The City of Shreveport’s Water and Sewerage Department is addressing temporary changes in the taste  and smell of the city’s drinking water. These changes, caused by naturally occurring algae blooms in  Cross Lake, have led to the presence of Geosmin, a harmless compound responsible for an earthy taste  and odor.  

The department reassures residents that despite the noticeable changes, the water remains completely safe  to drink and use for household purposes.  

“Geosmin is not harmful to health, but we understand it can be unpleasant,” said William Daniel, Director  of Water and Sewerage. “We are actively working to resolve this issue and appreciate the community’s  patience.”  

The city typically treats Cross Lake with copper sulfate from March to November to manage algae  growth. The most recent treatment, conducted in late November, exhausted the 2024 inventory. However,  the unseasonably warmer water in Cross Lake led to additional algae growth in December and January.  Although an order for additional copper sulfate has been placed, delivery has been delayed due to last  week’s snow in South Louisiana. Suppliers are working to expedite the shipment, which is expected to  arrive soon.  

The water treatment plant is continuing oxidation with ozone to address the odor. While ozone is highly  effective against Geosmin, intermittent outages occurred during recent cold spells. These outages, lasting  only a few hours at a time, contributed to the odor being more noticeable for some residents.  

The issues with the ozone generator have been resolved and the generator is back in service. Other  treatment processes used at the plant, including chlorine dioxide, coagulation, and chloramination, are not  effective against Geosmin.  

“We are committed to providing our residents with safe, high-quality water and are taking every measure  to address the current situation,” added Daniel.  

Residents can expect noticeable improvements in taste and smell over the next two weeks as copper  sulfate treatments resume and ozone operations continue.  

JOURNAL SPORTS

The field of 18 finalists was extremely impressive as board members of the S.M. McNaughton North Louisiana Chapter of the National Football Foundation met recently to consider how to identify its group of top senior scholar-athletes from around the 318 area code.

After extensive deliberation, nine class of 2025 standouts – four from Caddo and Bossier parishes – have been selected to receive $1,000 college scholarship awards.

The winners will be celebrated Thursday evening, Feb. 20, during the McNaughton Chapter’s annual Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet at East Ridge Country Club in Shreveport.

McNaughton president Toni Goodin announced the scholarship recipients Monday on the chapter’s Facebook page.

The seniors honored:

Cole Cory – North DeSoto High School

Carter Doyal – Loyola College Prep School

Jaydan Gladney – Airline High School

Sam Greer – C.E. Byrd High School

Landon Hall – Cedar Creek High School

Christian McGuire – Jonesboro-Hodge High School

Cooper Russell – Ouachita Christian High School

Parker Todd – West Monroe High School

Abram Wardell – Calvary Baptist Academy

One of the nine seniors will be designated as the McNaughton Chapter’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year and will be recognized throughout 2025 at the NFF’s College Football Hall of Fame Museum in Atlanta, and will be eligible for the NFF’s national honors.

Another will be presented by KTBS-TV of Shreveport and Johnny’s Pizza as the Johnny’s Pizza/Griffin’s Game Ball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

For the past three seasons, KTBS has honored the memory and legacy of former McNaughton Chapter board member Bob Griffin, the iconic sportscaster at KSLA and then KTBS for over 50 years, by weekly in-season profile stories and presentations of a Griffin’s Game Ball to a player on the chapter’s Preseason Scholar-Athlete Watch List.

Requirements for the postseason scholarship program included a cumulative high school grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, along with 2024 all-district honors on the playing field, and extracurricular activities. Scoring in the evaluation process follows national NFF guidelines and is evenly divided at 40 percent emphasis each for scholarship and football achievement, with leadership and community/campus service scored for the remaining 20 percent.

Head coaches from across north and central Louisiana were invited to nominate remarkable seniors for the McNaughton Chapter Scholar-Athlete Awards.

The program began over 40 years ago. After the season ended, coaches were asked to provide academic transcripts, an information sheet and recommendation letters for their scholarship nominees, which were limited to one per school.

Along with the nine scholar-athletes to be featured on Feb. 20, the McNaughton Chapter will also present special awards to three adults.

Winners will be announced soon for the NFF’s Distinguished American Award, the Contributions to Amateur Football Award, and the chapter’s choice as Coach of the Year in north and central Louisiana.

