GAME NOTES: After a first-round upset in the opening round on Thursday, the eighth-seeded Texas State Bobcats will now take on the fourth-seeded Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns in the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Friday at Lakefront Arena.

The winner will take on the number one overall seed, Georgia State, on Saturday.

Texas State scored a huge upset on Thursday when it knocked off fifth-seeded Texas-Arlington, 68-62, in the first round of the Sun Belt tourney. The win bumped the Bobcats' overall record to 14-16.

Louisiana closed out its regular season on an impressive six-game win streak that culminated with an 81-57 blowout win over Arkansas State on Saturday. The Ragin' Cajuns currently sit at 19-12 overall.

This will be just the fifth meeting between these programs on the hardwood, with Louisiana holding a 4-0 series lead. The Ragin' Cajuns won both games between the teams this season by scores of 72-63 and 64-42.

Texas State converted 44.6 percent of its field-goal attempts UT-Arlington and went 14-of-19 from the free-throw line. The Bobcats held the Mavericks to a 38.9 shooting percentage, including just 6-of-26 from beyond the arc. Texas State outscored UT-Arlington 36-28 in the paint. Emani Gant was one of four Bobcats to finish with double figures, as he netted 19 points.

Gant finished the regular season as the Bobcats' top scorer with 12.6 ppg and top rebounder 7.0 rpg. Texas State ranked last in the Sun Belt in scoring (61.9 ppg) and second to last in field-goal percentage (.406), which included a 3-point field-goal percentage of 31.5 (second to last in the Sun Belt). The Bobcats ranked first in their league in scoring defense (60 ppg).

Louisiana converted only 39.7 percent of its field-goal attempts against Arkansas State, but the Ragin' Cajuns limited the Red Wolves to a 35.1 shooting percentage, including just 5-of-14 from beyond the arc. Louisiana outscored Arkansas State 30-15 on 3-point field-goals and out-rebounded the Red Wolves 49-38. The Cajuns also tallied more points in the paint (30-24) and points off of turnovers (15-7). Hayward Register led four Cajuns in double figures, as he netted 19 points in the win. Shawn Long finished with a double- double of 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Long is the top scorer for the Cajuns with 17 ppg (fourth in the Sun Belt) and top rebounder (10.3 rpg, first in the Sun Belt). They rank first in the Sun Belt for scoring offense (78.1 ppg) and second for field-goal percentage (.460) which includes the best 3-point field-goal percentage (.360). Louisiana allows teams to score 69.9 ppg and convert 42.5 percent of their field-goal attempts. The team ranks first in the Sun Belt in rebounding margin (+6.6).

Although Texas State plays great defense, the Cajuns are currently a well- oiled machine that won six straight to close out the season. Expect Louisiana to advance.