REWRITING HISTORY
Just because it’s on a plaque doesn’t make it true — the story behind LSU’s Sugar Kettle is being challenged.
Read on page 2
‘IS THIS LEGIT?’
Doctoral candidate works to correct the legacy of the LSU Sugar Kettle
BY AIDAN ANTHAUME Staff Writer
Just outside LSU’s Chemical Engineering Building stands a rusted sugar kettle — a heavy, iron relic of Louisiana’s agricultural past. For decades, a historical marker nearby has claimed the kettle once belonged to Etienne de Boré, the Creole French planter credited with first granulating sugar in Louisiana. But according to LSU doctoral candidate and historian Logan Istre, that story is more myth than fact.
“I was doing a conference paper for the Louisiana Historical Association,” Istre said. “You always see this kettle, and I had never thought much of it. But I was researching Louisiana sugar planters and started asking, ‘How did this kettle get here? Is this legit?”
The answer, he discovered, was murky at best — and filled with contradictions, embellishments and gaps in recordkeeping.
There’s no official documentation in LSU’s archives tracing the kettle’s arrival, but Istre followed a trail of public records, newspaper clippings and personal letters that paint a much different story than the one on the plaque.
A foundry, a fire, and a gorgotten donation
The kettle arrived on campus in 1891, according to newspaper accounts from the time. Following its display outside what is now the Louisiana Old State Capitol in the 1850s as “the original sugar kettle,” it was reportedly stolen during the Civil War’s capitol fire and put to use by bootleggers for distilling rum.
It wasn’t until later that its historical significance was recognized by William Blackie, a Scottish-born foundry owner, who purchased it as scrap metal from a foundry previously owned by another Scottish emigrant, John Hill — a name that would later become entangled in the kettle’s misattributed origin.
Blackie recovered the kettle and buried it in a pit at his foundry, where it served as a clay receptacle for industrial work for two decades. Eventually, nearing retirement, he grew concerned for its future and donated it to LSU. The university was then located downtown, and its president at the time, James Nicholson, accepted the gift.
Blackie, according to Istre, “told Nicholson to paint the history on it, to document where it came from.” But within a few years, the facts began to shift.
A game of telephone
In the early 1890s, LSU was touring businessmen around campus when they came upon the sugar kettle. Nicholson — perhaps attempting to add grandeur to the school’s humble relic — claimed the kettle had once belonged to de Boré and that he’d picked it up in Donaldsonville.
Blackie was outraged. He wrote to the university to correct the story, and at the time, newspapers still credited him for the donation.
But as years passed and memories faded, Nicholson began mixing names in his retellings. Eventually, he said the kettle was donated by Blackie — but that Blackie had worked with John Hill, a significant donor to LSU and owner of the foundry before Blackie.
“By then, Blackie had died and couldn’t defend himself,” Istre said. “Hill was still alive, and I imagine he saw the kettle and said, ‘Oh yeah, that came from our foundry.’ People wanted to be nice to him. He was donating a lot of money.”
Decades later, in the 1930s, Hill’s grandson spun the tale further, telling a new version that credited John Hill himself as the donor of the kettle. This version stuck. The kettle was moved to the Hill Memorial Library, further cementing the association.
In the 1950s, it was relocated again, and by 1971, during the bicentennial push for historical preservation, LSU installed the current historical marker with the now-contested story.
Étienne De Boré
A French-educated chemist, de Boré is widely credited with successfully granulating sugar on a plantation near New Orleans in the 1790s — a breakthrough that helped launch Louisiana’s sugar industry.
Former LSU chemical engineering professor Louis Joseph Thibodeaux wrote that “The people were electrified. Etienne de Boré marketed $12,000 worth of superior sugar.”
De Boré worked closely with an enslaved man and skilled sugar refiner named Antoine Morin, whose role is often under-acknowledged.
De Boré’s grandson, Charles Gayarré, was a state legislator
and historian. In 1856 — the same year the kettle appeared in Baton Rouge — Gayarré inherited the de Boré plantation and may have discovered old kettles during a barn cleanout. It’s possible that one of these found its way to the State Capitol and, eventually, into Blackie’s hands.
“The kettle is legit,” Istre said. “We’ll never know for sure if this is the kettle. But it’s more likely now that it was one of de Boré’s kettles. It comes from the right time period, and there’s a loose chain of custody. But the facts on the plaque need to be changed.”