The coaching award is not presented annually but given for extraordinary accomplishment as determined by the chapter’s board of directors. Recent winners include Jess Curtis of Many High School, Jason Brotherton of Haughton, and Bo Meeks of Airline.

Tickets, table purchases and sponsorship opportunities for the Feb. 20 festivities are available by contacting Goodin at 318-347-4453 or emailing 318nffchapter@gmail.com. An extensive silent auction of college and professional football gear, memorabilia and other items will be conducted during the evening.

Tickets for the banquet are $45 each or $360 for a table of eight. Sponsorships are $1,000 with all revenue going to fund the scholarships for the nine deserving winners.

It’s never easy to pick the best of the best.

It’s tougher when the choices are mostly subjective.

Who’s the best quarterback in the NFL right now? Patrick Mahomes, with all those Super Bowl appearances, maybe a third straight championship? Lamar Jackson, the reigning MVP, perhaps a repeat winner? Joe Burrow, who considering his supporting cast, probably had the best production of any passer this season? Josh Allen … and there’s cause to consider Jalen Hurts, even Jayden Daniels.

At least there are statistics that are absolute comparables in that debate.

But it gets tougher sorting through, say, nominees for all-district football teams. A lot of districts just punt and overload their first teams so that a second team is really what used to be honorable mention and honorable mention is anybody who gets nominated. Not often enough do we see all-district squads that reserve top billing for 22 or so who are selected by the majority of voters as best at their positions.

I’ve never voted on an all-district team. I have voted for all-conference, All-Louisiana, All-America and Academic All-America on the college level. For one season I was one of the media voters on the Associated Press major college Top 25 poll – the top teams in 1988 were Miami and Notre Dame, and I got some attention (and scorn) by voting Miami No. 1 although in the regular season, their failed two-point conversion try cost them a win at South Bend. How could an Ireland not pick the Irish? The U was the best team, I thought. Still do.

The last vote I cast was just a few days ago, as a board member for the S.M. McNaughton North Louisiana Chapter of the National Football Foundation, to narrow a field of 18 high school senior scholar-athletes down to nine receiving $1,000 scholarships.

All due respect to coaches who vote on all-district teams – and BTW, all 18 finalists were all-district selections last fall – but their votes didn’t award $1,000 to one kid and nothing to another.

So as we sat around a table, advocated our choices, submitted our ballots, tallied the results, there was careful deliberation. There were a few unanimous selections. There were a lot of votes spread among the other candidates, and we had a budget. We could easily have picked 18 and been proud of every choice, but only nine were going to be chosen.

Reading these applications and recommendation letters was an honor. Each nominee was impressive. They were undeniably each the best football-playing senior scholar-athlete at their school, a role model to teammates, to classmates, and to younger students, even boys and girls in elementary school.

Several had glowing letters from church leaders and business people, attesting to their leadership, their character, their integrity. Nearly every one had a recommendation from their head coach, and each coach was convinced their kid was not only the best on his campus, but was as good as any in the 318 area code.

They were right.

That’s what made it so challenging to select nine winners, and to have to leave nine finalists unrewarded for all their excellence.

I believe we had 18 winners, and just nine scholarship recipients.

Thanks to the 18 coaches who nominated. Thanks to the teachers and guidance counselors and administrators and janitors and cafeteria workers and teachers’ aides who inspired these Class of 2025 scholar-athletes to be the best they could be.

Who knows? There might be a future All-American, Academic All-American, or even Pro Bowler among them. Regardless of whether they ever play another snap, this much is certain: every one of the 18 is a winner.

Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com

The last time the Kansas City Chiefs played in New Orleans for a Super Bowl trophy, it was 1970, and the game was played outdoors at Tulane Stadium, and tickets cost $15.

It was a dud of a game, not worth the price of admission, many agreed, with Kansas City beating the error-prone Minnesota Vikings 23-7. Bill Carter, then the sports editor for the Alexandria Town Talk, wrote in his post-game column, “Citizens who paid $15 to see the Super Bowl didn’t think it compared with the Sugar Bowl game between Ole Miss and Arkansas, for thrills and execution.”

