Tuesday: Pelicans Roster Reality
Chrissy Smith • August 18, 2026
Who Closes Games for the Pelicans?
NEW ORLEANS -- Every NBA team has five players on the floor to start a game, but when things come down to the wire, who do you trust when the game is on the line?
For the New Orleans Pelicans, that's one of the most intriguing questions heading into the 2026-27 season. The Pelicans had 18 losses last season that came with five points or less. With Jamahl Mosley taking over and a roster featuring several players capable of creating offense, the closing lineup could look very different from the starting lineup.
The first name is obvious: Zion Williamson.
When the game gets tight, the Pelicans need their best player with the ball in his hands. Zion's ability to get downhill forces defenses to make difficult choices, particularly if New Orleans has enough shooting around him.
Trey Murphy III should be next.
Murphy gives the Pelicans something every late-game lineup needs: a player defenses can't afford to leave open. His size and shooting make him an ideal complement to Zion, while his ability to score without dominating the ball keeps the offense from becoming predictable.
Then there's Dejounte Murray, who gives Mosley another player capable of creating offense when a possession breaks down. His ability to handle the ball and make plays could be especially valuable in late-clock situations. The Pelicans' current roster lists Murray, Murphy, Zion, Herb Jones and others as core rotation pieces.
And defensively, Herb Jones should be extremely difficult to keep off the floor.
This is where things get interesting.
The fifth spot could depend entirely on the matchup.
Want more offense? Jordan Poole could give New Orleans another shot creator.
Need defense? Jones is an obvious choice.
Need size? Yves Missi could enter the equation.
Want to see what your young players can do? Jeremiah Fears could eventually earn those minutes.
That's what makes Mosley's job so fascinating. He doesn't necessarily need one permanent closing five. He needs to recognize what each game requires.
My ideal closing group to start the season would be Murray, Murphy, Jones, Zion and one matchup-dependent fifth player.
The best closing lineup isn't necessarily the five most talented players.
It's the five who give you the best chance to win that particular game.
And figuring that out may be one of Jamahl Mosley's most important jobs this season.
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Sun Belt play is finally here, and the 3-1 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns open conference play Saturday night with a Homecoming matchup against the 2-2 Arkansas State Red Wolves. Kickoff is set for 7pm at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium. Louisiana enters the game as a 6.5-point home favorite against a familiar Sun Belt opponent. These two have traded blows for years, including last November in Jonesboro when the Cajuns escaped with a 34-30 win after stopping Arkansas State just inches short of the goal line on the final play. It has been a strong start defensively for Louisiana. The Cajuns are allowing just under 261 yards per game, including only 93 on the ground, and have forced six interceptions through four games. The defense has also only allowed two touchdowns this season outside of their loss against USC. Pair that with the dynamic rushing ability of quarterback Lunch Winfield, and it has helped Louisiana get off to a 3-1 start heading into conference play. Arkansas State also enters this matchup after a schedule that has tested the Red Wolves in several different ways. They stayed competitive with Memphis for much of the opener before getting worn down late, dominated an overmatched FCS West Georgia team, struggled offensively against TCU and then grinded out a 17-14 win over Kennesaw State last week. The Red Wolves have shown they can be dangerous through the air behind quarterback Trey Owens and a solid group of receivers. Defensively, they have generally been respectable outside of the Memphis game, when they were gashed on the ground. They appear to be a capable but inconsistent team that can make Louisiana work for this one, especially if the Cajuns give them opportunities. KEYS TO THE GAME 1. Stay Ahead of the Chains Arkansas State is allowing 184 rushing yards per game, but that number doesn’t completely tell the story. Memphis in week one did most of the damage, while the Red Wolves have been much better against the run in their games that followed. That said, Louisiana should still have opportunities on the ground. Arkansas State will obviously have its eyes on Winfield, who remains UL’s leading rusher, but the Cajuns’ new running back group has continued to develop around him. If Louisiana can consistently pick up positive yards on early downs, it should keep the offense out of difficult third-down situations. This could also be a good opportunity for the Cajuns to open up the passing game a little more which has been somewhat dormant. Wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr. is back as a starter from injury, as well as tight end Caden Jensen, so the offense is very much back at full strength. Arkansas State has also struggled to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks, recording only three sacks through four games, so this would be a great time to open it all up. Louisiana has the weapons to move the football against this defense. While they too have had inconsistency at times, this is the healthiest the offense has been since the opening drive of the opener. Now it’s about executing consistently and staying ahead of the chains. 