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Two softball players journey together from Crowley to LSU

How two friends built their chemistry with LSU softball

BY AVA HERBERT @avahebe4

College sports teams are made up of a multitude of athletes. People of different backgrounds, coming from different high schools, states and even countries.

LSU’s softball team is similar to this with one exception.

Sophomores Maci Bergeron and Abigail Savoy knew each other long before stepping onto LSU’s campus.

These Crowley, Louisiana, natives grew up playing the game together. Their journey started at 7 years old, when the pair played on the same softball team.

Their relationship grew stronger when they attended Notre Dame High School together. During their time in high school, Bergeron and Savoy were a part of three state championship teams; the fourth year was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19.

Their path to greatness began earlier than most. Their freshman year high school team was undefeated state champions. At this time, Bergeron claimed her first All-State title.

“Maci works extremely hard,” Notre Dame High head coach Dale Serie said. “Even outside of practice and outside of the game.”

Savoy finished her high school career with an equally strong resume. She led the nation in runs battled in her senior year and led the Pioneers in batting average (.566), hits (56) and doubles (13).

On Nov. 11, 2021, when Bergeron and Savoy signed to officially become Tigers, they were

sitting right beside each other.

After graduating high school, they traveled to Baton Rouge, where the two became not only teammates, but also safety nets for each other.

Bergeron and Savoy’s private high school had a total enrollment of 402 students in grades nine through 12. Transitioning from their small-school setting to LSU’s freshman class of 7,367 proved to be more difficult than they had previously anticipated.

“It’s hard coming to college, and we had each other to rely on,” Bergeron said. “That made it so much easier being a freshman over here in such a big-school setting.”

Savoy agreed that having Bergeron at her side throughout her freshman year helped Baton Rouge feel more like home.

“To have that constant is really reassuring in a transition like this one,” Savoy said. “Especially when so many other things are changing.”

Since joining head coach Beth Torina in 2022, their roles have looked a little different.

Bergeron claimed her starting spot in the lineup as a freshman after graduate student Hannah Carson tore her ACL early in the season.

“It was a little overwhelming at first,” Bergeron said. “My coaches and my teammates helped me persevere through it.”

However, as the season went on, Bergeron’s inexperience showed when playing more difficult teams.

While taking a break from the field, Bergeron had to find other forms of motivation and remind herself of the reasons she started

to play in the first place.

“You’re not always going to get the outcomes that you want. I realized last year that no matter what, I still have great friends and great teammates,” Bergeron said. “You just have to find the little things that are good when things aren’t going your way.”

Her new mindset led her back to the field. In Bergeron’s first NCAA Regional as a Tiger, she hit her first career home run against Prairie View.

While Bergeron was on the field, Savoy was her No. 1 fan in the dugout.

Although she hasn’t seen the field a lot, Savoy makes the most of her time at LSU. She is the voice of the Tigers, leading every cheer and chant coming from the dugout.

“They call her the dugout captain,” Torina said. “She’s always consistent, always provides energy, she leads the dugout.”

Savoy embraces this role and constantly pushes her teammates to be better versions of themselves.

“Being on the bench… you can take it one of two ways. You can sulk about it, or you can have fun,” Savoy said. “I choose to enjoy it everyday when I come to the ballpark… Why would I not want to just make it better in the ways that I can?”

But this isn’t a new aspect of Savoy’s character. Even in her earlier high school years, she was a leader.

“Abigail’s always been a leader for us,” Serie said. “She’s a true testament of what you would want a softball player to be, even what you’d want your kid to be.”

The rest of LSU’s roster relies on Savoy’s energy at all times, whether in a crucial game or just at practice.

“She’s constantly cheering, making sure our energy is up throughout the entire game,” Bergeron said. “She’s always been that way. It’s one of my favorite things about her.”

But while she was cheering on her teammates, Savoy was continuing to put in work as well. She practiced hard over the summer and in the fall in hopes to see the field in her sophomore year.

And it paid off.

On Saturday, Feb. 24, Savoy got her first career hit as a Tiger, a two-run home run over the left field fence.

The team met her at home plate, Bergeron included, screaming at the top of their lungs.

“When somebody like that has success for your team, it’s really, really easy to get behind them,” Torina said. “That was a cool moment for our team… definitely a highlight.”

Bergeron and Savoy have been there at each other’s highs and lows. Their long-lasting relationship allowed them to set high standards for both each other and themselves.

“You always have someone who will hold you accountable,” Savoy said. “And you know it’s coming from a place of love.”

Their journey is far from over.

Savoy and Bergeron no longer consider themselves friends, they think of each other as family.

“I can talk to Maci about anything, and she knows what I’ve been through,” Savoy said.

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The sun sets Feb. 23, during LSU’s 8-5 win over Boise State at Tiger Park in Baton Rouge, La.

NEWS ‘JUST THE BEGINNING’

LSU, White House official and others celebrate record grant

BY SARAH WALTON @sarahrosewalton

LSU held a media briefing Tuesday afternoon celebrating the reception of a $160 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the largest ever awarded by the organization.

