HOUSTON — Louisiana's’s basketball squad lost its ESPN “Bracket Buster” battle here Saturday afternoon ... but the Ragin’ Cajuns won the war.

Or, maybe, backed into winning the war.

The Cajuns dropped a physical 81-76 victory at Rice as one of the 23 intersectional contests held around the country Saturday that matched the top teams from what are often referred to as “mid-major” conferences.

The Cajun squad was one of three teams in the Sun Belt Conference taking part in the series, and even though they were playing a non-conference game the Cajuns locked down no worse than a share of the Sun Belt’s West Division crown Saturday.

New Orleans’ 63-58 overtime loss at Florida International — a team that was previously winless in league play — left the Privateers with an 8-5 Sun Belt record with two games remaining. The Cajuns are 10-2 with three league games left and can finish no worse than 10-5.

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Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com