice.
San Francisco 49ers: Thought of primarily as a great defensive team over the past decade, the landscape in the Bay Area really shifted offensively last year when Christian McCaffrey was brought in via trade. McCaffrey has actually been healthy the past couple of years after so many injuries bogged down his success in 2020 and 2021. In addition, with Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle all healthy at the same time, the 49ers have become an explosive team offensively while still being proficient defensively. If we’re talking about hitching wagons again, this is definitely a group to align with in December.
All of this is the say that in fantasy football, you have to do more than just examine player’s numbers from week to week. In life, we call it taking a systemic approach. Trends matter. Momentum matters. As the calendar turns to December, you need to ask yourself: Which teams get better offensively each and every week? Who is carrying substantial momentum into this month as opposed to trying to find answers at quarterback or threatening to fire coaches? And, finally, who are the hottest QBs in the league at the present time? Those guys will carry everyone around them to fantasy glory. Every year. Every time.
As for this upcoming week, six teams are on bye for the second time this season. That means some managers will be reaching deep into their benches for reinforcements. If you’re looking for a game to tap into, I recommend Miami @ Washington. The Commanders can’t stop anyone and as such will be giving up points while also trying desperately to chase them. Sounds like a recipe for fantasy success to me. Best of luck as always and we’ll talk more about fantasy playoff strategy next week. Until then…
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Kirk Hollis is a 1989 Ruston High School graduate and has written for Fantasy Football Today, one of the nation’s top fantasy info sites, for 15 years.
Charlie W. Womack Tuesday 06/11/1974 — Monday 11/20/2023 Age: 49 Visitation: Thursday 11/30/2023 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Friday 12/01/2023 1:00pm, Seasoned with Love Outreach, 2011 Beacon Light Road, Ruston
Dorothy Green Saturday 03/08/1952 –Tuesday 11/21/2023 Family Gathering: Friday 12/01/2023 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Visitation: Friday 12/01/2023 3:00pm to 5:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Saturday 12/02/2023 11:00am, Shady Grove C. M. E., 775 Shady Grove Road, Simsboro Interment: Saturday 12/02/2023 Following Service, Shady Grove C.M.E., 775 Shady Grove Road, Simsboro
Deborah L Burton (Debra) Monday 03/24/1958 — Wednesday 11/22/2023 Visitation: Friday 12/01/2023 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Saturday 12/02/2023 11:00am, Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 521 Mt. Olive Church Road, Grambling Interment: Saturday 12/02/2023 Following Services, Grambling Memorial Garden, Highway 80 West, Grambling
Carl Lee Edmonds Wednesday 01/01/1958 — Sunday 11/26/2023 Visitation: Saturday 12/02/2023 3:00pm to 6:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Sunday 12/03/2023 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Interment: Sunday 12/03/2023 Following Service, Bonner Cemetery, Ruston
Ruth Z. Osborne Wednesday 09/01/1948 –Tuesday 11/28/2023 Memorial Service: Saturday 12/09/2023 11:00am at King’s Funeral Home Interment: Saturday 12/09/2023, Mt. Zion Cemetery, Quitman
Arlease Dade Monday 04/20/1942 — Monday 11/27/2023 Family Gathering: Monday 12/04/2023 2:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Visitation: Tuesday 12/05/2023 3:00pm to 5:00pm at King’s Funeral Home Celebration of Life: Tuesday 12/05/2023, Bethel Church Of God In Christ, 1800 Parkview Drive, Monroe Interment: Tuesday 12/05/2023 Following Service, Richwood Memorial Gardens, 2705 Richwood Rd 2, Monroe
Curtis Kevin Kilpatrick July 27, 1954 – November 15, 2023 Visitation: The Bridge Community Church, Saturday, December 2, 2023, 10:00 am Service: The Bridge Community Church, Saturday, December 2, 2023, 11:00 am
Franklin D. Brewster Sunday 02/11/1973 — Saturday 11/18/2023 Age: 50 Memorial Service: Saturday 12/02/2023 12:00pm, King’s Funeral Home
Dr. Nelda Hughes Spinks September 3, 1928 – November 25, 2023 Visitation: Kilpatrick Funeral Homes – Ruston, Thursday, November 30, 2023, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Service: Kilpatrick Funeral Homes – Ruston, Thursday, November 30, 2023, 2:00 pm Cemetery: Greenwood Cemetery, Thursday, November 30, 2023
Violet F Brewster September 2, 1928 – November 26, 2023 Service: Sibley Cemetery, Friday, December 1, 2023, 11:00 am Cemetery: Sibley Cemetery, Friday, December 1, 2023, 11:00 am
GSU AD Trayvean Scott (left) talked about the dismissal of Tigers coach Hue Jackson (right) during Tuesday’s press conference.