Won in January by the LSU-led consortium Future Use of Energy in Louisiana, the grant will be used to facilitate a clean energy transition in the state through investments in carbon capture, hydrogen utilization, sustainable manufacturing and water management technologies.

FUEL partners include the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, the Louisiana Board of Regents, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Greater New Orleans Inc., Shell, ExxonMobil and oil company Baker Hughes.

Representatives from some of the partners, the NSF and the White House attended the briefing, and answered questions in a panel format.

The event was well attended, with reporters, industry professionals and LSU faculty having the opportunity to ask questions

on how the grant would be used and its effects on Louisiana’s oil and gas industry.

LSU President William F. Tate IV spoke highly of the project, saying it was to a scale he had “never seen before” and adding,

to many laughs, “I frankly feel like I just had another child.”

Tate recalled the origins of the project and said it “seemed so far away, but now it’s here.”

The panel was moderated by LSU Associate Vice President for

Research, Innovation and Ecosystem Development Andrew Maas, a key player in obtaining the grant. Maas called FUEL’s achieve -

CLUBS

LSU club installs over 180 smoke alarms

BY LYLA MCGUIRE @LylaMcguire3

Armed with determination and compassion, the Red Cross Club of LSU does not just install smoke alarms; the members are igniting hope and resilience in lower-income households, one life-saving device at a time.

The club hosted an event called “Sound the Alarm’’ on Saturday. In only a few hours, the volunteers and members of the club installed over 180 smoke alarms and made 119 homes in lower-income neighborhoods safer.

Biological sciences sophomore Mihir Babbar, 20, and junior Corinne David, 20, are the co-founders and presidents of the club. The two students started the club in January 2023 and have gained more than 150 members since.

“We started the club because we volunteered in our com-

‘Spirits unbroken’: St. Luke’s works to recover after church fire

BY SARAH WALTON @sarahrosewalton

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church has been a home for many in Baton Rouge for the past 60 years, but on the morning of Feb. 17, it went up in flames.

Hundreds were devastated by the news. Among them was eighthgrader Lorelei Davis.

She didn’t believe it at first, Davis said—she thought the other students in a group chat were lying or trying to play some kind of prank when they messaged that the church had burnt down.

“People got sad once it all settled in,” she said.

Early on Feb. 17, St. Luke’s was engulfed in flames that destroyed the church and its library. Firefighters who arrived on the scene stopped the blaze in time to save St. Luke’s kindergarten through eighth grade school next door.

The Rev. Bryan Owen later that day sent out a message to family and friends of the church, detailing what happened and stating that they are “standing strong together,” while also expressing their gratitude to the first responders who stopped the fire.

“God will see us through this time of trial as together we begin the journey of rebuilding,” Owen wrote. “With much love and many

prayers for you all.”

Most things in the church were destroyed, but the cross that was used throughout countless services remained intact, though heat had warped the metal.

“The cross, a symbol used in every service and recovered from the ruins of our demolished church, now represents our resilience, strength, and unity,” read a post on the church’s Facebook page.

On the Sunday after the fire, St. Luke’s held a church service at the school’s gym. The celebrant proudly held up the warped cross.

Later that day, the church posted on Facebook documenting other “treasures” that survived the fire: a tabernacle, crucifixes and more.

Davis said school was canceled the Monday after the fire. Since then, the community has been finding ways to adapt to its new reality.

“Many of the elementary students would go up to where the remains [were] gated off and collect little pieces of the church and give [them] out to other students as little mementos,” Davis said.

Davis had been looking forward to having her eighth-grade graduation in the church, she said, but she was happy the fire didn’t destroy everything.

St. Luke’s is currently working on cleaning up and rebuilding the church.

The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana released a statement sending support to St. Luke’s, saying that anyone capable of donating was welcome to do so on St. Luke’s website.

As of now, the reason for the fire is still under investigation. Damages were estimated at $4 million, according to reporting from Brproud.

“Despite the flames that con-

sumed buildings, our faith remains strong and our spirits unbroken,” the church quoted Owen on its Facebook page.

A sign near the burned church read: “We are St. Luke’s Strong.”

BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

The panel sits at the front of the room Feb. 27 at the LSU Foundation building in Baton Rouge, La.

Missing jacket returns to mourning family following viral Tiktok

BY SARAH WALTON @sarahrosewalton

On Feb. 7, Carrie Gagliano came to Facebook with a plea for help.

Her father, Michael Gagliano, had recently passed away and upon visiting the nursing home to collect his things, Carrie Gagliano noticed one of his most prized possessions was missing: a custom-made LSU jacket.

The next day, she went to TikTok to ask for help in finding her father’s jacket. In the now viral video, Carrie Gagliano explained that she and her sister were told the jacket was donated to Goodwill in Denham Springs, only to learn the jacket had already been sold.

The Gaglianos then decided to utilize social media in order to find the person who bought the jacket and pay for its return. Carrie Gagliano, a Louisiana teacher, usually posts about her school day on Tiktok, especially her lunch, but she decided to come to what she calls her TikTok fam-

ment a “historic event for the state of Louisiana, for our partners, for our university and for really energy in our state.” It was wonderful, he said, to see the fruits of 18 months of hard work and celebrate with people who worked on the project and from across multiple industries.