In that Sugar Bowl game, also at Tulane Stadium, earlier that month, Archie Manning passed for 273 yards and a touchdown to lead 13^th-ranked Ole Miss to a 27-22 upset over No. 3 Arkansas.

In Super Bowl IV — the last matchup of NFL and AFL teams before the two leagues merged — the winning Chiefs got $15,000 each. The losing Vikings each got $7,500. Oh, how times have changed. The winners of this year’s Super Bowl will get $178,000 each, and the losers, $103,000 each.

Compared to that $15 ticket in 1970, the cheapest ticket for this Super Bowl, scheduled Sunday, Feb. 9 at the Superdome, is roughly $6,500 – just 1 grand less than what the Vikings each got as runners-up in Super Bowl IV.

No team has won three straight Super Bowls. As tough as it is to win one, it’s even tougher to win two in a row, and more remarkable to win three straight titles.

Yet this brings a “hold my beer” moment. Should the Chiefs accomplish a threepeat, they would still have some work to do to achieve the five straight World Series titles the New York Yankees claimed from 1949-53, and they’d have much more work to do to match the eight straight NBA crowns won by the Boston Celtics from 1959-66. Perhaps more remarkable, the Celtics competed for the NBA championship in 10 consecutive seasons from 1957-66.

The shivering snowy weather New Orleans just went through last week came to mind when I saw a newspaper clipping from days before the Super Bowl IV game with a picture of Chiefs quarterback Lenny Dawson wearing a coat and shivering in 24-degree cold. He was posing in front of a frozen fountain in front of the team’s hotel.

That Chiefs team had several players from Louisiana on its roster: safety Johnny Robinson and center Remi Prudhomme from LSU, defensive tackle Buck Buchanan and cornerback Goldie Sellers from Grambling and running back Bob Holmes and wide receiver Frank Pitts from Southern.

Robinson, who had two fumble recoveries and a big interception in the Chiefs’ victory, roomed with quarterback Lenny Dawson the week before the game, and he was quoted after the game as saying they both had trouble sleeping the night before the game. Dawson couldn’t sleep because he was in the news because of an alleged link (found later to be untrue) to gamblers, not to mention nursing the emotional wounds from losing his father to a heart attack earlier in the season. Robinson couldn’t sleep because of an exceedingly painful torn rib cage.

Robinson, a Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame member who was an All-American at LSU and member of the Tigers’ 1958 national championship team, got a shot of Novocain before the game and another one at halftime to help him endure his pain during the contest. Dawson, meanwhile, was cool, calm and efficient in leading the offense and winning the game’s MVP award.

That game is also remembered, thanks to NFL Films, for Chiefs coach Hank Stram agreeing (for $500) to wear a microphone during the game.  

Probably his most remembered and widely quoted line from that experience was when he exhorted his offense to “just keep matriculating the ball down the field, boys.”

Super Bowl IV is also remembered for a halftime show like nothing ever seen before or since. After performances from the likes of Carol Channing and the Southern University band, there was a re-enactment of the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, with many cannon blasts that left the field so smoky it was difficult to see the action on the field early in the third quarter.  

For a dud of a game, it also lives on in memories for yet another scene, this during the pregame ceremonies. Two hot-air balloons were supposed to lift off for each team. The Chiefs balloon rose without incident, but the balloon with a Vikings mascot in the basket dragged across the field before crashing into the stands.

Maybe that $15 ticket was worth the price of admission after all was said and undone.

By Brad Dison

In 1873, Julius Wettstein, a German cheese maker, opened a cheese factory in Monroe, New York. He named it Monroe Cheese Company. The company was so successful that Wettstein sold the company five years later for $16,000. Adjusted for inflation, that would be just over half a million dollars in today’s money. The cheese company was bought and sold twice, each time making a profit, until Adolphe Tode and a partner bought it in 1884 for $25,000. In 1888, they hired 21-year-old Swiss immigrant Emil Frey to work in the factory. 

In 1889, Adolphe challenged his cheese makers to produce a popular cheese called Bismarck. Bismarck cheese imported from Europe spoiled before it reached American grocers. After two years of failed attempts on his own time, Emil developed a new spreadable cheese that was so popular that the company discontinued their efforts to create Bismarck cheese. They named Emil’s creation Liederkranz after a famous New York Singing Society. iederkranze cheese became popular across America, but Adolphe had made enough bad business decisions that he lost everything.    