GRAMBLING – The turbulence around Grambling State football continued Tuesday when athletics director Trayvean Scott said former NFL head coach Hue Jackson has been fired as head coach of the once-proud Tigers’ program.
Jackson managed only an 8-14 record over his two seasons at Grambling, including a 5-6 campaign just concluded with a 27-22 loss to Southern on Saturday in the Bayou Classic at the Caesars’ Superdome.
“I hadn’t slept much over the past couple days — really since Saturday just kind of been thinking and really pulling as much data and information as possible to try and make the best, informed decision,” said Scott. “We had a conversation with the president yesterday and had some things to consider, and really this morning, I knew it was time to move the football program forward.”
Scott said it all boiled down to responsibility and accountability.
“You got to make the decision long-term for all involved. That’s why we made the decision and why we’re moving forward,” he said in an afternoon press conference.
Scott said there wasn’t one specific reason behind the decision but a combination of factors that told GSU officials it was time to make a change. Some – not all — assistant coaches were also terminated Tuesday.
“Any loss had to do with it, it was a culmination of things. But I think when you’ve got the opportunity to make it a national championship caliber program and you underachieve, you’ve got to take it all into account. So I wouldn’t say it was one specific game or one specific occurrence, I would just say that it’s the sum total of them all that obviously we don’t have time for and just to be honest, I probably wouldn’t discuss if we did.”
Scott said he doesn’t expect the search process to be a long one.
“We’re looking at about 7-10 days,” Scott said. “I think that search has to be very intentional — very focused on certain attributes and specific characteristics that we want the next coach to have.”
Scott said at this point, the job is open to anyone capable of turning around the program, which hasn’t had a winning record since 2019’s 6-5 mark under Broderick Fobbs. He took over after a players’ strike cancelled a 2013 game at Jackson State, and steered the Tigers to 51 wins and only 21 losses in his first six seasons until the COVID pandemic struck. GSU went 4-10 under Fobbs in those next two seasons and he was let go before the 2021 Bayou Classic.
The fact that Early National Signing Day is Dec, 20 is a compelling factor in the search timeline.
Scott said coaching staff members who have been retained for the time being, including assistant coach and now interim head coach John Simon, will be considered.
“Coach Simon does have an opportunity to earn that position as well,” Scott said. “We’re looking forward to it and that process is going to begin when I leave here and I’ll start pooling resources and do what we need to do to identify the next leader for the program.”
Scott admitted it was painful to contemplate the decision, and to deliver the news.
“It’s tough,” Scott said of his conversation with Jackson. “It’s tough. It was a tough conversation to have. It was a tough conversation to have with those other (coaches who were fired) as well. It was a tough conversation to have with those 120 (GSU football players) as well.
“It’s been a day. It’s not been a good day. But again, we’ve got to make the decisions that are in the best interest of the institution, the program and our students. That’s our North Star right now and that’s the way we’re going to move.”
Scott also cleared up Jackson’s contract status, saying the coach would be paid only for the remainder of the ongoing fiscal year and that talk of GSU owing Jackson a full four seasons’ worth of pay to close out the books after his second, and last, season as head coach simply isn’t true.
“I think that’s the greatest misnomer of all of it,” Scott said. “His contract is public record. Anyone with two eyes could see that the first two years of his contract were guaranteed. So this $800,000 bill they’re trying to tack us with is just a fallacy.”
Christina Francis, President of Magic Johnson Enterprises, announces Magic Johnson’s $500,000 gift to benefit the GAP Scholarship Fund.