Justina W. Gallegos, the deputy director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, shared the administration’s excitement on the project and highlighted how the grant is part of President Joe Biden’s investments in America.

Erwin Gianchandani, NSF assistant director of technology, innovation and partnerships said this work will be “game changing,” “transformational” and “just the beginning of an even longer journey.”

Part of the reason the grant went to Louisiana-based FUEL was to better invest in regions of the country that have been left behind. Gianchandani said that NSF’s hope is to help Louisiana

ily and ask for help.

“It was really the most treasured possession he had,” she said in videos made about the jacket, explaining the story behind it and what it meant to her father.

Michael Vincent Gagliano, or “Bubba” as many called him, was an LSU alumnus and lover of music. He was a member of LSU’s Golden Band from Tigerland and

“put its region on the map as a national leader and eventually a global leader” in the field of energy, particularly energy transition, which became a hot topic throughout the briefing.

The panel members emphasized that their goals for FUEL include supporting the energy industry while simultaneously researching methods to decrease carbon emissions and accelerate a shift toward carbon neutrality.

They estimated the grant will help generate 250,000 Louisiana jobs, assuring concerned attendees that current oil and plant workers would not lose employment, but rather transition into clean energy roles after receiving proper training.

The grant will be allocated over a period of 10 years.

“Leading the FUEL team and being selected for this transformational grant affirms what we already knew – that LSU is one of the nation’s premier research universities, poised to change the lives of the people of Louisiana and the world,” Tate said last month.

why the jacket is so important. Made for him in the 90s, the jacket is a symbol of his time at LSU and the legacy he left behind.

On Feb. 10, Justin Danger Nunley, a TikTok creator, saw Carrie’s video and responded by promising $500 to anyone who could return the jacket to the Gagliano family. After Nunley posted his TikTok, people began to add money to the reward, bringing its total up to $5000.

jacket holder was. Still, he decided to drive the entire way to verify that the jacket was the real thing and ensure the Gagliano family received it. At the end of Nunley’s video, he said, “It’s a happy ending, and I love happy endings.”

a cofounder of Kappa Kappa Psi’s LSU chapter, a fraternity for university band members. Carrie Gagliano mentioned how he was also one of the founders of the Court Jesters, a group of band members who would play music at basketball games.

According to Carrie Gagliano, her father’s time at LSU and with the LSU Band were some of his life’s greatest moments, which is

munity during our high school years in Mandeville,” Babbar said. “When we came to LSU we wanted to continue the same volunteering. We found an opportunity to start the Red Cross Club and help our local community, while fostering a sense of community involvement.”

Fire fatalities affect families nationwide. The Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal says that every year in the United States, 82% of fire deaths and 76% of all fire injuries occur in the home. Most of these cases are due to the lack of a working smoke alarm.

“We wanted to be able to spread awareness of the need in the Baton Rouge community,” David said. “The Red Cross club was the perfect way to make an impact.”

This is the third Sound the Alarm event for the Red Cross Club of LSU. At the previous event, the members installed over 200 smoke alarms in Marrero, Louisiana. The members also take frequent trips to smaller areas to install smoke alarms. The Saturday event, though, was the largest so far, with 75 LSU sudents and over 100 volunteers, David said.

The club first hosted a bag preparation event weeks before Sound the Alarm to ensure that each group had everything needed to correctly install the alarms. Members of the club gathered at the Baton Rouge American Red Cross office to pack duffle bags filled with smoke alarms, tools, directions and other information the participants would need as they entered homes to survey and install the alarms.

Thirty groups of students and volunteers went to different neighborhoods in Baton Rouge to install alarms, includ-

Other Louisiana content creators came together to spread the word about the jacket and add money to the reward. In a turn of events, on Feb. 12, Nunley posted a video on his TikTok saying, “Carrie, I think I have something that belongs to you.”

A day later, Nunley made a storytime video explaining how he got the jacket back. He talked about dealing with scammers but before long someone sent him and Carrie Gagliano a photo of the jacket, saying they hoped to return it.

Nunley lives four hours away from Baton Rouge, where the

Less than a week after the original Facebook post, the beloved jacket was found and returned to the Gagliano family. The jacket holder wanted to return the jacket immediately after discovering the Gaglianos’ story, even rejecting the reward money. But Nunley insisted, and the money is now allowing the finder and their family, who suffer from unspecified health conditions, to improve their quality of life. In a video on her TikTok, Carrie Gagliano said she was glad someone with a good heart found the jacket.

On Feb. 12, Carrie Gagliano made her final update about the journey to find the jacket, ending the saga by writing, “our hearts are overflowing with love and gratitude.”

ing members of the EMS club of LSU. The event targeted the area of Old South Baton Rouge, a neighborhood located just past the north side of LSU’s campus. Each group was given a route to ensure that the teams covered as much area as possible.

“As a member of the Red Cross Club, I was excited to participate because I know how big of an impact we can make on the local community,” Anya Ferruzzi, an animal sciences major said. “What we’re doing can really save a life.”

