A little info on LSU

By SID

LSU leads all-time 50-33 in a series that dates back to 1954. This will be the fourth time over the last three years the teams have met in the tournament, with the Tigers winning two of the previous three.

Vanderbilt took the series in Baton Rouge (May 7-9), marking the third straight season series win over the Tigers (2006, 2007, 2010).

Today’s game is the sixth meeting all-time in the tournament with LSU holding a 5-1 record over the Commodores.

Last season the Commodores used a complete-game performance by Mike Minor (in my opinion his best ever outing at Vanderbilt) to defeat the Tigers 4-1 in the opening game of the tournament.

The Tigers "roared" back from the loser's bracket winning five straight games, including a 6-2 win over Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament Championship game, to capture their second straight tourney crown. Of course LSU went on to win the whole thing, marking the sixth National Championship in the program's history.

With several of the starters back, LSU jumped out to a great start this year and on April 21st were 32-6 overall and 11-4 in league play. Since that time the Tigers have faltered, going 5-14 overall and 3-11 in SEC action.

The Tigers opened the second season with a convincing 10-6 win over No. 1 seed Florida last night and many media types are saying that they appeared to have their swagger back.

LSU will throw junior right-hander Austin Ross (4-4, 5.13 ERA) tonight. He allowed two runs on five hits in 5.1 innings with four strikeouts and no walks and did not factor in the decision in his start against Vanderbilt on May 9.

In his last outing against Mississippi State on May 21, Ross allowed three runs on four hits in seven innings with eight strikeouts and no walks in the 17-3 win. On the year he has posted 86 strikeouts and 17 walks in 73.2 innings pitched.

Download Game Notes

Prowlin' the PMAC

By Weinman

During Vanderbilt's midday shootaround at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on LSU's campus, I dropped by to pay Mike the Tiger a visit. Mike IV's 15,000 square foot habitat was under construction the first time I came to Baton Rouge in 2004 with the football team.

Mike has his own web site that offers tons of information on the history and tradition of LSU's live mascot. You can even check out a live web cam of Mike's enclosure. And it really is live -- student manager David Epstein headed out to the enclosure, waved to the camera, and sprinted back in the gym. His image had come and gone on the web cam long before he returned inside PMAC. We did manage to get a grainy screen capture to save the event for posterity. In the picture below, David is at the very bottom of the screen in a bright pink shirt (which reminds me: much like Vanderbilt's game on Sunday, tonight's game at LSU is part of the WBCA's Pink Zone initiative to raise awareness of breast cancer).

MBB: LSU Gameday Prep

by Barca Blog

Links to get you ready for today's matchup with LSU. Tip-off is scheduled for 12:47 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. For fans in attendance, make sure you stay in your seat at halftime to see the 1974 Peach Bowl football team present a substantial check to endow a Vanderbilt scholarship.

VUcommodores.com's Coverage
Boggles' Game Preview
Vanderbilt Notes
LSU Notes
Joe Fisher's Preview with 104.5 the Zone

Note: You can watch a free live webcast of Coach Stallings' postgame press conference immediately after the game by clicking here.

Newspaper Stories
Tennessean: VU can't afford to take LSU lightly
The City Paper: Vanderbilt must fight 'let-down' trend
The Times Picayune: LSU basketball 'pretty beat up'
The Advocate: Leg-weary Tigers hit road

Gameday Information
LSU (9-15, 0-10 SEC) at No. 22 Vanderbilt (18-5, 7-2)

Tip-Off: 12:47 p.m. CT, Memorial Gym (Sold Out)

TV: SEC Network (Eric Collins and Bob Wenzel)

Radio: 104.5 the Zone, XM 199, Sirius 212 More affiliates

Web: Live Video, Live Audio, Live Stats, Twitter

Last Meeting: Vanderbilt 75, No. 12 LSU 67 (Mar. 4, 2009)

Other Games in the SEC (CT): Live Scores
South Carolina at Georgia (3 p.m. / SEC Network)
Arkansas at Alabama (3 p.m. / SEC Network)
Xavier at Florida (5 p.m. / ESPN)
Auburn at Mississippi State (6 p.m. / Fox Sports South)
No. 12 Tennessee at No. 2 Kentucky (8 p.m. / ESPN)

Pregame photos at LSU

by Barca Blog - Here are some photos I took of the 'Dores when they arrived at Tiger Stadium two hours ago.