New Orleans, La. – The Kicks Ball, an annual fundraising event hosted by the Grambling University Foundation, witnessed a remarkable moment of philanthropy as a generous donation of $500,000 from Magic Johnson Enterprises was announced during the black-tie affair.
Presented by adidas, the event was held during Bayou Classic Weekend at the Hilton Riverside New Orleans and brought together an array of alumni and supporters of higher education. The Grambling University Foundation’s mission to advance the institution for excellence took center stage, and the evening unfolded as a celebration of glamour, generosity, and commitment to impacting the lives of students at Grambling State University.
Upon entering the Chemin Royale foyer of the grand ballroom, attendees were greeted by elegant visual experiences that included an adidas branded wall outfitted with several pairs of the Grambling State Rivalry shoe, a portrait opportunity with New Orleans photographer Tyler Roi, and several items to bid on as part of the silent auction. Social media influencers Makayla and Makyla Dowdell (known as the Mad Twinz) were also on hand to interview program participants.
Once doors opened to the ballroom, guests were welcomed to a captivating ambiance and the musical stylings of Ashanti the Mad Violinist as they took their seats. The night proceeded with local anchor Kelsey Davis and actor/comedian/TV personality Bill Bellamy who served as Masters of Ceremonies. After fine dining ensued, Davis and Bellamy took everyone on a journey about the party with a purpose as moving vignettes played, Kicks Ball awardees were presented, and the fundraising segment of the event began.
In a moment that left attendees in awe, Christina Francis, President of Magic Johnson Enterprises took the stage to announce a substantial donation of $500,000 to the Grambling University Foundation to benefit the GAP Scholarship Fund. Although the NBA legend was unable to attend, he wanted to express his admiration for the Foundation’s dedication to fostering education and empowering students.
“Dr. Richard Gallot has been an amazing leader for Grambling State University. His vision has helped prepare the young Black men and women at Grambling in their progression as top leaders in today’s society. While I did not attend a HBCU, I’ve made it my life’s mission to invest in our community and I believe that begins with investing in our young people,” said Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises. “I’m blessed to be able to financially support Grambling and other HBCUs to ensure their students have a top-notch education and as many opportunities as possible to be successful.”
The unexpected gift from Magic Johnson Enterprises significantly amplified the impact of the Kicks Ball Gala and will create a continual effect on the sustainability of the GAP Scholarship fund.
“It’s hard to put into words. I think it is a reminder that we’re on the right track,” said Brandon A. Logan, Executive Director of the Grambling University Foundation. “The university is reaping the harvest like never before. I’m just honored to be a part of developing a strategy and executing a plan that is yielding results that we’ve never seen before. And all glory to God, I’m grateful for the team and it just shows what we’re capable of when we can unify over something that has good purpose and meaning.”
Logan also expressed his appreciation for Grambling State alumni and supporters. Commonly referred to as GramFam, he said this is a significant moment that we can’t escape, but it’s also not the end.
“This should be our floor as we work towards the ceiling. So there’s much more in store,” said Logan. “I encourage everyone to lean in to where they can contribute. It is going to take a collective effort to make the type of difference that we all envision and see for our Institution.”
As guests began to enjoy the soulful sounds of Anthony Hamilton and the Ton3s, Grambling State University President Rick Gallot reflected upon the evening with optimism for what lies ahead.
“I believe what we’ve seen tonight is a reflection of [Logan’s] focus on making the event special,” said President Gallot. “Everybody’s been very intentional about taking time to learn the Why behind this event. We have the potential now to see GSU funding through the Student Gap Fund in a way that we will be able to continue to see funds available in perpetuity.”
Residents driving by the Jim Mize Track and Field Complex will start to see some perimeter work done on the Louisiana Tech facility in the coming weeks and months.
A wrought-iron fence and gated entry will be constructed at the facility, which houses the Louisiana Tech men’s and women’s track and field programs and also serves as a practice facility for the Bulldog football program.
The project, which begins Friday and should be completed by the start of March, is completely funded through private donations with no state or university funds used.