In 1891, New York wholesale grocer Jacob Weisl bought the Monroe Cheese Company from the Goshen Savings Bank. Under Jacob’s leadership, the Monroe Cheese Company grew and expanded. They opened a second factory in Covington, Pennsylvania where they focused mainly on producing Swiss cheese. Sales of Swiss cheese were spectacular, but there were some issues with producing and distributing wheels of hard Swiss cheese. It often came out misshapen or was broken during the manufacturing or distribution processes. Jacob deemed the misshapen or broken cheese unsalable, but what could they do with all the “waste cheese?”

In 1916, Jacob challenged his employees to find a way to turn the “waste cheese” into a profitable product. Luckily, Emil Frey was still working for Monroe Cheese Company. In his spare time in his home kitchen, Emil mixed and measured various ingredients. After two years of trial and error, he came up with a concoction which used only three ingredients; the waste cheese, whey, which was the leftover liquid from milk curds, and an emulsifier used to blend and stabilize the product. Emil patented the process, named his new cheese, and shared his discovery with his boss. The new cheese could easily hold its shape, required no refrigeration, had a long shelf life, and turned into a silky sauce when melted. 

The Monroe Cheese Company quickly put the “waste cheese” into production. Like Emil’s Liederkranze cheese, his new creation became popular in homes, hotels, and restaurants. It was so popular that on Valentine’s Day 1923, Jacob created and incorporated a new independent company to produce this one product. In 1927, Kraft Foods bought the “waste cheese” company. 

Researchers at Kraft quickly began tinkering with Emil’s formula and process. Remember that Emil patented the process for making his “waste cheese.” Rather than three ingredients, the new formula had a paragraph’s worth of chemical ingredients. Kraft advertised the “waste cheese” as a health food and diet aid, though it was neither. With clever marketing campaigns, Kraft’s version of Emil’s “waste cheese” remains one of the most popular cheese products in the world. Kraft’s version still tastes and melts pretty much the same as the Emil’s “waste cheese,” and still uses the name Emil gave it because of its velvety smoothness when melted. You know Emil’s “waste cheese” as Velveeta. What you may not know is that Kraft’s version of Velveeta cheese does not contain any cheese.

Sources:

1.     David Levine, “Where Does Velveeta (and Liederkranz) Cheese Come From? Monroe, NY, Of Course!” Hudson Valley Magazine, March 18, 2013, https://hvmag.com/food/where-does-velveeta-and-liederkranz-cheese-come-from-monroe-ny-of-course/.

2.     David Levine, “Who Emil Frey whipped up a smooth dairy sensation,” Smithsonian, January-February 2025, p.35.

3.     “The History of Cheese Making in Monroe,” Monroe Historical Society, https://www.monroehistoryny.org/cheese-in-monroe.

National Data Privacy Day, celebrated on January 28, serves as an annual reminder to safeguard our digital lives in an increasingly interconnected world. With cybercrime on the rise and personal data becoming a valuable commodity, taking steps to protect your information is more critical than ever.

Data privacy encompasses various aspects of our online behavior, from securing personal accounts to being mindful of what we share on social media. It begins with understanding the risks. Every time you browse the web, post on social media, or shop online, you leave behind a trail of data. This data, if not adequately protected, can be accessed by hackers, advertisers, and even malicious actors.

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to protect your data is by creating strong, unique passwords for each account. A good password should be at least 12 characters long and include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. For added security, enable two-factor authentication, which requires a secondary form of verification beyond your password.

Another crucial step is keeping your software and devices up to date. Cybercriminals often exploit vulnerabilities in outdated systems to gain unauthorized access. Regularly updating your software ensures you have the latest security patches.

Social media users should be especially cautious about oversharing. Information like your full name, birthdate, or location can be used for identity theft. Adjusting your privacy settings to limit who can see your posts and being selective about friend requests can help minimize risks.

When shopping online, ensure the website uses secure encryption, indicated by “https” in the URL. Public Wi-Fi networks are another common risk. Avoid accessing sensitive accounts, like online banking, when connected to an unsecured network.