Even faculty remain uncertain about the kettle’s history.
“Unfortunately, I don’t know anything about the kettle,” LSU History Department Chair Aaron Sheehan-Dean wrote in an email. “What I know I learned from Logan.”
Changing a historical marker
Correcting the historical record isn’t just a matter of good research — it’s a bureaucratic process. To update the plaque, the university must request approval from the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism.
But for Istre, it’s worth the effort.
He’s currently working with the university administration on changing the historical marker and plans to publish an article about the kettle in 64 Parishes, a magazine of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities.
“LSU has been nothing but accommodating and friendly,” he said. “They want to do this right.”
More than just a relic, LSU’s sugar kettle is a story in itself, and thanks to Istre, this longsilent fixture is finally poised to tell its true story.
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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS
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ABOUT THE REVEILLE
The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille
Sugar Kettle sign sits Feb. 26 in Baton Rouge, La.
PHOTO COURTESY OF LOGAN ISTRE
NEWS WORKDAY WORKS
Students react to using Workday Student to schedule for the first time
BY TORI BONIN Staff Writer
Class registration began last week amid LSU’s transition to Workday Student, a cloud-based software and a centralized location for all students’ needs including class registration, financial information access, transcript requests and graduation applications.
Initially many students expressed their frustration with the transition to the Workday platform, but since the transition, many students have changed their minds. Freshman Mia Hattaway studying mass communication expressed her shock at the ease of scheduling classes.
“I didn’t really understand how the system was going to run going into my appointment, but I was pleasantly surprised with how easy registering for classes was,” Hattaway said.
Before Workday, students scheduled through myLSU. Students were not able to plan their schedules out in advance, but with Workday Student that is possible.
“It was super easy for me
CULTURE
to navigate and I like how we can plan a schedule in advance through Workday,” said Reagan Hodge, a freshman studying kinesiology.
Hamood Qureshi, a senior studying chemical engineering, explained that he found the process to be easier than registering through myLSU, with the only issue being getting approval for
classes and finding courses.
“I just made a saved schedule and put it out and it was wrapped up in 2 minutes. I didn’t have to play the usual game of Russian roulette where I had seven tabs open and was constantly refreshing,” Qureshi said. “Only weird thing is that trying to get approval for certain courses is a bit of a hassle and looking for courses is
a pain, but once you know what you’re looking for, it’s easy.”
Students have been receiving many emails regarding resources on navigating the transition, but some students believe there wasn’t enough guidance for the process, making the transition more confusing.
“I hope advisors provide more opportunities to students going
forward that can help them feel comfortable with Workday,” Hattaway said.
Alexis Cassell, a freshman studying elementary education, explained that she preferred myLSU over the new platform because of its familiarity.
“I personally liked the old version better just because it was something I had gotten used to, and I’m not always sure how new things work,” Cassell said. “I feel like they didn’t do a lot of explaining of how everything was going to go. With that being said, I did like the simplicity of registering for classes.”
Several students even took to Yik Yak, an app which allows people to post anonymously to people in a five mile radius, to express their admiration for the new platform.
“Once you figure out how it works to make a saved schedule from the academic plan it’s so nice,” one user said.
Registration appointments continue through the rest of April. Students can use the Workday Website as a resource to learn how to navigate the Workday System.
LSU Museum of Art earns prestigious national honor again
BY SARAH WALTON Staff Writer
LSU Museum of Art earns prestigious national honor for second time
LSU announced its Museum of Art earned one of the nation’s most complimentary honors for the second time.
The LSU Museum of Art received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums last month. The accreditation signifies a museum’s excellence, validates its operation and honors its impact.
Mark A. Tullos, the museum’s director, said the museum’s staff was elated to receive the accreditation after updating policies and procedures in preparation for its review.
“It puts us in a unique class of museums in the country,” Tullos said. “And so when other museum professionals either receive communications from us or go to our website, they know we’ve passed a significant test with a professional association.”
The AAM is a nonprofit organization focused on improving the museum community and uniting the industry, connecting 35,000 museums across the country.
The AAM uses standards such as public trust and accountability, stewardship, planning and more when reviewing a museum for accreditation. Institutions are eligible to go through the reaccreditation process every 10 years.
After receiving its first accreditation in 2010, Tullos said staff “transformed the institution into a place of excellence” to receive the reaccreditation.