The project includes a wrought-iron fence that runs the entire perimeter of all four sides of the track and field complex. In addition brick columns will be constructed along Tech Drive, West Alabama Avenue and Stadium Drive.
There will be new signage for the facility at the main entrance on the north side of the facility along Stadium Drive and additional signage on the corner of Tech Drive and West Alabama Avenue.
Once the project is completed, public hours will be posted at the facility.
A call of a man loitering near a Ruston restaurant with a hammer in his hand led to the arrest of a local man last Wednesday.
Ruston Police responded to the 700 block of West California Avenue about 1 p.m. Wednesday regarding a man walking around with a hammer.
Officers found Carlos D. Stringfellow, 45, in the company of a female. A records check showed a protective order had been issued against Stringfellow to protect the woman in his presence.
Stringfellow was arrested for violation of a protective order and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center.
Later a charge of violation of misdemeanor probation was added.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Conference USA announces the University of Delaware will join the league on July 1, 2025, bringing the conference’s membership to 11 universities.
“Adding the University of Delaware is a tremendous opportunity for Conference USA as we strategically position ourselves for continued success,” Commissioner Judy MacLeod said. “We are excited to add the state’s flagship university with its rich history in athletics and academics and look forward to our partnership with President Dennis Assanis, Director of Athletics Chrissi Rawak and their leadership group.”
A press conference will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, November 29, at 10:00 am ET in the Whitney Athletic Center on campus at the University of Delaware to formally announce this move. The event is open to the public, and will be live streamed on YouTube and can be viewed here.
“Just like our football team, the whole University of Delaware, is on the rise,” University of Delaware President Dennis Assanis said. “UD ranks among the nation’s leading public research institutions and is recognized nationally for delivering exceptional professional outcomes for our students. Joining Conference USA will help increase our visibility to shine a light on our excellent academic programs, our ground-breaking research initiatives and our enduring impact on our community and the world.”
The Blue Hens will compete in Conference USA in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, cross country, football, men’s and women’s golf, women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, track & field, and volleyball. There will be clarity in the coming months on where the other seven programs will compete in the future.
“The opportunity to join Conference USA is an incredibly proud moment for our entire university,” Director of Athletics, Community, and Campus Recreation Chrissi Rawak said. “With this step forward, we will continue to offer an incredible student-athlete experience and elevate the visibility of all that is remarkable about UD. We couldn’t be more excited for the entire state of Delaware and how this will bring the 302 together.”
Last season alone, Delaware had five conference championships, a pair of NCAA victories, and two individual NCAA qualifiers. Other notable national accolades include regularly ranked football and men’s lacrosse programs, and doubles pair in women’s tennis. Nine Blue Hens garnered All-American honors in 2022-23, with six national player of the week awards.
Historically, the Blue & Gold have shown competitive excellence in all walks of athletics. The Hens boast an impressive 529 All-Americans, 137 conference titles, and 10 national championships in the University’s storied history.
The University of Delaware’s academic programs are among the nation’s best and its research classification places the University in the top 3% of all U.S. universities and colleges. Announced in September, UD ranks No. 76 among national universities and No. 36 nationally among public universities, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Colleges rankings. U.S. News also ranked eight undergraduate programs at UD among the nation’s top-100 in their disciplines, including No. 5 nationally in chemical engineering. UD Is also a top-50 university in the U.S. for veterans and active-duty military.
That outstanding academic reputation also translates to UD Athletics and UD student-athletes.
UD student-athletes complement their athletic success with strong academic performances. In the 2022-23 academic year, Blue Hens compiled a cumulative 3.286 grade-point average—the highest in department history, excluding academic terms impacted by COVID-19. This marked the ninth-consecutive year and the 19th-straight semester in which UD student-athletes have posted a 3.00 GPA or better.
And yet again we find ourselves within the gravitational pull of one of the most memorable yet misremembered dates in “the storied athletic history” of Louisiana Tech.
If things go gray upstairs in a second, all is forgiven. It’s been a minute.
But any Tech fan old enough to have seen episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show live will likely have some brain cells reserved for December 4, 1982, the much-anticipated opening day of the Thomas Assembly Center. Nearly every year as we close in on December 4, someone will mention that day to me.