2. Make Arkansas State One-Dimensional The Red Wolves have been at their best when Owens gets comfortable distributing the football to his receivers. He has also settled in since a rough opener at Memphis. After throwing four interceptions in Week 1, Owens has completed 67% of his passes for 512 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions over the last three games. Arkansas State’s running game, meanwhile, hasn’t been nearly as imposing. The Red Wolves average 153 rushing yards per game, and even that number is boosted by what they did against West Georgia. But, they too have a group of running backs that have evolved throughout the season, including quarterback Trey Owens keeping it at times, though it hasn’t been crisp clean. That plays into what Louisiana has done well defensively. The Cajuns are allowing just under 93 rushing yards per game while holding opponents to 168 through the air. They have also intercepted six passes, with Brent Gordon Jr. coming off a huge performance against Charlotte that included an interception and two fumble recoveries. The biggest question will be how the defense responds without linebacker Conor McPherson, UL’s leading tackler, who has been ruled out for the season with an upper-body injury. Redshirt junior Micah Johnson is expected to step into the mike linebacker role, while true freshman Harrison Kidder moves into the starting lineup at sam. Losing McPherson is a significant blow, and there may be some growing pains as the Cajuns adjust. But the formula shouldn’t change much: slow down Arkansas State on the ground, put Owens into obvious passing situations and make him consistently beat a secondary that has created turnovers all season. 3. Win the Turnover Battle This one is pretty simple. Louisiana’s four takeaways against Charlotte played a major role in turning what was actually a close game into a 34-7 win. Against Arkansas State, another extra possession or two could make a huge difference. But this goes both ways. One of the bigger issues for Louisiana this season has been keeping the football secure. The Cajuns have fumbled seven times through four games and lost three of them. Opponents have also been able to turn some of Louisiana’s offensive mistakes directly into points, three of which have resulted in defensive touchdowns. That has to get cleaned up as conference play begins. Louisiana’s defense has played too well for the offense to keep putting it in bad situations. If the Cajuns protect the football while continuing to create turnovers defensively, they should put themselves in a good position to win. Final Prediction: Louisiana 20, Arkansas State 16 I originally had this as a slightly higher-scoring game, somewhere around Louisiana 31, Arkansas State 20. But with rain expected throughout the weekend, I’m thinking Saturday night might not be clean football. Forecast calls for scattered rain all day Saturday as part of a greater system that has come upon the Deep South, which even resulted in high school Friday night games being pushed up to Thursday night. If the conditions are as wet as expected, neither team may have much success consistently pushing the ball downfield through the air. That could turn this into a game decided by who can run the football better, protect it in wet conditions and finish a couple of drives in the end zone. That makes me like Louisiana’s defense even more in this matchup. Arkansas State has shown some flashes offensively, but it hasn’t consistently put points on the board against better competition. With their running game not being very bright yet, if the weather limits their passing game, sustaining drives against this Cajuns defense could become difficult. Louisiana will probably make some mistakes of its own as well. They have struggled putting points up on the board in many key situations this season, especially in the last two weeks when fumbles have increased. With the weather being what it could be, this is why I have the score relatively low and close. But give me the Cajuns. They’re at home for Homecoming, the defense has been playing extremely well, especially at home, and I think they find a way to do enough offensively to pull it out. It may not be a packed Homecoming crowd with the weather coming in, and it may not be the prettiest football game we watch all season. But wet conditions, a conference opener and two familiar Sun Belt opponents? Sounds like we may be getting some hard, gritty, old-school football Saturday night.