Out of the tens of thousands of museums in the country, only a small fraction earn AAM’s high honor. Being accredited is not only a sign of talent, but a way of promising the museum is worth trusting and working with. This opens the museum to collaborating with more interesting and exclusive work, including bringing unique exhibits to the museum.
Recently, the museum’s “In a New Light” exhibit held a wealth of pieces of American impressionism. It brought these pieces to Baton Rouge by working cooperatively with the Bank of America.
Tullos said it’s important for the museum to curate interesting exhibits with unique pieces because it may be the only way some community members get to engage with them. It also allows the museum to educate the public about art, which Tullos says is the
Willie
museum’s primary focus.
The LSU Museum of Art preserves 7,000 sculptures, paintings and drawings. Maintaining these pieces and displaying them in a
straightforward way are a part of a museum’s accountability, an attribute the AAM judges institutions on.
Tullos emphasized students
so there is always something new to engage with.
receive free admission to the LSU Museum of Art and that the museum often changes
PILAR FRANKLIN / The Reveille Museum goers view
Birch’s “Memories of Bertrandville,” 1993, mixed media on papier-mâché on Feb. 2 during the Black History Month celebration at the LSU Museum of Art in Baton Rouge, La.
ENTERTAINMENT PUZZLES
MADI MAY’S MENU
Mary Lee’s Donuts
BY MADISON MARTIN Staff Writer
If you are anything like me and love breakfast food and Louisiana culture, you will also love Mary
Lee’s Donuts. Mary Lee’s, located at 4253 Perkins Road, is that one donut shop that everyone knows is the best around. Customers leave feeling like Buddy the Elf in the scene where he yells “world’s best cup of coffee.”
One morning I was craving a kolache, and I walked right into the local donut shop, with the treats encased in the glass warmer. There they were. Boudin kolaches that were ready to be taken home. If you aren’t a native Louisianian, then you may be confused as to what boudin is. If you aren’t a Texan, then you also might be questioning what a kolache is.
These pastry-like breakfast items are a large pig in a blanket; however, they can also have other fillings. In this case the dough was filled with a Cajun sausage, seasonings and rice. The kolache is $3.18 and is perfect for those on the go. The breakfast items can be paired with a sweet scrumptious donut or consumed on their own, making it the perfect quick breakfast for your fast paced morning in Baton Rouge.
4253 Perkins Road
BellyFire Studios works step-bystep to create unique ceramics
BY ASHLYNN BAILLIO Staff Writer
Trying something new can be intimidating, but at BellyFire Studios in Baton Rouge, the goal is to make creativity feel easy, accessible and even a little bit therapeutic.
Located at 257 Lee Drive, Suite P, BellyFire offers beginner wheelthrowing pottery classes for $50 per person on weekdays and Sundays and $60 per person on Fridays and Saturdays. The ceramics studio also hosts walk-in pottery painting, private parties and group events.
Studio owner David Rollins has worked in ceramics since he was 16 years old. Two years ago, he took over BellyFire. Since then, Rollins said the studio has nearly tripled in size.
“I feel like I practice my art just as much through growing the business as I do through actually making pottery,” Rollins said. “I love the process of building it and marketing and branding it, and connecting with the community.”
Community connection is central to BellyFire’s mission. The studio provides experience and employment opportunities to local artists, particularly students from LSU’s ceramics program.
“A lot of our instructors come from LSU,” Rollins said. “It’s really rewarding to see people in the
ceramics program at LSU get employed.”
Rollins said BellyFire now teaches more than 100 people a week how to throw on the pottery wheel.
“The vision behind our brand is creating a place where people can comfortably create,” he said. “It’s great for your body, mind and spirit. It’s one of those holistic mediums that you can take with you your whole life.”
A pottery wheel class starts with a five-minute demonstration.
Instructors walk students through how to throw clay onto the wheel, how to manage speed and how to keep the clay wet throughout the process. It’s a lot of information at once, but the small class sizes allow instructors to check in with everyone throughout the session.
Students are handed a ball of clay, a bowl of water and a sponge once the demonstration is finished. The process begins by throwing the clay onto the wheel and slowly pressing the pedal to get it spinning.
The first major step is centering the clay, a physically grounding process that involves locking your elbows into your thighs and using your body weight to push the clay into a smooth, symmetrical shape.