Sound the Alarm is not the only event the club hosts during the school year. The club meets once a month and hosts several service events that provide students the opportunity to receive

service hours, while giving back to the community. Details about future events and meetings can be found on the club’s Instagram.

The Red Cross Club also works with other clubs and campus organizations. Earlier this month, the club hosted a service event with Delta Gamma to create Valentine’s Day cards for students at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired. The club plans on hosting more events to stay involved in the community, such as an event to teach children about fire safety and readiness.

“We are very grateful for the positive impact we’ve been able to make through volunteering,” Babbar said.

GRANT, from page 3

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille ExxonMobil Vice President, Policy Development Erik Oswald speaks Feb.

LSU Foundation building in Baton Rouge, La.

ALARMS, from page 3

LYLA MCGUIRE / The Reveille LSU Red Cross club members enter home to install smoke alarm on Feb. 24.

COURTESY OF ABBI ROCHA

Stitching of an LSU Band uniform.

ENTERTAINMENT

Theatre school explores Shakespeare in ‘The Book of Will’

BY CATE EMMA WARREN @cateemmawarren

What would happen if none of William Shakespeare’s works were published? What if they traveled down generation after generation through word-ofmouth until they were merely skeletons of his original work? Luckily, that did not happen.

In a recent production of “The Book of Will’’ by Lauren Gunderson, put on by the LSU School of Theatre, Shakespeare’s friends work together to publish a complete collection of his life’s work to make sure his memory stays alive following his death. The show opened on Feb. 15 and will run through March 5 in the Claude L. Shaver Theatre.

Douglas Scott Streater is a graduate of LSU’s master of fine arts program and plays Henry Condell in the show. He highlighted the show’s theme of appreciation and recognition from others in an artist’s career, as they often see the value and potential of the artist’s work more clearly than the artist themselves.

“Sometimes, when you’re too close to a gift or a skill, it is hard to see the value of it,” Streater said, “but those around you often sit back and watch what you do with awe and inspiration.”

Streater said that in this production, Shakespeare’s friends saw the value of his work that he could not see. Most importantly,

they saw its ability to stand the test of time. He said that with a lot of artists, their work is, unfortunately, not appreciated until after they have died. It’s then that those close to the artists are able to showcase their work and have others finally begin to acknowledge it.

“The people who love and admire you and call you friend will oftentimes carry you into places that you cannot go by yourself,” Streater said.

The show also calls upon the

importance of live theatre in the modern era and how shows and characters can reflect what is happening in our own lives.

In the show, Tony Medlin, a theatre performance teacher at Baton Rouge Community College, plays the character John Heminges. The character has a strong arc preceding the death of his wife.

Medlin discussed his own personal journey of getting vulnerable through his character and how George Judy, the di-

rector of the show and an LSU theatre professor, helped him achieve that.

“All I have to do is think about losing my wife, and every time I read that scene, I just lose it,” Medlin said. “The struggle is not to, because [Heminges] is such a rationalist and a logician that he’s fighting all the time. That’s his problem, he won’t give into the emotions. He’s fighting to compartmentalize it and figure it all out and you can’t.”

Theatre can be a powerful tool for dealing with personal journeys such as grief. Many of Shakespeare’s plays portray that feeling of emptiness and loneliness when grieving someone you love, along with the actions you would take to make sure their life held purpose.

“Grief is going to do to you what it will do, and it will never go away. You might be able to learn to deal with it, but like the tide it will always come back in,” Medlin said. “In terms of a personal journey, that was a real struggle for me to learn to marshal and arrange emotion, not just feel it.”

Much of the show focuses on the importance of art and culture in our lives. Many of the stories we hold such high praise for today would not have existed if not for Shakespeare’s work hundreds of years ago.

If you are unfamiliar with his work, watching the show can still provide you with an incred-

ible story and experience, told by talented actors. You can also learn about why theatre is still a valuable art form.

“Shakespeare is very important to the core of this program,” cast member and senior theatre major Ansel Wilder said. “Obviously, also, to the core of theater in general. I think a show like this being put on is a rarity, rather than adapting Shakespeare. We’re telling the story of how that came to be, which is in a way, just as, if not more, valuable than reading Shakespeare itself.”

Wilder said “The Book of Will” provides a different perspective on Shakespeare that people don’t usually see.

Even though there is a real love of language in the script, Gunderson is able to make Shakespeare feel very accessible in the way that she highlights the womens’ stories in the script and through the language and the humor.

The production’s associate director, theatre senior Makaylee Secrest, described the show as a “love letter to live theatre.”

“To me, the show reminds us of what we gain whenever we come together,” Secrest said. “To share stories with each other. Everyone in the show is motivated by an intense commitment to preserve their life’s work, whether that be family or business. It’s about valuing the things that are most important to us.”

Local nonprofit’s mission to help ‘written off’ young adults

BY TOREY BOVIE @toreyb12

Off of Acadian Thruway in Baton Rouge, there is a small brick church-like building. Inside a nonprofit carrying the weight of the world on its shoulders.

