LOUISIANA La. -- "Let's Geaux Dancin'."

That's what it said on the back of the T-shirts worn Sunday by University of Louisiana men's basketball players.

As it turns out, the Ragin' Cajuns' first "Big Dance" steps will be taken in Orlando, Fla., Friday when 14th-seeded ULL meets No. 3 North Carolina State at T.D. Waterhouse Centre in a first-round NCAA basketball game at a time to be announced.

Most of the players leaped off the sofas they used to watch CBS' nationally televised pairings show, yelling and clapping when UL-Lafayette flashed across the screen.

They had to wait to celebrate, because the matchup was one of the last of the matchups announced during the hour-long show.

An announcement party held at the university's on-campus Student Union attracted the players and a crowd of several hundred that was entertained with balloons in the school's colors and ULL's basketball pep-band that plays at home games.

The NCAA Tournament committee placed ULL in its Phoenix Regional, which features Stanford as the No. 1 seed.

Most of the Cajuns' players were pleased with the selection.

"A team from the ACC like North Carolina State is always good competition, so in that way we're happy with the selection," said senior guard Brad Boyd.

Boyd said ULL is a better team than its No. 14 seed.

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By BOBBY ARDOIN
Special to The Advocate