Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns aren't perfect, but they've shown the ability to pick themselves up when they stumble.

The Cajuns responded to a second loss to Denver this season with a pair of double-digit victories last week that have vaulted them back into the title picture in the Sun Belt Conference Western Division.

"It was a pretty good week," said coach Robert Lee, whose team shook off a sloppy first half to dust off South Alabama 67-45 last Thursday and followed that with an 80-68 triumph over New Orleans.

This week's final two home games against New Mexico State and North Texas will provide an opportunity to further strengthen their position for the Sun Belt Tournament before the Cajuns finish at Arkansas State and Arkansas-Little Rock next week.

"We turned the ball over way too many times in the first half against South Alabama, "Lee said. "It was the same thing we'd done at Denver.

"But the guys got that corrected in the second half, and we played defense and were able to have success."

The UNO game was one that never looked like a defeat, despite the Privateers drawing close in the second half, because the Cajuns had too many standouts for New Orleans star Bo McCalleb to overcome.

"Bo got his average, but he had to work very hard for the points he got, and I think a couple of his baskets came after the game was decided," Lee said.

"We did a good job of guarding him. We have to do a better job of guarding people away from the Cajundome. Fortunately for us, these next two games are at home."

Guarding the perimeter will be imperative against New Mexico State, a deadly 3-point shooting team prone to hot streaks.


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Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com