It was that big of a deal.
“The Lady Techsters played USC and Cheryl Miller and the guys played USL (now ULL),” my friend called to say; The Date and The Day had just happened to come up in a basketball-related conversation as the 2023-24 Bulldogs have won five straight and get a test at 5-1 New Mexico, a regular participant in postseason tournaments, Wednesday at 8 CST.
Then — and this is the part that gets confusing because, well, Father Time — he said, “And that was after Delaware had beaten Tech in the 1-AA semifinals that afternoon, I think 17-0, in the rain,” he said. “What a day. All in Ruston.”
And he’s right. That’s what happened. Almost.
Here is what actually happened that December 4 afternoon before the TAC opened with a doubleheader that night. This from Shreveport Bossier Journal writer Ron Higgins, who then was writing sports for The Times in Shreveport:
“RUSTON—By land, or rather by mud, and through the air, Louisiana Tech quarterback Matt Dunigan tippy-toed through the swampland of Aillet Stadium for two touchdowns and threw for two more scores as Tech slipped past South Carolina State 38-3 Saturday afternoon in the NCAA Division I-AA South Regional final.”
It was South Carolina State that Tech played in football that day in the national quarterfinals. Then that night, USC beat the Techsters, 64-58, and the Dunkin’ Dogs lost to USL, 46-45. The crowd was 8,700; the place has 8,000 seats. More than jam packed. And it was: as a rookie graduate assistant in sports information, I was there.
The next Saturday, December 11, was also cold and rainy, and more than the week before. Miserable. That gray afternoon, Tech football lost in the semifinals of the I-AA playoffs to Delaware, 17-0. It was the final Tech game for both Dunigan — he was off to his career as a Hall of Famer in the Canadian Football League — and head coach Billy Brewer, off to a few seasons of success at his alma mater, Ole Miss.
Why so many of us often confuse the two dates might be because there was basketball at the TAC that December 11 Saturday, as there had been the Saturday before. After the football loss to Delaware, the Techsters thumped Cheyney State that night, 60-45, to win the Dial Classic. Yes, the good ol’ Dial Classic.
On December 4, Tech won in football and lost in basketball. The next weekend was the other way around.
Some other notes from those two weekends 41 years ago, as all three Tech programs were poised to make more immediate memories:
The Techsters’ loss to USC meant the end of their 59-game home winning streak. They beat USC on a neutral court in California, 58-56, later during the regular season and then, as two-time defending national champs, lost to USC in the title game, 69-67, in The Scope in Norfolk, Virginia. Big doings;
The Dunkin’ Dogs finished 19-9 and second in the Southland Conference that season but Shreveport’s Wayne Smith, Summerfield’s Karl Malone and a host of talented friends found themselves in the NCAA Tournament the next two seasons;
Many of the 1982 Football Bulldogs thawed out enough over the next two seasons to make it to the I-AA finals against Montana State at The Citadel in 1984; and,
Delaware. The Fightin’ Blue Hens haven’t been back to Ruston for football since that sleety Saturday when a dude named “Delaware Dan” Reeder slogged his way to a ball-controlling 114 yards on 22 carries and two of his less-workmanlike teammates got to score the TDs. But that seems poised to change: an announcement that the Blue Hens will become the 11th member of Conference USA is expected this week.
No news from the Dial Classic though. All quiet on the Dial Classic front …
A search discovered two packages of raw marijuana and a Beretta 9mm pistol. Moon was arrested and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of marijuana, illegal possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled substance, speeding, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
A search discovered two packages of raw marijuana and a Beretta 9mm pistol. Moon was arrested and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of marijuana, illegal possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled substance, speeding, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The effort to raise funds to replace the fountain in Ruston’s Railroad Park with a new but identical one has met its goal and then some.
Last winter’s hard freeze killed shrubbery, burst water pipes, and destroyed the historic three-tiered fountain, one of Lincoln Parish’s most beloved landmarks.
Beth Bennett, assistant to Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker, told the Lincoln Parish Journal that funds had been raised to not only replace the fountain but add other amenities to the park.