Students then create a hole in the center and carefully pull the walls of your piece upward. This
step requires precision and patience, as the clay becomes fragile when it’s stretched too thin. Once happy with the shape, the piece is carefully dried using a heat gun. Then decoration begins using carving tools and stamps.
The studio fires it in the kiln after decorating and singing your piece. About 10 days later, you can return to glaze it, and BellyFire will fire it again to complete the process. The result is a one-of-a-kind ceramic piece made by your own two hands.
To make art more accessible, the studio also offers a 20% student discount with a valid student ID. “I feel like there’s a gap in our society for creative spaces,” Rollins said. “We’re trying to fill that.”
ASHLYNN BAILLIO / The Reveille Throwing pottery at BellyFire Studio.
Boudin kolache
Letter from the editor: Thank you for your generous support
BY
Seven days, hundreds of emails and 30 Instagram posts later, I’m proud to say that the Reveille has raised around $9,000 so far for its annual fundraiser. With some final numbers still being tallied, however, that number is still subject to a bump.
Over the past week, I’ve seen every single Reveille staffer prove time and time again why fundraising is worth it. There’s more passion in this paper than even I could’ve expected. We’ve had staffers reaching out to hundreds of people for donations, and their enthusiasm is confirmation that the Reveille is succeeding in its mission to create competent, fiery journalists.
While I’m beyond proud of my own staff, I primarily want
to thank our readers and donors.
It’s not easy to ask for money, especially in economically uncertain times. Giving money to a college newspaper is in many ways a sacrifice, but so many of our readers, so many people in our community made that sacrifice in order to support us.
As a news publication, we’re dedicated to delivering thorough, timely and essential coverage to every corner of this campus. We cover student gov-
ernment meetings, research breakthroughs, student organizations, campus events and, of course, all things LSU sports.
Our reporters work around the clock to make sure the LSU community is informed, and the donations we’ve collected over the past week will ensure that we can continue that mission.
Every dollar raised goes straight back into the Reveille, allowing us to send reporters across the country to cover
events that other college publications have to watch on a livestream. Past fundraisers made it possible to renovate our newsroom, transforming it from a dingy prison of water damage and poor lighting into a modern, functional base of operations that meets all of our needs and more.
As a graduating senior, my days with the Reveille are far too quickly coming to a close. The beautiful thing about this pub -
lication, however, is that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it will only continue to grow and improve for years after I’m gone.
Every year without fail, a new batch of passionate journalists apply for the Reveille, and I’m happy to say that the budding talents of tomorrow will be given every opportunity for personal and professional growth.
The money raised this year will benefit this publication for years, so once again, thank you.
COLIN FALCON Editor in Chief
The Reveille
The Reveille’s newsroom before renovations.
The Reveille
The Reveille’s newsroom after renovations
SPORTS
OUT-TIGERED?
Baseball swept by Auburn on the road
BY BRETT KEMPER Staff Writer
LSU baseball travelled to play Auburn this weekend, hot off a conference sweep, extending their win streak to nine. But three games later, the Tigers head back to Baton Rouge 0-3 on the weekend. This is the first time since 1988 that Auburn has swept LSU.
Game 1
In LSU’s first loss to Auburn, the story of the night was former LSU Tiger Sam Dutton.
Dutton held LSU to no runs on three hits in six innings pitched. Dutton struck out seven batters, only walked two and advanced to 5-2 with a win over his former team.
On the other side of the field, LSU starter Kade Anderson was charged with his first loss of the year, falling to 6-1 and pitching only 4.1 innings while allowing five earned runs and recording six strikeouts.
Following his complete game shutout last Friday against Oklahoma, this was not the performance that the Tigers were hoping for from Anderson, but the loss certainly shouldn’t rest on his shoulders.
LSU’s offense, known for having hot and cold moments, went ice cold for four innings on Friday and did not have a run on the board until the seventh inning. It scored three to make the score 7-3.
LSU would only score one more in the top of the ninth, and Auburn would take Game 1 8-4. Game 2
The 4-2 loss came again from an off-balance offense and an off night for LSU starter Anthony Eyanson.
In his five innings pitched Eyanson allowed all four of Auburn’s runs for the day, before being relieved by Conner Ware, Connor Benge and DJ Primeaux who all threw scoreless innings.
