UL starting swingman Bryant Mbamalu a "game-time decision" for tonight’s home game against North Texas.

Mbamalu has missed four straight games with a torn ligament in his left thumb, sustained in a Jan. 10 double-overtime loss to South Alabama.

The junior from Houston is the Ragin’ Cajuns’ third-leading scorer with an average of 14.0 points per game.

Senior shooting guard Alan-Michael Thompson started last Thursday’s loss to Florida International because Mbamalu was out and finished with a career-high 22 points.

TWO TIED

Struggling North Texas, unanimous preseason favorites to win the Sun Belt’s West Division, and UL are tied with identical 3-8 records in conference play.

Arkansas-Little Rock leads the division at 8-4 in Sun Belt play, followed by Arkansas State (6-4) in second, North Texas and UL tied for third and UL Monroe bringing up the rear at 2-8.

"This is gonna be a big opportunity for our basketball team "» to get a little bit of separation," Marlin said with reference to Sun Belt Tournament seeding. "Whoever wins this game is gonna have that afforded to them down the stretch."

Middle Tennessee leads the Sun Belt East Division at 10-1 in conference play.

TV TALK

With Jeff Palermo calling play-by-play, ex-Cajun Ross Mouton will work as color commentator for the Ragin’ Cajun Network’s broadcast of tonight’s game.

The St. Thomas More product played for UL from 2003-07, and averaged 17.1 points in his 2006-07 senior season.

Mouton later played professionally overseas, in Hungary.

LAGNIAPPE

The Cajuns average 69.8 points per game, tied with South Alabama for the Sun Belt lead. "» North Texas leads the Sun Belt in free-throw shooting percentage at 71.7 percent. UL (62.2 percent) is second-to-last, better only than UL Monroe. "» After tonight, the Cajuns travel to face Troy on Saturday night.