“With the remaining money, we will be purchasing new lights for both fountains at Railroad Park and the Historic Fire Station,” Bennett said.
The funds will also allow for purchase of some sound equipment for Railroad Park, Bennett added.
The winter damage to the 100+ year old fountain was too severe for repairs.
Without the fountain, the park was missing its centerpiece and Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker decided it was time to replace it.
Walker wanted to make the fund-raising effort a community project, giving individuals, organizations, and businesses a chance to be a part of the campaign.
“We just felt like a lot of people might be interested in being a part of that,” Walker said.
Walker circulated a letter announcing the fundraising campaign to purchase and install a new fountain identical to the old one.
“We will have a plaque [listing] the donations that go toward that,” Walker said.
Walker identified the company producing an identical fountain during a trip this fall to Fort Worth for a Louisiana Tech alumni event.
Older generations remember admiring the goldfish in the fountain or dabbling in the
water during one of the hundreds of special events the park has hosted.
The fountain, focal point of the park, was installed before 1906 when it first appears in photographs. Originally an underground stream provided the water. In 1934, the T. L. James Company renovated the park and fountain.
During World War II when communities were gathering scrap metal to transform into tanks, bombers, and ships, someone suggested adding the fountain to the effort. A firestorm of protest nixed that idea quickly.
In 1952, T. L. James restored the fountain again and built a bandstand and new sidewalks. The Ruston Garden Club added new landscaping. At some point, goldfish were added to the fountain pool. The well-fed fish grew to huge proportions and many a kid tried to ensnare one with his hands while old men smoked their pipes in the shade of the big oaks.
Katie Hall led the Lady Cougars to their second straight win Tuesday night.
By Malcolm Butler
Make it two in a row for the Cedar Creek Lady Cougars.
Mallory Smith scored a team-high 17 points to lead Creek to a 54-33 win over Family Community Christian School Tuesday night at the Brickhouse.
“This group was such a joy to coach tonight and to watch play,” said head coach Katie Hall. “We have been starting off slow, but tonight I felt we set the tone early with some solid defensive pressure and knocking down shots. It was also great to have senior guard, Ava Hartwell, make her season debut after ACL surgery.”
There were plenty of greats for the Lady Cougars, who improved to 3-4 on the season.
Smith was great from the start, scoring 10 points in the opening quarter as Cedar Creek built a 21-7 advantage. Caroline James and Alivia Lee knocked down three-pointers in the frame while Zoey Venters added five points.
The second quarter saw Elli Dickerson score seven points, including a three-pointer, while Smith added seven more points which also included a three-pointer as the Lady Cougars led 37-12 at the halftime break.
Hall was able to use plenty of players in the second half as Leah Sutherland added five points and Venters chipped in with four more points. Venters was the only other Creek player in double figures with 11 points on the night.
Gracie Ingram led FCCS with 20 points while Rory Norwood added 10 points.
In the nightcap, the Creek boys defeated FCCS 63-38.
Connor Johnson scored 19 points and Jake Doan added 18 points as the Cougars led from start to finish in picking up their second win of the season.
The win came after falling 59-48 to Beekman Charter on Monday night.
Doan scored 14 points in the opening quarter against FCCS as the Cougars jumped out to a 26-9 advantage. Jack Bell added six points in the frame.
The Cougars completely put the game away in the second quarter, outscoring FCCS 20-3 to take a 46-12 lead into the halftime locker-room. Johnson scored 11 points in the frame while Beau Phillips added a three-pointer.
Creek substituted freely in the third and fourth quarters in coasting to the win.
Both the Lady Cougars and the Cougars will travel to compete in the Quitman Tournament starting Thursday.
As a kid growing up, teachers would ask the question of what do you want to be when you grow up? For boys, this was a trick question because we never grow up! Back in my day, the standard answers were policeman, fireman, teacher or for the super smart students in my class they would say…. a doctor or lawyer. Some had even greater aspirations of becoming an astronaut, mainly due to the fact we had just landed on the moon. But you never heard anyone say, “I want to be a professional bass fisherman.”