LSU plated one in the second and one in the eighth, leaving seven on base and a few too many mistakes to dig themselves out of the hole.
“We were one more good atbat per inning away from winning this game,” head coach Jay Johnson said.
LSU has scored four or fewer runs in all but one of its six losses this year.
The offensive struggles showed up in a big way in Game 2 against Auburn, as LSU only earned eight total hits against Auburn’s pitching.
Johnson’s Tigers entered the weekend with the second best batting average in the conference and one of the best overall offenses in the country.
After two games at Plainsman Park, it’s plain to see that this Tiger team has a lot left to prove if they want to make a run in Omaha – a short 60 days away.
Game 3
Sunday’s game brought a fast start for the Auburn Tigers, who scored two in the bottom of the first and one in the bottom of the second, all while keeping LSU off the board entirely until the top of the eighth with one out.
Although some early Auburn
LSU’s Kyren Lacy found dead in Houston
In December, Lacy declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy died Saturday night in Houston, according to multiple reports.
“We’re saddened to learn of the tragic passing of former LSU Football student-athlete Kyren Lacy. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones, as well as his former teammates and coaches impacted by his passing,” LSU Athletics said in a statement.
Many of those close to Lacy took to social media to express their grief, including Lacy’s father, Kenny Lacy.
“Our lives have changed forever,” Kenny Lacy posted on Facebook. “Young parents, start talking to your kids at a very early age and make sure they are confident and comfortable confiding in you. Don’t be cool with ‘I’m Alright, or I’m good’ when you know deep down something isn’t right.”
Lacy’s death was a suicide, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said in its report.
struggles, including walks and hit batters allowing LSU free bases, the Bayou Bengals just could not convert and would be playing from a 3-0 deficit.
Chase Shores got the start for LSU, but after hitting the first batter in the third, Zac Cowan entered the game for Shores and was absolutely stellar for the Tigers, pitching 4.2 innings before putting runners on first and second and being pulled for Casan Evans.
LSU’s offensive struggles would continue through the entire game Sunday, with only two hits through seven innings, reaching base by walk or hit-bypitch more than by way of their own bat.
In the top of the eighth, after a long at-bat, Dickinson launched one into center field that dropped out of the glove of the center fielder to put LSU on second and third.
Steven Milam came to the plate to prevent the shutout with an RBI. A Jake Brown base hit scored Dickinson, and LSU trailed 3-2 in the eighth.
After Evans got LSU through the bottom of the eighth with the help of a diving catch by Derek Curiel, the Tigers headed to the plate down one and with their last three outs.
The ninth inning rally could not overcome the Auburn momentum and a Derek Curiel fly out sealed the series sweep loss for LSU.
The Tigers host McNeese on Tuesday, before No. 12 Alabama comes to town for a three-day series starting on Thursday.
Lacy, 24, played for LSU’s football team for three years. Prior to that he played football at UL-Lafayette for two years. He attended Thibodaux High School in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
Lacy was charged with felony hit-and-run with death, negligent homicide and reckless operation of a vehicle on Jan. 12 after he allegedly caused a fatal crash in Lafourche Parish in December. Lacy was reportedly set to have a hearing in front of a grand jury on Monday.
In a statement Sunday, Lacy’s lawyer Matthew Ory said that the investigation surrounding that charge was a “witch hunt” and that “there was never a presumption of innocence.”
“He was crushed under the weight of an irresponsible and prejudiced process,” Ory said. “We will be demanding a full and transparent review of how this investigation was conducted and why. Those responsible for this gross miscarriage of justice must and will be held accountable.”
Lacy was found dead in his car after the police were called because of an argument Lacy had with a family member during which Lacy fired a gun into the ground, the police report said. Afterward, Lacy left the scene, starting a car chase.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached by dialing 988 and offers emergency emotional support.
STAFF REPORT
MALEAH BOURGEOIS / The Reveille
LSU baseball junior outfielder and first base Ethan Frey (16) bats during LSU’s 17-4 win against UL Lafayette on March 25 in Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.
MADALYN CUNNINGHAM / The Reveille
LSU football wide receiver Kyren Lacy (2) runs the ball during LSU Pro Day on March 27, 2024, in Baton Rouge, La.
Men’s basketball shakes up the roster
BY TRE ALLEN Staff Writer MEN’S BASKETBALL
Since Will Wade was fired in 2022, things have been rocky for head coach Matt McMahon and LSU men’s basketball.
