Cajun men's goal is to get four wins at North Texas.

Four games in Denton.

That's the focus for Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns as they prepare for a crucial Sun Belt Conference road trip this week.

Coach Robert Lee's squad is riding a 6-game winning streak in Sun Belt play and owns locomotive-type momentum at 12-7 overall and 6-1 in the conference. But the real focus is further down the road.

The Cajuns are at North Texas on Thursday, getting an advance look at UNT's Super Pit arena in Denton for the March 4-8 Sun Belt Tournament, and then head to Denver for Saturday's Western Division showdown with the Pioneers.

If they can knock off both foes, the Cajuns will stay on a roll for a four-game homestand against South Alabama, New Orleans, New Mexico State and North Texas that could wrap up the West before season-ending stops at Arkansas State and Arkansas-Little Rock.

"We've got to go to Denton and win to set up a big game in Denver," Lee said. "The season boils down to winning four games in Denton on North Texas's home court.

"Regardless of what happens on Thursday, I expect our best effort at Denver. Denver's got a fine team, but we just didn't play well the first time we played them. The only way to pay those guys back is to go over there and beat them.

"We will always give effort and try to win every game."

While it was Denver that beat the Cajuns 72-66 on Jan. 8, North Texas handed the Cajuns one of only four Sun Belt road losses they've suffered since 2002-2003 with last year's 71-68 decision in Denton.

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Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com