For those seeking to go further, consider using tools like Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), password managers, and antivirus software to bolster your security. By staying informed and vigilant, you can protect your digital identity and ensure your data remains private.

Frequently, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s always-hungry reporter has lunch at a local restaurant and tells you about the experience.

By ANON E. MUSS, Journal Services

A while back, I received an email from a reader (keep ‘em coming) suggesting a review Crawdaddy’s Kitchen (9370 Mansfield, Road, Shreveport). Not long after, I received an email from a reader asking me to review restaurants in Shreveport’s Southern Hills area.

Well, that would work out well! So, I invited a friend to join me on a recent Thursday for lunch at Crawdaddy’s.

This was a first-time visit for both of us. I had heard the restaurant’s name for many years but never found my way there. That’s probably because I haven’t lived in, or relatively close to, that part of town. So, while using my GPS as guidance, I drove while looking for the restaurant’s sign. However, it was faded and barely readable. At the last minute, I saw a couple of bright yellow awnings with the restaurant’s name in red, and made a quick turn into the parking lot.

I had reviewed Crawdaddy’s menu on its website, so I knew what to expect food-wise. But I didn’t know what to expect regarding the restaurant’s atmosphere. When I opened the door, I was pleasantly surprised. The first thing that hit me was the gold and purple colors of Mardi Gras. The place was decorated to the nines with Mardi Gras-themed ribbons and bows. The modern-looking dining room would have looked fine on its own, but the decorations brought the place to life. In addition, there was ample seating (all tables, no booths) despite a consistent flow of customers, as well as a couple of big-screen televisions and a small bar.

Within two minutes of our arrival a little after 12:30, my friend and I had been seated and served our drink order (two waters with lemon). I appreciated the fact our very nice and patient server, Vanesha, brought several lemon slices, so we would not have to ask for lemon with each water refill.

I say Vanesha was “patient” because my friend and I are not ones to be in a hurry when having lunch. We don’t get to see each other that often, so we take time to catch up. Twice, Vanesha offered to take our food order, and each time, we asked her to give us more time. She did so without complaint.

Since this was a bit of a late lunch, my friend and I were really hungry, and decided to share an appetizer. Sure, we could have chosen Fried Cheese Stix or Fried Dill Pickle Spears, but we could get those at a lot of places. At a place called “Crawdaddy’s”, we had to go with something seafood or Cajun. So, we ordered Crawfish Cornbread ($8.99).

As my friend said while eating, “This isn’t ordinary cornbread.” No, it wasn’t. Not only was the square-shaped piece enough for both of us, it didn’t taste – or fall apart –like ordinary cornbread. It had a distinctive Cajun flavor, and was thick (not gooey). You know how sometimes when you eat cornbread, it crumbles to pieces, and you’ve got a big mess? Not Crawdaddy’s cornbread. It stayed together through our last bites.

When it comes to the main event, Crawdaddy’s menu is not short on choices. Of course, as an ode to the restaurant’s name, there are several seafood selections. But if you’re in the mood for a burger or pasta, you can get those, too. My friend thought the prices were a little on the high side, which is when I pointed out the Lunch Specials section of the menu. There were four choices, as well as four Fried Lunch Combos.

I kept seeing servers bring out plates of delicious-looking fried food. Now, for the most part, that’s something I stay away from. You know, cholesterol and all. But on this day, I caved. I ordered Shrimp & Fried Fish. If you are okay eating Swai, you can save $3. However, I upgraded to catfish, for a total of ($15.99). My meal was promised to come with Cajun fries, hush puppies, and if I wanted (which I did), Cole slaw and pickled tomatoes.

My friend chose the combination of  a Natchitoches Meat Pie and a cup of Chicken & Sausage Gumbo ($10.49). But here is where there was confusion. He was concerned that might not be enough to eat. However, my friend decided since the menu read “All lunches served with Cajun fries & hush puppies (Cole slaw & pickled tomatoes available upon request)”, he would get filled up. But while discussing with our server, she said that there was a mistake on the menu. The crawfish pie and gumbo did not come with the extras. So, my friend was reconsidering his choice, when our server said since the menu read what it read, she would make it right.

Now, that’s customer service. Vanesha did the right thing, and my friend was appreciative. If you go to Crawdaddy’s and order a lunch special, I suggest confirming with your server what it comes with.

