Good morning. Wanting to slow down a little bit on this Monday morning? LSU women’s basketball chaplain Kim Cash Tate gave the team a good word about taking time to give thanks, give it a listen!

What did we pour into today's Brew?

🏀 Won the weekend
🏈  Baker’s back
🐯 And much, much more!

Inside LSU Sports. There's much to be excited about in 2024 for the LSU Tigers! Emily Dixon gives you the inside scoop on all things purple and gold - including LSU Women's Basketball, Football, Baseball and Gymnastics.

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📈 STOCK UP

🔼  Gigged ‘Em. The LSU men’s basketball has started SEC play 1-0! The Tigers went to Texas A&M to beat the Aggies 68-53 over the weekend. They held them to just 25.4% shooting from the field. The Tigers outscored Texas A&M 38-21 in the second half. Jordan Wright led the team with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Jalen Cook was another Tiger in double-digits, with 13 points, three assists, and two steals. They’ll be back on the court on Tuesday at home against Vanderbilt at 8 pm.

🎥 Roll the tape

🔼 Guess Who’s Back? Baker’s Back. LSU announced a new defensive coordinator on Friday, but he’s not so new to LSU. Blake Baker was hired after serving as Missouri’s defensive coordinator and safeties coach for the past two seasons. Before that, he was LSU’s linebackers coach in 2021. He brings eight years of defensive coordinator experience. At LSU, he coached All-American Damone Clark who was a fifth round NFL Draft pick and currently starts for the Dallas Cowboys. We are excited to welcome Coach Baker home!

🔼 Keep It Movin’. The women’s basketball team kept their 15-game win-streak intact with an 84-73 win at Ole Miss. All five starters ended in double figures for 83 of the 84 points. Mikaylah Williams led the team with 20 points, including four from beyond the arc. She also added seven rebounds and four steals. Angel Reese and Aneesah Morrow combined for 34 points and 17 boards, Angel scoring 21 on her own. Hailey Van Lith scored 13 points and Flau’Jae Johnson scored 16. The Tigers return home to face Texas A&M on Thursday at 7 pm.

📸 Tiger fans showed up in Oxford

🔼  THE Louisiana State University. The gymnastics squad opened the season with a big win over No. 14 Ohio State on Friday night! There were 12,023 fans in the PMAC to watch the 196.975-196.775 win. Haleigh Bryant took home vault and all-around titles. Kiya Johnson won her 41st career title when she took home the bars title. Aleah Finnegan had a 9.950 performance on the beam to earn the title. The Tigers will be back on the floor on January 13 at the Sprouts Famers Market Collegiate Quad Meet in Utah.

📚  TWO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, TWO CHAMPIONSHIP BOOKS

Got some Christmas money laying around? Here’s the perfect thing to spend it on! The Nautilus Publishing Company has partnered with LSU Athletics and the Tiger Athletic Foundation to publish two oversized, foil stamped and embossed, coffee table books to commemorate the two most recent LSU National Championship teams. Each book has more than 250 beautiful photos and features an introduction by the teams’ respective coaches — Women’s Basketball Head Coach Kim Mulkey and Baseball Head Coach Jay Johnson.

Each book retails for $45, but you can purchase both books (the Championship Bundle) and save $20!

🤔 TIGER TRIVIA

Today’s trivia question…

When is the last time LSU opened the gymnastics season with a win against a ranked opponent?

Think you got it? Scroll to the bottom of this email for the answer. 

📬 STICK WITH US

Did someone send you the Bayou Brew? Well, the first thing you should do is thank them. The next thing you should do is subscribe here and get it in your inbox every weekday morning just in time for your first cup of coffee!

📆 THE WEEK AHEAD

Tuesday 1/9

🎙 The Kim Mulkey Show @ 7:00pm | Listen

🏀 Men’s Basketball vs. Vanderbilt @ 8:00pm | Tickets | Listen | SEC Network

Wednesday 1/10

🎙 The Matt McMahon Show @ 7:00pm | Listen

Thursday 1/11

🏀 Women’s Basketball vs. Texas A&M @ 7:00pm | Tickets | Listen | SEC Network+

Friday 1/12

🎽 Track & Field hosts LSU Purple Tiger @ 11:00am

Saturday 1/13

🤸‍♂️ Gymnastics at Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad @ 3:00pm | ABC | Meet Info

🏀 Men’s Basketball at Auburn @ 5:00pm | Listen | SEC Network

Sunday 1/14

🏀 Women’s Basketball at Auburn @ 2:00pm | Listen | ESPN

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: 2021

LSU defeated No. 15 Arkansas to open the season with a win.

🐯 Have a great Monday, y'all!