Youth Oasis is a nonprofit working to help youth around the city who deal with homelessness and trauma. It offers services such as transitional living programs for 16-to 24-years-olds, parenting support and mental health services.

During a Black History Month fundraiser the organization held on Friday, Executive Director Tekoah Boatner said, “For most people that want to start a nonprofit, I’m going to spend the first 20 minutes trying to convince you not to.”

The event hosted about 13 people. The group enjoyed snacks and Black history trivia as members sang songs and read poetry.

Boatner said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization’s annual client roll went up from 120 to 250 people a year. She said this number has now steadied to 150 clients.

While nonprofits are tax designations and not business models,

Boatner said the fact of the matter is that nonprofit organizations are required to “sell a product or service” before receiving funding for the services they provide.

Boatner said this is why fundraising is so important. Organizations like Youth Oasis are required to find their own funding to keep the programs they offer going. Once the organization proves that the service works, they will be eligible for grants and funding from local and federal governments.

Ariel Bellezer, the office manager, said he oversees communication between departments and maintenance at the several houses where the youth live.

“Sometimes, the kids come from broken homes and that mindset comes with them. So we have case managers and counselors,” Bellezer said.

While the impact that Youth Oasis has on the community is self-evident, it still struggles to keep some of its services afloat.

Boatner said the organization currently houses 15 young adults, where they used to house between 30 and 35.

After losing one of its major donors, Youth Oasis has kicked off a large fundraising initiative.

The goal is to to raise $150,000 in 150 days starting Feb. 23.

“We went through three months of struggling. We went through three months of convincing each other that it was worth staying,” Bellezer said.

With little funding coming in, Bellezer said, the organization struggles to pay utility bills and lost a lot of staff members.

Amea Smith, a support specialist, said she has witnessed the power of Youth Oasis’ work first hand.

“I came here for services around last year, and they basically turned my life around. They got me a job up here, stable living. So yeah, Youth Oasis means alot to me,” Smith said.

Mary Davis, the chief operations officer, said she always knew she was called to help people. Davis said that when she first started at Youth Oasis, a majority of the kids she worked with were in foster care. Over the years, she said, the dominant population has become kids in the criminal justice system.

“I hear everybody talk about ‘the problem.’ ‘Put them in jail, try them as adults.’ But these are children,” Davis said. “Who is responsible for protecting our chil-

dren?”

The members of Youth Oasis also focus on mental health services for the people the organization helps. Boatner said the goal is to take away the stigma around mental illness, especially for Black and brown LGBTQ+ youth.

Davis said she often hears kids say they have never been to a place or program like Youth Oasis. Colorful decorations and animal paintings fill the walls. She said she looks at the kids she works with like they are her own.

“Youth Oasis provides so many

opportunities to the kids that have been labeled as problematic. I don’t take easy children. Give me the ones you’ve written off as a problem. Because those are the ones that will shock everyone who doubted them,” Davis said.

Boatner said that for a lot of Black adults and youth, it can feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. She said this is why one day she hopes to no longer be in this line of work. She said she will continue to dismantle the system that causes kids to need Youth Oasis.

COURTESY OF THE PRODUCTION TEAM OF “THE BOOK OF WILL”

TIGERS WIN! TIGERS WIN!

Photos by Matthew Perschall

LSU defeats Georgia by one point 67-66 in the final minute Feb. 27 in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

LSU men’s basketball graduate student forward Will Baker (9) dunks the ball.

LSU men’s basketball graduate student guard Jordan Wright (6) shoots the ball.

LSU men’s basketball sophomore forward Jalen Reed (13) drives toward the basket.

LSU men’s basketball sophomore forward Tyrell Ward (15) puts the ball up.

LSU men’s basketball sophomore forward Jalen Reed (13) looks up at the basket.

LSU men’s basketball sophomore forward Tyrell Ward (15) dribbles between his legs.

LSU men’s basketball graduate student forward Hunter Dean (12) moves toward the paint.

LSU men’s basketball sophomore forward Tyrell Ward (15) waits to be substituted.

SPORTS CARDIAC CATS

LSU men’s basketball holds on for 67-66 win over Georgia

BY JASON WILLIS @JasonWillis4

When LSU pulled ahead by one with 15 seconds left on the strength of two clutch Will Baker free throws, there was no release.

Not yet. Not after what happened last time.

When the Tigers had finally clinched the 67-66 victory seconds later, it was a sigh of relief.

LSU gave Georgia two chances, because of an offensive rebound, and twice met them at the rim to contest layups. In the end, the Tigers had luck on their side.

“It was just chaos,” guard Jordan Wright said.

In LSU’s first match with Georgia, about a month earlier, the final minutes were similarly tight. The Tigers pulled ahead late thanks to a Jalen Cook andone layup and forced a miss on Georgia’s initial shot of the final possession.

However, LSU couldn’t seal the deal then. Georgia came down with the offensive rebound, which turned into two points at the free-throw line.

LSU was able to narrowly avoid that outcome this time around, despite losing a 15-point lead when Georgia pulled ahead in the last six minutes. Wright, who led the team with 17 points, and the Tigers made just enough

plays to come out on top, in doing so improving to 7-8 in Southeastern Conference play.