When our food arrived, I was pleased to see that my plate looked as good as the other plates I had seen served. Mine was loaded with three large pieces of fish, four plumpy shrimp, three (small) round hushpuppies, and plenty of fries. There were also (small) containers of Cole slaw and pickled tomatoes, as well as containers of (without me having to ask for) tartar sauce and cocktail sauce.

The fish and shrimp were fried to perfection. And not only was all of my food served hot. It stayed hot until I could see the bottom of the plate. By the time I finished, I was very full.

My friend’s first thought when eating his gumbo was that it was “very heavy on the roux.” He doesn’t usually add spices to food, but felt the gumbo needed a pick me up. “It lacked flavor and kick for Louisiana food that I would normally expect it to have.”

Fortunately, within my eyesight were several bottles of Louisiana Hot Sauce. I gave him one, and that seemed to do the trick, as my friend emptied his bowl.

He said his meat pie was hot temperature-wise, but not hot spice-wise. “I would describe it as just a meat pie.” In other words, nothing special. He felt he could get that meat pie just about anywhere.

My friend was more impressed with the restaurant’s look and feel, than he was with its food.

“(The building) didn’t have a whole lot of appeal on the outside, but the inside was amazing.” He took note, as did I, of the music (think Lainey Wilson and Cody Johnson), as well as the decorations and TV’s.

The cost of our meal before tax and tip was $36.89. Know before you go that Crawdaddy’s assess a 4% “Service Charge” if you are paying with a card.

I was happy with my visit to Crawdaddy’s Kitchen. I enjoyed a really good, well-portioned meal, in a nice, relaxed atmosphere, with good service. Therefore, I give Crawdaddy’s a solid Three Forks. For me, Crawdaddy’s is out of my way. But, if I am within 15-20 minutes of the restaurant, I would definitely return. There is plenty of food from which to choose, but I would be hard-pressed not to again have their fish and shrimp.

1 Fork: Would rather eat a box of dirt
2 Forks: Will return, but only if someone else is buying
3 Forks: Will return and look forward to it
4 Forks: Will return and go out of my way to do so

Is there a restaurant you would like the Journal to visit for lunch?  Email SBJRestaurantReview@gmail.com.

January 27 is Chocolate Cake Day, a delightful excuse to indulge in one of the most popular desserts worldwide. Chocolate cake, with its rich flavor and decadent texture, has been a source of comfort and joy for generations. But where did this iconic dessert begin, and how has it evolved over the years?

The history of chocolate cake dates back to the 18th century. While chocolate itself was used primarily for drinking in the early days, advancements in cocoa processing made it possible to incorporate it into baking. By the mid-19th century, recipes for chocolate cake began appearing in cookbooks, evolving from dense, pudding-like cakes to the lighter, fluffier versions we enjoy today. The invention of cocoa powder by the Dutch in the 19th century and the mass production of chocolate by companies like Hershey’s helped popularize chocolate cake across the globe.

Today, chocolate cake comes in a myriad of forms to suit every taste and occasion. From a classic German chocolate cake layered with coconut and pecans to molten lava cakes with oozing centers, the options are endless. But how can you perfect this beloved dessert in your own kitchen?

For beginners, a one-bowl chocolate cake recipe is a great starting point. Using simple ingredients like flour, sugar, cocoa powder, eggs, and oil, you can create a moist and delicious cake with minimal effort. Those looking to elevate their baking can explore more complex recipes, incorporating techniques like folding egg whites for a lighter texture or making a silky ganache for the topping. Pro tips include using high-quality cocoa powder for a richer flavor, ensuring your ingredients are at room temperature, and avoiding overmixing the batter to prevent a dense cake.

For those short on time or looking to try something new, local bakeries often offer creative takes on chocolate cake. Whether it’s a flourless chocolate torte or a vegan chocolate cake made with avocado, there’s something for everyone. Celebrate National Chocolate Cake Day by sharing your creation with loved ones or enjoying a slice from your favorite bakery. After all, few things in life are as universally loved as chocolate cake.

By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports

BATON ROUGE – Coaches don’t like to lose games.

But they especially don’t like to let a lingering loss lead to another immediate defeat, especially when there are just 48 hours between games.

