| A seat at the table. That's what LSU seeks in women's basketball. A level of respectability as a player on the national scene that the program once had in the days of Seimone Augustus, Temeka Johnson and Sylvia Fowles, when the then Lady Tigers were making what was a then record-tying run of five straight Women's Final Four appearances. LSU never won a game in any of those Final Four apperances. In fact, LSU's best team ever lost to Kim Mulkey's Baylor team in the 2005 national semifinals in Indianapolis. Mulkey then led Baylor to the first of three NCAA championships. Now entering her second year at LSU, Mulkey insists the Tigers are still the hunter, not the hunted. They are not the program, like South Carolina, that everyone is gunning for atop the Southeastern Conference and the nation. But the Tigers are moving in that direction, I argue in my column on LSU as it takes on Mississippi College in the season's first exhibition game at 7 p.m. Thursday in the PMAC. This season likely isn't the ultimate step toward LSU being a national contender once again, but it could well be a meaningful one. Mulkey's team lost four starters and brought in nine newcomers, but while LSU has definitely lost something in experience it has gained more overall talent. Can LSU turn that talent into title contention and a deeper run in the NCAA Tournament than last season's second-round finish? The hunt is on. While on the subject, check out where the SEC coaches see LSU women's basketball finishing this season and which Tigers made the preseason All-SEC team. Turning our attention back to LSU's idle football team, Wilson Alexander weighs in with a feature on quarterback Jayden Daniels and how his improvement has helped the Tigers run an offense at the pace the Tigers' coaches want. Speaking of LSU and Baylor, the Tigers flipped a linebacker commitment from the Bears and former LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda. Get the details right here. Find out what LSU coach Brian Kelly spoke of the health and availability of three key players going into next week's showdown with Alabama on the Wednesday SEC coaches teleconference. And, lastly, hear what Kelly had to say, somewhat humourously, about fans storming the field after LSU's 45-20 win over Ole Miss last Saturday. That's all for now folks, and not a bad haul for mid-open date week. We're with you every single day of the season, so come back for another edition of our newsletter tomorrow. Scott Rabalais | 
