| It may have been a dreary, damp day in Baton Rouge on Monday, but it wasn't that bad for LSU's women's basketball team. Not only did the Tigers escape the cooler temperatures for West Palm Beach, Florida, they won another game to continue their current hot streak. Kim Mulkey's team won for the ninth consecutive time with a 70-56 rout of Clemson in the West Palm Beach Invitational. LSU's 10th win of the season was big for another reason because it surpassed last season's win total of nine games with more than half the season remaining —including Tuesday's matchup with Texas Tech to conclude the tournament. That win was the capper on a big day for the LSU women's and men's basketball teams as both continued to climb in the polls that were released Monday. Will Wade's men's team, which improved to 11-0 with a win on Saturday night over Louisiana Tech, inched up two more spots to No. 17 in the AP poll and jumped four spots in the coaches' poll to No. 16. Meanwhile, Mulkey's team made a modest move in the women's poll, inching up from No. 22 to No. 21. But men's and women's basketball weren't the only sports in the news Monday. The Tigers football team continued its preps for the Texas Bowl on Jan. 4 without senior defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr., who announced on social media he was opting out of the game to prepare for the NFL draft. It was a big blow for a team that's already missing many pieces because of injuries, transfers and opt-outs. Amidst it all, Scott Rabalais takes a look at this weird and unprecedented LSU football season that we won't close the books on until two weeks from tonight. In other news, first-year coach Jay Johnson's baseball team is ranked third in the preseason by Collegiate Baseball — which has LSU in the Top 10 for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons. Also, not to be outdone, Jay Clark's gymnastics squad, which opens its season on Jan. 7 against West Virginia, came in fifth in the Women's Gymnastics Coaches Association (WGCA) preseason rankings. Finally, take a peek at how LSU quarterback Myles Brennan, who hopes to make an impact on the Tiger Stadium turf next fall, made another big decision on that same stage recently. ONE LAST THING: HERE’S A GREAT DEAL If you’re not a subscriber, come join us. We’re running a great deal for you. Our sportswriters are the hardest-working folks in show business. They’ll keep you up to date on the latest news at LSU (and elsewhere). Support their work, and stay on top of everything. Enjoy, and happy holidays to all. The LSU beat crew (Sheldon Mickles, Scott Rabalais, Wilson Alexander and Leah Vann) | 