When LSU and South Carolina agreed to postpone Thursday’s game in Columbia until Friday because of the snowstorm that shut down Baton Rouge for two days, the Tigers’ Sunday home game against Texas A&M had all the makings of a trap game.

After A&M, playing at home, handed Kentucky its first SEC loss of the season on Thursday, LSU lost for the 17th straight time vs. the No. 2 ranked Gamecocks on Friday.

Fatigued and with just one day to prepare, the No. 5 Tigers seemed like prime candidates to be tagged with a second consecutive loss — as happened a year ago when they lost at home to South Carolina and then were upset at Mississippi State.

That’s why LSU head coach Kim Mulkey made the following conclusion late Sunday afternoon after her tired team staggered across the finish line a 64-51 winner over the Aggies before a Pete Maravich Assembly Center gathering of 11,061.

“I’m glad we were at home,” Mulkey declared. “You’ve just got to grind. There’s going to be other games like this.”

For the second straight game, as in the 66-56 loss to South Carolina, LSU shot terribly. After the Tigers (21-1, 6-1 SEC) had the worst shooting performance (29.9 percent from the field) in Mulkey’s LSU tenure vs. the Gamecocks, the Tigers followed it by making just 31.9 percent of their shots against A&M.

But LSU managed to enter victory lane Sunday because it grabbed a school-record 30 offensive rebounds in an SEC game, held A&M to 31.4 percent from the field and put together runs of 15-2 to open the second quarter and 16-5 to close the game.

“We could have done way better (on defense) and we put them at the free throw line too much (A&M hit 13 of 21 free throws) ” said LSU guard Flau’Jae Johnson, who scored a game-high 22 points including eight in the fourth quarter.

LSU’s Big 3 – Johnson, Morrow and Parkway High product Mikaylah Williams – spent the last 4:30 of the first half off the bench nursing fouls. Without them on the floor, LSU missed its last 7 of 8 field goal attempts with A&M’s 9-3 scoring burst cutting the Tigers’ lead to 30-25 at the half.

Even after A&M lost its leading scorer Aicha Coulibaly to an apparent serious leg injury with 1:51 left in the first half when she landed awkwardly on her right knee, the Aggies (10-9, 3-4 SEC) did not fold.

Every time it appeared when LSU was on the verge of blowing the game open, Texas A&M reeled the Tigers back in.

A&M reserve guard Taliyah Parker, who scored a team-high 13 points, hit two of the Aggies’ three fourth-quarter 3-pointers. The other belonged to Sole Williams, whose trey cut LSU’s lead to 48-46 with 6:45 left.

At that point, the Tigers were 1 of 16 on 3-pointers and reserve guard Kailyn Gilbert was scoreless,  going 0-8 from the field

But Gilbert finally hit a pair of deep corner 3s sandwiching two Johnson drives in a 2:26 span that sent the Tigers to a double-figure victory margin.

Morrow had her 18-game double-double streak narrowly snapped, finishing with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Williams’ 14-game double-figure scoring skein ended as she had 8 points on 3 of 8 shooting and 6 rebounds.

“When it’s tough for you on the offensive end, rebounding and defense helps you win ball games,” Mulkey said. “I’ve preached that since I’ve been here, but that was a good example today.”

Sunday’s game was the first of a three-game homestand. The Tigers host SEC newcomer and No. 15 Oklahoma (16-4, 4-3 SEC) Thursday at 6 p.m. followed by a home game next Sunday at 1 p.m. vs. Mississippi State (16-5, 3-4 SEC)

Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com

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PINEVILLE – Tenacious defense set the tone Saturday as the LSUS women’s basketball team stayed on pace for a showdown for the lead in the Red River Athletic Conference with a convincing 69-49 win at Louisiana Christian.

The Pilots held the Wildcats to just 29.5 percent from the court, 22.2 percent on 3-pointers, and 61.1 percent at the line. The outcome kept LSUS on pace for a Tuesday evening collision with unbeaten Xavier in New Orleans as the RRAC’s top two teams meet for the second time. Xavier posted a 65-62 triumph in Shreveport on Dec. 2.

Saturday, LSUS (16-3, 15-1 Red River) took command by outscoring LCU 20-5 in the second quarter for a 38-19 halftime lead.