Another thing you never heard was that someone was going to sell water for a living. Can you imagine how your classmates would have reacted back in the 1970s if you had announced you were going to bottle and sell water. You would have been the center of all their jokes from that day forward. But it turns out, you would have gotten the last laugh as you became wealthy selling water.
You probably would have gotten the same reaction if you said you were going to be a professional bass fisherman. Today, this is a real career choice for a select few. I have always compared it to being a professional athlete. The odds are not in your favor and these two are very comparable. Let me expand on this. Only 1 out of every 10,000 baseball players in the country gets drafted and only 1 out of every 5,000 makes it to the Major Leagues.
I tell you this because it just might be the same odds for becoming a professional bass fisherman. There are literally thousands of anglers across the world who want to make it to the United States and become a professional angler. Not only are you trying to be the best in this country, but you’ll be competing with anglers from Canada, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, and Australia for what amounts to about 80 slots in either B.A.S.S. or the MLF Pro Tours.
Bass fishing has become an international sport and is very competitive for those who want to try and make a living doing it. Catching fish is only a small part of what it takes to fish for a living. Today, you must be good with social media, understand business, be a great salesman and you better have good communication skills with the ability to talk to people.
Now let’s look at the sacrifices you’ll have to make. First, prepare to eat a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while learning how to sleep in your truck or camp out to save money. Just to enter a B.A.S.S. or MLF event will cost you at least $50,000 up front and you have not even wet a hook yet. Travel expenses today with gas, hotel and food is off the chart. Hence, the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and campgrounds to try and save money.
You’ll pull your boat all over the United States with constant wear and tear on your vehicle. Don’t forget, it takes gas to fill up your boat which is an easy $75 to $120 per fill-up which includes all the practice and competition days. To be conservative, you’re probably looking at $100,000 to fish your first season which means you need to finish in the top 50 in every event to collect a $10,000 check and break even. I’ve only known one angler to ever achieve this accomplishment.
If you’re a family man, this just might be the toughest career choice you can make as you will miss birthdays, anniversaries, and some holidays. You will shed a lot of tears as you drive away from your wife and kids waving goodbye while you live the gypsy life away from home for days and weeks at a time.
I’m not trying to discourage anyone from pursuing their dreams, but understand, it’s one of the toughest and most competitive career choices you can ever make. It takes a special angler/person to make it in today’s world as a professional angler. You will need as many sponsors as you can land and if this is your dream, start saving your money now so that when you get that opportunity, money is not an issue. Anglers who are fishing just to get a check are the anglers who will struggle. Tournament fishing is kind of like gambling, anglers who fish to win can take chances rather than having to worry about just making a check so they can fish the next event.
Finally, if you’re married, make sure you have a wife who understands how tough this lifestyle can be. Today, many of the wives act as business managers for their husbands and help with coordinating appearances and interviews that pro anglers are called to do. This allows the angler to stay focused on catching fish and being competitive.
I hope I’ve shed some light on what it takes to enter the world of being a professional bass fisherman. It’s not an easy life, but one that can have great rewards if done correctly. Till next time, good luck, good fishing, and think long and hard if you decide to pursue a career in the professional bass fishing world.
After four road games in eight days, the Lady Techsters return to the Thomas Assembly Center to take on ULM tonight.
Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. and the game can be heard on the LA Tech Sports Network with Kyle Roberts providing a call of the action.
The Lady Techsters (2-4) fell to Drake (77-66), Maine (60-54), and Richmond (83-56) at the Vibrant Thanksgiving Classic in Des Moines, Iowa.
Silvia Nativi earned All-Tournament team, averaging 11.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and three assists per game. The junior averages 8.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game for the season.
Freshman Jianna Morris had her best performance of the season in the final game of the MTE. Morris finished with 13 points on 5-9 shooting with three 3-pointers.
ULM (5-1) has won five straight with victories over Miami (Ohio), Milwaukee, Mississippi Valley, McNeese, and Louisiana Christian. The Warhawks narrowly lost the season’s opening game to Arkansas 81-76.
The Warhawks went into the transfer portal to gain nine new additions to complement their six returners. ULM has one of the top offenses in the country. The Warhawks are No. 26 in the nation with 82.3 points per game.