“I’m just thankful we won,” head coach Matt McMahon said.

LSU offense started hot but cooled off

LSU had a great first half, making 58.3% of its shots with seven 3-pointers compared to Georgia’s 30.3% from the field. However, the Tigers led by only 13 at the half, mainly due to their 11 first half turnovers.

In the second half, those

shooting numbers stabilized, with LSU coming back down to earth and Georgia beginning to find more rhythm. Georgia was quickly right back in it, and the Tigers failing to put more distance between the two teams in the first half was pivotal.

“I think we did get a little bit complacent,” Wright said.

As the game drew to its end, LSU’s offense struggled to score, in part because it was going against a set defense more often with Georgia’s offense beginning to score.

When LSU and Georgia met for the first time in Athens, it was a similar story offensively. The Tigers slogged to a 16-turnover night, shooting 38.6% from the floor and struggling to finish at the rim.

That was a different Georgia team than the one that walked in on Tuesday. Since that game, Georgia has lost seven of eight.

In that span, the Bulldogs have allowed opponents to make 49.9% of their shots, which would rank second-to-last in the nation. Much of the damage against Georgia has been done in the paint, where it has really struggled to match physicality.

Still, the Bulldogs defense hung in enough to hold LSU to 34.8% from the field in the second half and force 16 turnovers in the match.

“I thought they came out and played really, really good halfcourt man defense,” McMahon said. “It was very disruptive. We never got into a rhythm.”

Trae Hannibal’s leadership made a difference

Hannibal will be the first to tell you that despite a careerhigh 22 points, his performance against Mississippi State on Saturday was unacceptable. He made tough layup after tough layup, but more prominent were the plays he didn’t make.

LSU projected No. 3 seed

LSU was moved up to a projected No. 3 seed in the ESPN 2024 Women’s NCAA Tournament Bracketology, made by analyst Charlie Creme.

The Tigers were moved down to a No. 4 seed after suffering losses to Auburn, South Carolina and Mississippi State during Southeastern Conference play. But Kim Mulkey and her team have won their last six games, allowing them to get the bump up in seed.

LSU was also ranked No. 9 in the Week 17 AP Top 25, the first time it has made the list since Week 13 at the end of January.

It’s been a smooth month of February for Mulkey and her Tigers, but it took longer than one might expect for the team to get back into the category where they know they belong.

That being said, here’s a look at where LSU stands in the latest update of the Bracketology and the familiar faces that are around them.

LSU is projected to host the first two rounds

What Does Hailey Van Lith’s breakout game mean for her?

BY TRE ALLEN @treday0314

When one of the best players in women’s college basketball decided to enter the transfer portal and team up with the defending national champions, one would assume that the combination would be unstoppable.

However, that has not been the case at times for LSU guard Hailey Van Lith. The senior from Wenatchee, Washington, started her collegiate career at Louisville where she averaged 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal per game in three years.

Her success led her to multiple tournament bids including a Final Four appearance for the 2021-22 season. This also led to her being in the top 10 in many WNBA mock drafts

With eligibility remaining she decided to take her talents to Baton Rouge to team up with Angel Reese and LSU. Going into the season, a lot of people

had high expectations not just for LSU, but also for Van Lith. It’s been a rollercoaster ride, to say the least as LSU lost its

first game of the season by 14 to Colorado, but now ranks No. 9 in the country. As for Van Lith, she’s had to adjust her play style

ever since transferring. At Louisville, she led the team in scoring with 19 points per game, but this season for the

Tigers she is fifth on the team averaging roughly 12 points per game.

She’s been playing a more traditional point guard role trying to distribute the ball and run the offense. Head coach Kim Mulkey has sympathized with Van Lith on how hard it is for her to transition into a new position after playing her old one.

“I don’t ever think it’s fair to ask a player to play more than one position,” Mulkey said. “And yet we are asking her to play a new position and then in the middle of a game, go over here and play your old position.”

These are some of the hardships that Van Lith has had to play with so far this season, yet she continues to fight through adversity. On Sunday, Van Lith went for her season-high against the Tennessee Volunteers, scoring 26 points with seven rebounds and three assists. Not only did she achieve her

In Mulkey’s first two seasons as head coach, LSU hosted its first two games in March Madness. It’s expected that they will host for Mulkey’s third season, see

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille LSU men’s basketball senior forward Derek Fountain (20) goes for the rebound Feb. 27 during LSU’s 67-66 win against Georgia at the PMAC.

FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille

LSU women’s basketball graduate student guard Hailey Van Lith (11) dribbles through Auburn players Feb. 22 during LSU’s 71-66 win over Auburn at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.

BREAKOUT, from page 9

season-high, but she did it efficiently as well, shooting 50% from the field and 80% from three. It was almost like a sigh of relief coming from not just Van Lith, but also LSU.

Everyone knows how talented she is, but with the number of options that the Tigers have, it’s easy to fall in the background. She needed this game to propel herself in the right direction and continue to boost her confidence.

