Thursday, February 23rd, 8:05 p.m. (et).

GAME NOTES: The UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns try to continue their winning ways tonight, when they host the Arkansas State Indians in Sun Belt Conference action from the Cajundome. After a slow start to the season, the Cajuns have finally started to come on, winning each of their past two outings and five of six overall. The team was last in action on Saturday when it stepped out of SBC play to defeat Stephen F. Austin, 66-63. With the victory, ULL improved to 10-15 overall and 7-3 at home. The team now heads back into conference where it has gone 5-8 thus far. As for Arkansas State, it was also involved in a non-conferee affair this past Saturday, but unfortunately it suffered a 92-71 thrashing at Austin Peay. The loss snapped the team's modest two-game win streak and dropped it to 12-15 overall and 2-10 on the road. The Indians now return to league play where they have posted a respectable 7-5 ledger thus far. ASU leads the all-time series with ULL, 37-16, including an 86-80 triumph in last season's lone encounter.

ASU has had little trouble scoring points (73.4 ppg) this season, but stopping opponents from doing so has been a problem as it is allowing 74.8 ppg. Isaac Wells currently leads the team in scoring at 13.8 ppg and he is also grabbing 6.6 rpg. Dereke Tipler is hot on his heels with 13.7 ppg and he is also turning in team-highs of 5.0 apg and 69 steals. Jim Jones adds 12.7 ppg and 4.5 rpg for the Indians, while Marcus Ardison contributes 11.8 ppg and a team- high 7.1 rpg. In the team's last game, ASU committed 22 turnovers which Austin Peay converted into 45 points in a 92-71 setback. The Indians were also outdone from long range where they went just 4-of-20 compared to a 10-of-24 effort by the Govs. Wells guided the Indians in defeat with a double-double that consisted of 26 points and 12 rebounds. Ardison also got into the mix and posted a double-dip of his own with 22 points and 10 boards.

Dwayne Mitchell has been as important to ULL this season as any one player has been to his team in the SBC, as he leads the Cajuns in scoring (17.3 ppg), rebounding (8.9 rpg), assists (4.5 apg) and steals (54). Michael Southall has provided a nice complement to Mitchell by averaging 15.4 ppg and 7.6 rpg, and he is shooting 61.5 percent from the field. Mitchell turned in 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists in leading the Cajuns to three-point win over SFA last time out. Southall added 12 points and eight boards for UL-Lafayette, which shot 46.2 percent from the floor, including a 7-of-20 effort from long range.

ULL has really come on in recent weeks and that is bad news for the rest of the league heading into the SBC Tournament. With another big-time effort from Mitchell, the Cajuns should be able to outlast an ASU club that has struggled greatly on the road this season.

Predicted Outcome

UL-Lafayette 69, Arkansas State 65