McMahon has a 15-40 record in SEC play as Tigers’ head coach. He started from scratch and had to bring in new hauls of players who could potentially turn the program around. Next year is no different.
LSU is losing significant pieces from this past season in search of a new identity for McMahon’s men in 2025. Along with the graduating guard Jordan Sears, the Tigers are losing Tyrell Ward, Vyctorius Miller, Mike Williams III, Corey Chest and Daimion Collins, each player playing crucial minutes during the previous season.
Returning for LSU next year is Cam Carter and Jalen Reed. Carter led the Tigers in scoring with 16.4 of LSU’s 73.8 points per game. Reed is tied for the tallest player on McMahon’s roster, standing at 6-foot-10, and is looking to make a splash after a torn ACL against Florida State ended his season back in December.
This year, McMahon is trying to change the identity of the team. Earlier this year, it was announced that LSU men’s basketball would be getting a bigger boost in NIL money after the Tigers ranked near the bottom for NIL spending.
According to 247Sports, LSU ranks No. 4 in the country in the transfer portal. The Tigers are tied for first with the most commits in the transfer portal class with five.
Not only are the Tigers getting more players, but they’re getting players who can all score. Four out of the five commits that LSU has signed averaged more than 14 points and led the team in scoring at their respective colleges.
Dedan Thomas Jr. is a 6-foot1 sophomore from Las Vegas, Nevada, who played at UNLV this past season, averaging 15.6 points, 4.7 assists and only 1.9 turnovers.
Thomas is a lefty guard who likes to attack downhill and get to the basket. He also likes to stop the elbow and settle for the pull up jumper when the defender sags off playing for the drive to the basket.
He’s a solid 3-point shooter, averaging 35% from range on 2.6 3-point shots a game. His efficiency could use some improvement from the field, but having a point guard who can score, facilitate and not turn the ball over is huge for a team that has struggled with turnovers all year long.
The next incoming Tiger is a 6-foot-6 guard from Evan, Ga. in Rashad King. King played three seasons at Northeastern before signing with LSU in the offseason.
King had a great junior year for the Huskies, leading the team in scoring with 18.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
Similar to Thomas, King gets most of his points attacking the basket. His athleticism is what stands out when you watch him play. He has a quick first step that allows him to blow past his defender or an ability to rock them for dunks when he goes baseline.
King didn’t shoot the ball particularly well, shooting roughly 32% from three but did attempt 4.3 3-pointers a game. He can make them, especially on catch-andshoot opportunities.
A guard that has good size, can score and defend, the Tigers are hopeful that King can make an instant impact next season.
Shooting was a problem for LSU, and they are looking to fix the problem by bringing in a player that shot 41% from this past season in Max Mackinnon, a forward from the University of Portland.
Averaging a team-high 14.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and shooting 46.7% from the field, the 6-foot-6 junior from Brisbane, Australia, is the most well-rounded player that the Tigers brought in.
Just like the rest of the guards, he also loves to attack the basket, but the difference with him is that he’s a knock-down shooter. He’s a career 35.6% 3-poiny shooter with time at Elon and Portland, so any time you see him on the perimeter, the defense has to respect his shot. He’s not just a catch and shoot 3-point maker; he can also take his defender off the dribble and create his shot.
Doing so, he’s able to attack the basket, shoot the midrange and faciliate to his teammates.
LSU is going to have a lot of talent on next year’s roster, but he could be the player to watch for the most.
Speaking of talent, the Tigers picked one of the best ones in the portal in the Summit League Player of the Year Marquel Sutton from Omaha.
The 6-foot-9 forward from Tulsa, Oklahoma, ranked 46th in the country for points per game and led his team to their first NCAA tournament appearance in program history, earning the No. 15 seed.
Sutton’s play style excelled in the Summit League. In a league where athleticism and height are things that not every team can have, he was able to dominate in the post.
He overwhelmed his defenders and backed them down to get the basket. He’s not just a simple post player that can only play with back to the basket.
Sutton can take his defender off the dribble and slash to the rim. Although he only shot 27.7% from three, he takes those shots with confidence and can even create separation on the perimeter.
His best attribute is his athleticism. When he gets out in transition, he’s hard to stop.