She always plays with great energy on both ends of the floor but has been struggling recently.

However, with that performance against a tough Tennessee team on the road, it could be a big step for her in the right direction.

As for the Tigers, it still feels like this team hasn’t reached its full potential yet. This team has a lot of talent, especially with the starting five.

After Van Lith’s big game, LSU is hoping her success continues and goes back to that player who can give you 15 to 20 points per night. Tournament time is just around the corner, if there was any other time for Van Lith to come alive, now is the time.

TOURNAMENT, from page 9

too.

The Tigers are projected to face Chattanooga in the first round. The Mocs are currently 11-1 in the SEC and are projected to win the conference, giving them an automatic bid into the tournament.

In the second round, it’s predicted that the Tigers will face the winner of No. 6 seed North Carolina and No. 11 seed Iowa State.

North Carolina has had a roller coaster of a season. The Tar Heels were ranked inside the top 25 in Week 13, but they lost four straight to knock them out of the rankings. However, they won three of their last four games, including a win over No. 6 North Carolina State, a team they lost to in their four-game rut.

Iowa State has also been relatively unpredictable. The Cyclones have ranked wins over an at the time, No. 7 Kansas State on Feb. 14, and over ranked West Virginia and Baylor teams earlier in conference play.

This would be a tough draw for LSU. Opening the tournament with a one-loss conference champion may put the Tigers on a bit of an upset watch. In the second round, they may be met with a team that is more unpredictable.

LSU is projected to be in the Portland 4 quadrant

If the Tigers were to make it out of the first two rounds,

BOUNCEBACK, from page 9

He had seven turnovers in that game and was clearly affected by Mississippi State’s aggressive defense. On the other end, he allowed his primary assignment, Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard, to go for 32 points.

Hannibal seemed much more comfortable quarterbacking the offense on Tuesday. He kept the team on schedule and made accurate passes to finish plays, giving him eight assists.

On the other end, Hannibal’s

effort, particularly in fighting his way through screens, disrupted the Georgia offense and caused a few turnovers. Incredibly, that effort never waned over the 39 minutes of game time Hannibal played.

With Cook still out with a leg injury, Hannibal has been asked to carry a huge load at the point guard spot, which he’s handled well.

What’s next?

On Saturday, LSU will head over to Nashville for a rematch

with Vanderbilt, which the Tigers beat 77-69 in the first meeting in Baton Rouge. LSU led by as many as 15 in the game and produced a convincing defensive performance, coming up with 11 steals.

The Commodores have gone 2-12 so far this year in the SEC, and, according to the NET rankings, are the conference’s worst team.

The matchup against Vanderbilt will be Wright’s first game back at the stadium he played in for four years with the Commodores.

they’d make the trip to Portland, Oregon, for the Sweet 16. And the draw remains tough.

In the Sweet 16, they’d face the winner of the first two rounds hosted by USC, who’s projected as the No. 2 seed. In the latest AP Top 25, USC is ranked No. 7, led by star true-freshman guard Juju Watkins.

The Trojans were on a sevengame win-streak, including wins over ranked teams in Stanford, Oregon State and Colorado, before losing to No. 18-ranked Utah on Sunday.

The Pac 12 is arguably the most competitive conference in women’s college basketball, with six teams ranked in the top 25. Having to face any team qualified to make the NCAA Tournament from that conference would give the Tigers a challenge.

Ole Miss is also projected to travel to USC to play its first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. LSU defeated Ole Miss 84-73 at the start of SEC play, but the Rebels have since picked up wins over Auburn, Tennessee and Mississippi State; LSU has lost to two of those three teams.

The Rebels may provide a sneaky attack in the NCAA Tournament if LSU was to see them in Portland.

In the rest of the quadrant, Texas is projected as the No. 1 seed, and it’s currently ranked as the No. 3 team in the AP Top 25. With USC being the No. 2 seed, and LSU the No. 3 seed, Colorado is projected to be the No. 4 seed.

The Buffaloes upset the Tigers in the season opener by 14 points. Since then, however, Colorado was met with the brutality the Pac 12 brings. Most recently, it’s lost its last four games, all to ranked teams.

Being that LSU had a difficult time with Colorado in its last meeting, it may be deceiving looking at Colorado’s schedule.

The Buffaloes have presented themselves as a talented team at several points throughout the season with ranked wins over Stanford and USC, but the conference they play in provides so many obstacles.

Notre Dame is projected to be the No. 5 seed. The Fighting Irish are currently ranked No. 17 in the AP Top 25, and are led by freshman guard, Hannah Hidalgo. The No. 8 seed is Alabama, who LSU defeated twice this season, both by double-digit points.

Who are the other SEC teams projected to make the tournament?

South Carolina is currently the No. 1 overall seed and projected to win the SEC Tournament, giving it an automatic bid.

The Gamecocks have not lost a game as of yet, making them the only undefeated team in the AP Top 25. They’ll definitely be in the NCAA Tournament and will most likely be a No. 1 seed when Selection Sunday comes.