Nicholls hits .299, serves up 10 aces and controls the net in a dominant 3-0 win over the Cardinals THIBODAUX, La. — Nicholls volleyball put together one of its more complete performances of the season Wednesday night, sweeping Lamar in straight sets, 25-15, 25-14, 25-21, inside David R. Stopher Gymnasium. The victory moved Nicholls to 8-8 overall and 1-2 in Southland Conference play, while Lamar dropped to 4-12 overall and 1-2 in league action. From the opening set, the Colonels were the more efficient team offensively and made things difficult for Lamar with pressure from the service line and at the net. Nicholls finished the night with 35 kills on 87 attacks and only nine errors, good for a .299 hitting percentage. Lamar managed 31 kills but committed 21 attacking errors, finishing at just .104 for the match. Colonels Set the Tone Early Nicholls immediately separated itself in the opening set. The Colonels hit .250 with 11 kills while holding Lamar to a .032 percentage. The Cardinals had nine kills but committed eight attacking errors on 31 swings as Nicholls took the opener 25-15. Things became even more one-sided in the second. Nicholls delivered its best offensive set of the night, recording 14 kills with only one error on 30 attempts for a .433 hitting percentage. Lamar again struggled to find clean opportunities, hitting .086 with eight errors. The result was another comfortable Nicholls win, 25-14, giving the Colonels complete control of the match. Lamar showed more fight in the third set and hit .200, its best mark of the night. The Cardinals also forced more back-and-forth play, with the third set featuring 11 ties and six lead changes. But Nicholls found the points it needed down the stretch. The Colonels matched Lamar's .200 hitting percentage in the set and closed out the night with a 25-21 victory to complete the sweep. Arrington Leads Balanced Attack Kera Arrington led the Nicholls offense with 12 kills while committing only three errors on 18 attacks, finishing with an impressive .500 hitting percentage. Maya Schirmer was another major factor, finishing with seven kills on 12 attacks and hitting .500. She also made her presence felt defensively with six blocks. Amelie Shalfoon added six kills while hitting .429 and contributed four blocks, while Zahrah Edwards-Wyllie finished with three kills and four block assists. That efficiency across the front line helped Nicholls finish with a significant advantage at the net. Service Game Gives Lamar Problems Nicholls also created separation from the service line, finishing with 10 aces compared to four for Lamar. Madison Smith accounted for six of those aces by herself, consistently putting the Cardinals under pressure before they could get into their offense. Lizzie Kraft added two aces, while Harper Holden and Natalia Navarro each recorded one. The combination of serving pressure and strong net play forced Lamar into difficult situations throughout the evening. Nicholls finished with eight total blocks compared to just two for Lamar. Defense and Setting Keep Colonels in Control Natalia Navarro led the Nicholls defense with 13 digs, while Jenna Cicherski added eight and Isabella Padilla finished with seven. Cicherski also led Nicholls with 17 assists, while Padilla added 10 and Navarro contributed five. That distribution allowed Nicholls to avoid becoming dependent on one attacker. While Arrington led the way with 12 kills, the Colonels received production from several spots across the rotation. Lamar was led offensively by Nisaan Martinez with 10 kills, while Gabrielle St Louis added nine. Katelyn Hughes recorded 15 assists and Alexa Gonzalez finished with 13. A Needed Southland Win After dropping their first two Southland matches, the Colonels needed a conference win, and they did much more than simply survive Wednesday night. Nicholls controlled nearly every major area of the match. The Colonels held the advantage in hitting percentage (.299 to .104), aces (10-4), blocks (8-2) and total points (53-37). Even when Lamar made a push in the third set, Nicholls answered and prevented the match from extending any further. For a team trying to build momentum in Southland Conference play, it was exactly the type of performance Nicholls needed — efficient offensively, disruptive defensively and in control from start to finish.