He sprints down the court and uses his speed and strength to get
BY RAMI BURKS Staff Writer
At a university where nearly every athletic program is nationally relevant, there’s never a shortage of options. There are always electric playmakers to be found.
The Reveille Athlete of the Week is LSU softball first baseman Tori Edwards.
Even as the Tigers dropped their second series of the season to Texas A&M on Saturday, Edwards was a thorn in the Aggies’ side throughout Game 2. This redshirt freshman has hit 15 home runs so far in the 2025 season, and four of them are grand slams.
Edwards belted her fourth grand slam of the season with her home run in the third inning against A&M on Saturday. Her clutch hit came in a time of need, the Tigers were trailing 7-1 when she cut the lead down to two runs.
LSU ended up losing the contest 9-7, but Edwards’ four RBI were pivotal in the small run dif-
the paint, or he finds a mismatch, gets positioning and abuses smaller defenders.
Going to a league that has 14 out of 16 teams make the tournament is going to be an adjustment for Sutton, but the Tigers found another player that has shown he can score and can defend multiple positions with his height.
Last year’s transfer portal class was small, only signing three players who combined for a total of 46.5 points per game before transferring to LSU.
This year, the four scorers that McMahon brought in combined for 67.5 points per game.
It’s now or never for the Tigers. We saw how much of a struggle it was to score for LSU and with losing nine players to graduation or the transfer portal, you have to find a way to replace production on offense and improve it.
This off-season, they’ve hit the nail on the head.
ferential.
Through two games of the Texas A&M series, Edwards proved why she is one half of the “Smash Sisters,” as deemed by the announcers. She bats behind catcher Maci Bergeron, and when one is struggling, the other always comes through for the rest of the lineup.
In game one, Bergeron was 0-3 at the plate, and Edwards came behind her going 2-4 with two doubles to kickstart the Tigers’ electric offense. Despite not having an RBI in Game 1, Edwards was two of the seven runs LSU scored.
During the previous success of LSU this season, Bergeron and Edwards have both handled hot bats. Her success with the bases empty has been significant for the comeback the Tigers made in the A&M series.
Edwards’ success throughout the stiff competition of the SEC was not a shock to head coach Beth Torina. She has given her high praise all season for her work ethic and the reward she has gotten for it.
“[Edwards is] a great representation of the program,” Torina said earlier in the season. “It’s nice to see somebody like that have success, that has just worked so hard. She was here all day, on the off day, just working. She’s studying film, she’s being prepared like she has elite talent, but she also has elite work ethic and elite understanding of the game.”
Although she is a redshirt freshman, these stellar numbers she has put up so far haven’t been a fluke. She’s consistently getting the best of opponents pitching.
The stats Edwards is putting up without runners on base shows how significant she is going to be in creating a deep playoff run for the Tigers.
So far this season, she is hitting .434 to match her 15 home runs and four grand slams. She has 61 RBI, sixteen of which are from her grand slams.
She will try to continue her offensive hot streak along with the other Tigers as they take on University of Texas on April 18 at 4:30 p.m. for Game 1 of the series.
GRAPHIC BY JACOB CHASTANT
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille LSU men’s basketball graduate student guard Dji Bailey (4) goes for a point during LSU’s 66-52 loss to Texas A&M on March 8 in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.
A cat plays with a toy.
A mischevious orange cat teases a grey cat.
A student holds up a kitten and smiles at it.
Cat Haven members smile from their table.
Two cats battle it out on the floor.
Two students hold up kittens for a photo.
Photos by Alexis Persicke | Design by Jayden Slaughter
OPINION
WHAT LSU HAS TAUGHT THIS SENIOR
In less than 40 days, I’ll be graduating, and while I’m incredibly excited, this moment is undeniably bittersweet.
Over the past five years, I’ve learned so much, made unforgettable memories and grown into the person I am today.
However, there are a few things I wish I could go back and tell my freshman-year self just to make sure she soaked up every drop of the college experience.
Here are the 10 things I would tell her:
Live on campus for at least your first year
There are definitely pros and cons to living on campus, but overall, it’s worth it. Being on campus gives you the chance to become more independent and immerse yourself in student life. It’s one of the best ways to make friends early on, especially since you’re introverted and seek community.