Vicky Parra led the way for LSUS with 12 points and four steals. Racheal Emmanuel posted a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds while adding three swipes. Selma Markisic facilitated the offense with five assists. Paula Gonzalez Herrero led the Pilots with five steals.

Louisiana Christian (6-12, 6-10 Red River) was topped by Princis Goff with 18 points, 8 rebounds and 5 steals. MaKayla Price scored 11.

LOUISIANA CHRISTIAN MEN 93, LSUS 79: Captain Shreve graduate and former Evangel coach Reni Mason’s Wildcats completed a season sweep of the Pilots for the first time this century by prevailing at H.O. West Fieldhouse. It was the seventh win in eight games for LCU in Mason’s fifth season as head coach.

LCU posted season highs for points (93), field goals (37), field goal percentage (53.6), and assists (25).

Tyler Washington scored a game-high 28 for LSUS (12-8, 9-7 Red River). Taj Anderson added 14, Davion Coleman 13 and Trey Boston 10 for the Pilots.

Devin Carter led the Wildcats with 22 points while adding five assists. Omarion Layssard, a sophomore, had a huge game for Louisiana Christian (10-10, 9-7 Red River) with a collegiate-best 19 points.

JOURNAL SPORTS

HOUSTON — The Centenary men’s basketball team dropped its third straight game Sunday, bowing 70-58 to the league-leading St. Thomas Celts in a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference contest at the Jerabeck Center.

The Gents (6-11, 4-4 SCAC) led the Celts (16-1, 8-0 SCAC) 32-27 at halftime but St. Thomas outscored Centenary 43-26 in the second half to secure the win. Centenary dropped to 1-4 on the road this season while St. Thomas improved to 10-0 at home as the Celts won their 11^th game in a row.

St. Thomas outscored the Gents 32-18 in the paint, and owned a 29-7 advantage in bench points. Centenary turned the ball over 19 times.

Quintin Beverly led the Gents with 20 points and was joined in double figures by Jakobi Greenleaf who scored 13 and Jalen Ned, who scored 12.

Angel Johnson’s game-high 22 points led the way for St. Thomas, Reyce Allen scored 16, and Marion Williams added 10. Allen grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for a double-double.

Friday in Colorado Springs, Craig Collier scored 22 for Centenary but Colorado College’s hot shooting triggered a 101-72 blowout over the Gents. The Tigers (8-8, 4-3) hit 58 percent of their shots including 11 of 24 on 3-pointers, while outscoring the visitors 54-22 in the paint and winning the rebounding battle 46-35.

1. THOMAS WOMEN 93, LADIES 49: Centenary committed 32 turnovers in its fifth straight loss despite 19 points by Shyanne Phillips on Sunday.

The Ladies (2-14, 1-7 SCAC) were drubbed 109-37 at Colorado College on Friday night.

The Celts (6-9, 4-4 SCAC) won their third game in a row and improved to 4-3 at home this season. St. Thomas shot 53.3 percent from the floor, 11-20 from beyond the arc, and 18-22 at the line.

The Celts outscored the Ladies 27-11 in the first quarter and led 42-20 at halftime. UST outscored Centenary 51-29 after halftime.

At Colorado College Friday night, the SCAC-leading Tigers (15-2, 7-1) shot 58 percent overall including 15 of 30 on 3-pointers, and roared out to a 38-11 first-quarter advantage.

The Centenary teams have a Texas road swing next weekend visiting Schreiner and Trinity and return to the Gold Dome on Feb. 7 against Concordia.

JOURNAL SPORTS

Bossier Parish Community College hit the gas after halftime Saturday and shot its away out of a three-game slump by dumping visiting Coastal Bend 75-59 at Billy Montgomery Gym.

The Cavaliers (13-6 overall, 5-6 in Region XIV) expanded a one-point edge by outscoring the visitors 47-32 in the second 20 minutes. Bossier Parish moved to 13-1 at home this season.

Charles Onana led BPCC with 15 points. Braylan McNeal added 14 and Tyrone Iroghama scored 10 for the Cavs, who go for a season sweep Wednesday at Tyler Junior College.

BPCC is back home next Saturday afternoon at 2 against Navarro.