LSU begins its preparations for Jan. 3 Sugar Bowl matchup

LSU’s fourth-ranked football team went back to work Sunday afternoon as the Tigers began their preparations for the Allstate Sugar Bowl with a two-hour session at the Charles McClendon Practice Facility in Baton Rouge.

LSU will face 11th-ranked Notre Dame in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. 3 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Both teams bring identical 10-2 records into the contest, which will be broadcast by FOX at 7 p.m.

Sunday’s practice, which was held indoors, was in shorts and shoulder pads marking the first workout for the Tigers since the week of the Arkansas game in late November.

“I thought the throwing, catching and ball handling was really pretty good,” LSU coach Les Miles said of Sunday’s practice. “The key is that the players are in great shape.”

Miles said the Tigers will have 14 total bowl practices, which includes nine workouts in Baton Rouge and then five in New Orleans.

SAFETY LaRON LANDRY NAMED TO ALL-AMERICAN TEAM

Safety LaRon Landry found his way onto another postseason awards team as the senior defender was named the ESPN.com All-America team last week. Landry, a native of Ama, La., has been named First-Team All-America this year by the Associated Press, the American Football Coaches Association. He was a Second-Team All-America pick by the Walter Camp Football Foundation. Landry, who was a Third-Team AP All-America in 2005, currently leads an LSU team that ranks No. 2 in the nation in total defense and No. 3 nationally in scoring defense with 68 tackles. Landry, who has started 47 consecutive games, also has 3.5 tackles for losses, two interceptions and a sack to his credit.

MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM

NOTCHES WIN AT OREGON STATE

The LSU men’s basketball team went on the road Sunday and posted a 60-53 victory at Oregon State. Leading the way for the Tigers was Glen Davis, who poured in 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Garrett Temple chimed in with 14 points (including a trio of 3-pointers). Tasmin Mitchell added 11 points and six rebounds for LSU, which plays at Washington on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. on Fox Sports Southwest) and then plays host to Louisiana Tech on Saturday (3 p.m. on Fox Sports Southwest).

LADY TIGERS TOP MICHIGAN STATE

The Lady Tigers also won their lone game of the week by posting a convincing 65-50 win over Michigan State in East Lansing, Michigan last Sunday. In the victory, Quianna Chaney led all scorers with 24 points, which included four 3-pointers. Sylvia Fowles added 21 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and had four steals. LSU plays host to McNeese State at 2 p.m. on Wednesday before traveling to New Orleans on Saturday as the Lady Tigers take on Louisiana Tech at 2 p.m. in the New Orleans Arena for the Katrina Relief Basketball Classic presented by 84 Lumber.

Photo provided by Steve Franz/LSU/ Lsu senior safety Laron Landry was recently named to the ESPN.com All-American team. Previously, Landry had been named First-Team All-American by the Associate Press and the American Football Coaches Association.