Tennessee, which LSU most recently defeated 75-60, is projected to be a No. 9 seed. The Lady Vols are predicted to play

their first two rounds at Ohio State, who is projected to be a No. 1 seed.

Mississippi State is also predicted to be a No. 9 seed and is projected to play its first two rounds at Stanford, another projected No. 1 seed. The Bulldogs

beat LSU by four points at the end of January.

Texas A&M and Auburn are two of the “Last Four In” teams and will play a First-Four game as an 11-seed. A win in a firstfour game gives a team a spot in the First Round field of 64 teams.

FRANCIS DINH/ The Reveille

LSU women’s basketball graduate student guard Hailey Van Lith (11) reaches for the ball Feb. 22 during LSU’s 71-66 win over Auburn Pete

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

LSU men’s basketball graduate student guard Jordan Wright (6) high fives senior forward Derek Fountain (20) after scoring Feb. 27 during LSU’s 67-66 win against Georgia at the PMAC in Baton Rouge, La.

FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille

LSU women’s basketball guard Hailey Van Lith (11) celebrates a three right at half time Feb. 22 during LSU’s 71-66 win over Auburn.

OPINION

AMYRI’S VANTAGE

AMYRI JONES @acameliasssss

Let’s talk about sex. Well, not really the act itself, more so the ways in which society’s obsession with it has made Cupid’s job that much harder. We’ve all heard the saying “sex sells,” but we never talk about how it kills. Yes, you read that right; sex kills, but not like Michael Myers or Ghostface.

To be honest, it’s not even the act itself that kills but rather the fixation with it. That fixation has given birth to hookup culture and, as a result, negatively impacted the way we view and engage in relationships.

Before anyone gets defensive, in no way am I saying that having a friend with benefits or casually hooking up with someone is wrong. I’m simply saying that the prevalence of such things is why romance is dead.

Back in the day, if someone had a crush on you, they’d write Shakespearean poetry for you or court you with beautiful flowers. Nowadays, you’re simply spammed with likes and sent Instagram DMs

stating something along the lines of “You fine, ma” or, a fan favorite, “You bad.”

I mean, what’s going on?

Courting was a requirement in the good ol’ days. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t to say that those who actively courted people in the past didn’t have the same inten-

tions as the sneaky link seekers nowadays, but I’m pretty sure the courters at least wanted a relationship out of it.

I can’t talk about hookup culture without acknowledging its roots: hypersexualization. It doesn’t take a team of psychologists and a peerreviewed study to see that your ex-

treme horniness may be tied to the fact that you’re lonely. Yes, you’re always in the mood because you have no one. That sounds dark, but I don’t intend it to be. I get it; it’s hard to be alone sometimes. But hey, hobbies exist.

All jokes aside though, hypersexualization is an actual issue, and

I wish it was talked about more. People are starting to think their worth is contingent on the pleasure they can provide and/or their physical appearance.

Surely this is a factor in the relationship drought.

Could it also be that people are afraid of relationships? It’s plausible. After all, we live in a society that applauds people for being cheaters, liars and manipulators.

And as a result, sex is now viewed as easily accessible and meaningless, when it should be something intimate or sacred.

It’s starting to make sense why people don’t often pursue relationships, but regardless of your views on sex, I think we can all agree that Cupid’s work schedule isn’t as busy as it used to be. He probably hasn’t used that bow and arrow in ages thanks to our generation.

But don’t be sad; all isn’t lost. You’ll find your person.

In the meantime, focus on yourself. All the love that you’re dying to give to someone else, hold onto it, and if you’re out here settling for love… don’t. Keep your head up queen/king/royal person.

Amyri Jones is a 22-year-old digital advertising and religious studies senior from Baton Rouge.

LSU students compete to promote a multicultural magazine

BY CHLOE MARTIN

The Reveille has published several articles about LSU’s abrupt shift from diversity, equity and inclusion language to “engagement.” While many people have reacted negatively to the change and how it was communicated, engagement is an effective way to describe how we should interact with each other in Louisiana’s melting pot of cultures.

I’m working with five other LSU students to conduct a public relations campaign for Culturs, a global multicultural magazine, as part of our participation in the annual Bateman Case Study Competition. Our campaign involves communication activities designed to increase awareness of Culturs and to support the magazine’s mission of sharing the experiences of people who live between cultures.

We’re excited about competing with other leading univer-

sities and demonstrating that LSU’s students are strategic, creative and committed to delivering professional results. Our strategy is to enable people to share their stories and build an understanding of their crosscultural perspectives.

These stories will be available on Instagram @cultursatlsu through Tuesday, March 5. You can win points for LSU and the Manship School by interacting with our posts. Every follow, like, comment and share counts.

LSU’s team finished third last year, but this team is built to win. Please support us by going to our website www.cultursatlsu.com and selecting the Get Involved tab. We want to engage with you in building a stronger culture at LSU where everyone feels seen and heard.

Chloe Martin is a senior in the Manship School of Mass Communication and captain of LSU’s Bateman team.

GRAPHIC BY JACOB CHASTANT

MADALYN CUNNINGHAM / The Reveille Tiger Stadium sits on Nov. 5 on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La.