Daisha Bradford, a Clemson transfer, leads ULM in nearly every category. The senior is averaging 22.0 points, eight rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. She has scored double figures in every game this season, including a 33-point effort against Milwaukee and 30 points against Miami (Ohio). Bradford had a double-double against Louisiana College with 28 points and 15 rebounds, adding six assists.
LA Tech has a 49-9 advantage over ULM in the series’ history. The Lady Techsters have won five straight by an 18.2 ppg margin. The previous two meetings in Ruston have gone LA Tech’s way, 63-45 in 2020 and 71-49 in 2017.
The Louisiana Tech men’s basketball team takes its five-game winning streak on the road to face New Mexico on Wednesday night inside The Pit in Albuquerque.
Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. CT and can be heard on the LA Tech Sports Network on 107.5 FM with Malcolm Butler providing a call of the game.
LA Tech (5-1) rolled to its fifth consecutive win this past Saturday, scoring 62 first-half points in route to a 105-65 pounding of Dillard. The Bulldogs set season highs for points, made field goals (39), and rebounds (45) while tying their season highs with 12 made three-pointers and 15 steals.
Daniel Batcho, despite playing only 13 minutes, stacked up 17 points and a career-high 14 rebounds as the forward notched his second double-double of the season. Since becoming eligible, the forward is averaging 14.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game.
The Bulldog bench ended up scoring 67 points against the Bleu Devils, the most since scoring 68 on Feb. 20, 2013 against Central Baptist. The bench is averaging 34.17 points per game this season, which ranks first in Conference USA and 18th in the country.
Devin Ree was a big reason for the scoring output from the bench, posting a career-high 21 points. Other scoring from non-starters were Jaylin Henderson tallying his team-leading fifth double-digit scoring game with 12 points and Jordan Turner tying his career high with 10 points.
Defense has been a major contributor to LA Tech’s five-game winning streak. During this span, opponents are only averaging 57.2 points per game while shooting just 36.2 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from beyond the arc.
New Mexico (5-1) is riding a four-game winning streak into Wednesday’s game, having defeated UT Arlington at home while also claiming the Ball Dawgs Classic title after victories over Toledo, Rice, and Pepperdine in Henderson, Nevada.
The Lobos are putting up plenty of points so far this season, averaging 90.7 per game which ranks 19th in the country, while shooting 52.3 percent from the field. They have scored 90+ points in four of their six games this season.
Their scoring power has come from a trio of Lobos – Donovan Dent, Jamal Mashburn Jr., and JT Toppin – Which make up 56.9 percent of New Mexico’s points. Dent and Mashburn Jr. (preseason All-MWC Team selection) are averaging 18.5 and 18.2 points per game, respectively.
Toppin is not far behind averaging 14.2 points as well as a team-best 8.3 rebounds per game. Then there is Jaelen House, a First Team All-MWC last season, who might be available after missing the last five games due to injury.
New Mexico was picked to finish third in the MWC preseason poll. The Lobos, under the direction of head coach Richard Pitino, went 22-12 last season and was the last undefeated team in the country after starting the year, 14-0, and climbing to as high as No. 21 in the country. That season was capped off by a trip to the National Invitation Tournament.
This will be the third meeting between LA Tech and New Mexico with the Lobos taking both match-ups in Albuquerque. UNM defeated the Bulldogs in the 1992 NIT. They faced off again in 2009 with the Lobos coming out on top, 81-52.
The Lincoln Parish School Board announced the District Students of the Year Tuesday afternoon.
Elementary Student of the Year Mia Lee of A.E. Phillips
Middle School Student of the Year Hannah Daulton of Ruston Jr. High
High School Student of the Year Mary Laura Hunt of Ruston High School
“Lincoln Parish students always competes well at the state level in athletics as well as academics,” Lincoln Parish School Board superintendent Ricky Durrett said. “This year we have three great students and families who will be representing Lincoln Parish at the state level for student of the year. These three students and families have shown a great commitment to academics as well as to the community. We look forward to supporting them with the state level competition.”
The winners of the state competition will likely be announced in April of next year.
