| This LSU-South Carolina women's basketball game Thurday is shaping up to be a really big deal. It may be the most anticipated women's basketball game at LSU ever. Certainly it's the most buzz about a game here since 2003, when the Tigers (then the Lady Tigers) sold out the PMAC for the first time for a showdown with Tennessee during Seimone Augustus' freshman year (Tennessee won 68-65). ESPN's "College Game Day" show is coming. That will lead into ESPN's telecast of the game between No. 1 South Carolina and No. 9 LSU, the past two national champions, at 7 p.m. There's a party on the plaza — a fancy name for that bland expanse of concrete in front of the PMAC facing Tiger Stadium, but hey, it's a party. And tickets? Well, tickets are scarce and getting pretty darned pricey. LSU is coming off a 99-68 victory Sunday over Arkansas (South Carolina won 99-64 at Texas A&M) in which the Tigers' starters were firing on all five cylinders offensively. That includes point guard Hailey Van Lith, whose shooting touch has been dulled a bit by her having to take over the ball-handling duties, different from her previous role as a shooting guard at Louisville. But her 20 points against the Razorbacks, tying a season high, couldn't have come at a better time with the Gamecocks coming to town. Meanwhile, LSU baseball season draws ever closer. LSU held its annual preseason banquet Monday, celebrating in part the Tigers' 2023 national title. Now coach Jay Johnson wants his Tigers to be in attack mode as they go out in defense of their College World Series title (actually, it's not really a defense, no one can take the CWS trophy away). Johnson also spoke at the New Orleans Quarterback Club on Monday, talking in part about scheduling in-state teams. Thank you as always for reading and subscribing. And no, I don't have LSU-South Carolina tickets. My wife does have a pair, though. You can talk about it with her. Scott Rabalais | 