Remember, you can keep up with tonight's game at Commodore Gameday Central. Also, we'll provide score updates on Twitter @VandyFootball with notes @BarcaBlog.

Click the images below to enlarge.

Mike the Tiger's status: questionable

by Barca Blog - Mike the Tiger may not make it to LSU's home opener on Saturday, reports USA Today.

Apparently, Mike VI has been unwilling of late to get into the trailer that takes him from his on-campus habitat to Tiger Stadium.

The famed Bengal Tiger is a fixture on gameday. LSU's official site, LSUsports.net, describes his pregame activities as the following:

Mike's ride through Tiger Stadium before home games in a cage topped by the LSU cheerleaders is a school tradition. Before entering the stadium, his cage on wheels is parked next to the opponent's locker room in the southeast end of the stadium. Opposing players must make their way past Mike's cage to reach their locker room.

Tradition dictates that for every growl elicited by Mike before a football game, the Tigers will score a touchdown that night.

Learn more about Mike by visiting this link. (Photo courtesy of LSUsports.net)

Don't sweat it

by Barca Blog - Redshirt sophomore cornerback Jamie Graham has played in some of the toughest collegiate sports environments, both on the gridiron and the hardwood.

So what advice does Graham have for the younger Commodores making the trip to Death Valley Saturday?

"The first thing I’d tell them is to try to control their sweat and put on a lot of deodorant because it’s a long day on the field," Graham joked. "You’re going to have fans yelling at you, and you might even get something thrown at you.

"There’s a lot of emotion that goes on when you play on the road especially at a place like LSU. You’ve got to be prepared for everything they’re going to throw at you. Not just what they’re going to throw at you physically, but how you can take things mentally. It’s a different environment and you have to be ready for it."

Twenty-four players participated in their first collegiate game in a Commodore uniform last Saturday against Western Carolina with seven of those being true freshmen (Zac Stacy, Warren Norman, Collin Ashley, Brady Brown, Eddie Foster, Eric Samuels and Trey Wilson).

Picture Page - Tame the Tigers

by Barca Blog - One cool thing about old school sports publications was the gameday illustrations featuring the team mascots! This picture is from the Vanderbilt/LSU program in 1950. Get 'em, Mr. C!

(Oh, notice the book only cost a quarter)

LSU players comment on Vanderbilt

by Barca Blog

Senior Tailback Charles Scott
“(Vanderbilt) has a bunch of guys that are well coached. They play hard. You don’t see the fastest guys in the world on their team, or see the biggest guys. They have guys that play hard and you can tell as a unit, they’re great. So we’re going to have to come out and make strides from last Saturday and really improve to come out and beat Vanderbilt. They’re going to be coming to play as well.”

Sophomore Center T-Bob Hebert
“I pretty excited about playing Vanderbilt. I know a couple of guys on their team. They have a good squad. It’s the first SEC game and both teams are going to be pumped up. We’re going to have to go out there and play better than we did against Washington if we want to win.”

LSU might be without Pep

by Barca Blog - During Tuesday's press conference, LSU head coach Les Miles said starting defensive end Pep Levingston might miss this weekend's game against the Commodores. Levingston, a junior, injured his knee in the Tigers' season-opening win at Washington.

“I think Pep is nicked," Miles stated. "It’s not terribly serious. It’s one that may keep him out of the (Vanderbilt) game, but I’ll have to let you know on a week-by-week or day-by-day basis because it’s really been good news. It’s not a surgical issue in any way. He’ll need some rest and some rehabilitation, but he’ll be fine."

If Levingston can't go on Saturday, look for either Lavar Edwards or Chancey Aghayere -- both redshirt freshmen -- to start, according to Glenn Guilbeau of the Daily Advertiser.

To read the rest of Miles media day quotes, click here. You'll notice that the Baton Rouge press didn't ask one specific question about the Tigers' upcoming opponent.

LSU tickets available

by Barca Blog - Are you thinking about making the trip to see the Commodores take on the Tigers in Death Valley Saturday night? Well, you better act fast... LSU officials announced today that only 800 tickets remain available for purchase. Click here for full details.