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March 23, 2006

Time for "Baby Shaq" to become a man

Louisiana State is every bit the underdog tonight against top-seed Duke in the Atlanta Region. But the fourth-seeded Tigers are not to be counted out, and the biggest reason is unquestionably 6-foot-9, 300-plus pound sophomore center Glen Davis. Dubbed "Baby Shaq," Davis has already brought the Tigers farther in the NCAA Tournament than former LSU center Shaquille O'Neal ever did. Tonight, the battle of the big men, between Davis and Duke's star senior center Shelden Williams, will be a key to whether the Tigers can indeed make an upset bid.

Although Davis is a hefty presence by any measure, he has actually slimmed down, according to a profile in the Los Angeles Times. Writer Diane Pucin quotes Davis as saying that he has been on practically a starvation diet for a year -- no more does he devour bags of cookies or KFC buckets on his own.

Davis might be a lot of laughs, but Duke must take him seriously. He averaged 18.6 points and 10 rebounds a game this year, and was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year. And, according to Knight Ridder reporter Ken Tysiac, Davis' sense of humor has been influenced by the perspective he gained amidst the shock and tragedy of Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. LSU's basketball arena became a relief center for Katrina survivors, and athletes such as Davis volunteered to help many displaced and traumatized people. Davis says he learned the power that athletes can have to bring smiles and excitement, even amidst such misery. "It kind of changed my life, especially in the game of basketball," Davis said. "I'm going to walk around with a smile."

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 9:38 AM | Permalink