Don’t delay general education classes just because they’re boring
You might be tempted to skip over those “boring” general-education credits, but trust me, future you won’t appreciate taking freshman-level history courses as a senior, sitting in a classroom surrounded by 18-year-olds and their high school humor at 8 a.m. It’s just not ideal. Just get them out of the way early so you can focus on courses that align with your passions.
Go to every single football game and stay until the end
You never know when you’ll get the chance to rush the field, but even if that moment never comes, the experience of being in Death Valley as an LSU student is unlike anything else. It’s electric. Stay the whole game and soak it in; you’ll miss it one day.
Plan your gameday outfits in advance, especially for Homecoming Gameday fashion is a big deal at LSU. Coordinate your outfit early so you’re not scrambling on game day; it’s worth it.
Avoid evening classes if you can
Evening classes sound convenient initially, but by the time they roll around, you’ll be drowsy, distracted and daydreaming about dinner or a nap. Keep your energy in mind when scheduling.
When you study abroad in France your junior year, make every single day count Yes, you will spend two weeks studying abroad in France, and yes, it will be magical. But don’t waste time cooped up in your apartment. Go out, explore and soak in the culture. Those moments will become some of your most cherished memories.
You’ll change your major four times—unless you choose Advertising and Religious Studies early
Save yourself the stress and indecisiveness; these two majors align with your strengths and passions. You were always meant to blend creativity with cultural depth, so lean into it sooner.
You’ll be selected for an advertising agency tour in New York City and later land an internship there
This opportunity will change everything. You’ll meet professionals who inspire you, and months later, you’ll secure a competitive internship. This will reaffirm that you’re on the right path.
Friends will come and go, so stay focused on your education
People will enter and exit your life, and that’s okay. But your education is yours forever, and that’s where the money resides. Focus on your future, and don’t let temporary relationships distract you from long-term success.
You will find your way
There will be moments when you question whether LSU was the right choice, but with time, you’ll see that you were always meant to be here. This place will shape you in ways that you never expected.
LSU has facilitated my growth in more ways than I can count. I’ve cried here, laughed here, failed, triumphed and ultimately found my voice. As I prepare to turn the page on this chapter, I know I’ll miss it deeply, but I know I’m ready.
Amyri Jones is a 23-year-old digital advertising and religious studies senior from Baton Rouge, La.
Dear seniors, don’t give into senioritis
BESKE’S BUZZ
Since the beginning of the spring semester, I’ve noticed that my motivation for school is dwindling with every passing day.
During my senior year of high school, I experienced a similar lack of motivation because when graduation is close, it feels like you’re done. While this may be easier to deal with in high school, many vital things are occurring in the last few weeks for seniors in college.
It’s hard to juggle everything between classes, assignments, internships, jobs and trying to make memories. Not to mention getting your cap and gown, taking pictures and participating in other senior rituals.
A research study was conducted in 2021 to explore students’ perceptions of senioritis and how those perceptions and other variables influence academic motivation. They wanted to explore senioritis at the college level because most research focuses on high school.
The study says senioritis is characterized by being late or absent from class, decreased motivation or investing little effort in school. It also highlights how senior year of college is a significant transition period filled with stressful decisions and anxiety about what’s to come.
“Students may vacillate between feeling happy about an upcoming graduation, sad about
moving on from an environment they know how to navigate, and anxious about all the unknowns ahead,” the study says.
While my anxiety about schoolwork is high, thinking about entering young adulthood and paying off my student loans is much more daunting.
The research study used statistics to show how loans can be a significant source of stress for college seniors. It says that 64% of college students take out loans to pay for college, and 70% of students who take out loans report stress about finances and looming repayment, especially for those who don’t have work lined up.
I am mentally exhausted and burnt out when it comes to school, and I am so ready to be done and have my degree, but being this far doesn’t mean I’m finished. Even easy classes are hard because “busy work” and simple tasks drain my time and energy.
I also want to make the most of the time I have left with friends who may be out of the state for the foreseeable future.
The one thing pushing me past the finish line is that if I fail one necessary class, I will have to take a summer or fall class and owe more money, especially because my scholarships will be gone.
Although senioritis is a common phenomenon and often discussed in high school, college seniors have it too, and maybe even to a more extreme degree.
Kate Beske is a journalism senior from Destrehan, La.
KATE BESKE Columnist
BRYNN ANDERSON / AP Photo
File photo of a Morehouse College student lined up before the school commencement, May 19, 2024, in Atlanta, Ga.