| It was by no means easy, but the LSU men's basketball team found a way to win once again. The No. 12-ranked Tigers were already without injured point guard Xavier Pinson going into Wednesday's game at Florida. But in the second half, the Tigers also lost sixth man forward Tari Eason and center Efton Reid as they fouled out as the Gators at times whittled a once 14-point LSU lead down to one. But behind the play of forward Darius Days, a Gainesville native, and reserve point guard Eric Gaines, the Tigers somehow held. Days finished with a game-high 20 points and six rebounds while Gaines chipped in with a career-high 15 points in the 64-58 victory. LSU, which lost its previous road game at SEC-leading Auburn, won its third straight to go to 15-1 and 3-1 in conference. The Gators, desperate for a win, dropped to 9-6 and 0-3 in SEC play for the first time since 1980-81. The Tigers now return home for a game at 1 p.m. Saturday against Arkansas (11-5, 1-3). Meanwhile the LSU women's basketball team, also ranked No. 12 nationally, is back home at 7 p.m. Thursday night to take on Missouri. LSU is 15-2 and 3-1 in SEC play while Mizzou is 13-3 and 2-1 with a big 70-69 overtime win Dec. 30 at home against No. 1 South Carolina. The No. 6 LSU gymnastics team was supposed to be at No. 7 Missouri for a meet Friday night, but COVID-19 issues and injuries forced the meet to be postoned. LSU coach Jay Clark said those out with Covid, plus contact tracing, reactions to vaccine shots and injuries to NCAA vault champion Haleigh Bryant and senior All-American Sami Durante, would have left his team with only eight or nine available gymnasts out of 20. Things are still go for LSU's next meet at home Jan. 21 against Arkansas. Finally, check out the latest edition of Jim Derry's "Dattitude" podcast, when he sits down with former LSU men's basketball coach Dale Brown. Brown reflects on recently having the court at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center named for him as well as highlights from his career. And maybe, just maybe, he'll say a word or two about the NCAA. That's all for now. Please support our work by subscribing to one of our three print editions — The Advocate, The Times-Picayune or the Acadiana Advocate — or online at TheAdvocate.com or NOLA.com. Keep reading, The LSU beat team (Scott Rabalais, Sheldon Mickles, Wilson Alexander and Leah Vann) | 