LAFAYETTE — The University of Louisiana men’s basketball team is picked to finish as runner-up in the Sun Belt West Division.

The Ragin’ Cajuns received 106 total points, including one first-place vote, which was the second most in the SBC West Division behind last year’s regular season champion Little Rock, and third overall. Georgia State meanwhile was predicted to finish as the East Division champion.

For the upcoming season, the 12 SBC schools will play its divisional opponents in an 18-game league schedule to minimize travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sun Belt Conference Championships will be played March 5-8 in Pensacola, Fla., with all 12 teams participating.

The Ragin’ Cajuns open the season against Xavier of New Orleans on Wednesday, Nov. 25 at the Cajundome. The Ragin’ Cajuns will open their SBC schedule on Jan. 1-2, 2021 at home against Texas State.

SBC Preseason Honors

The Ragin’ Cajuns placed a pair of players on the 2020-21 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference teams.

Sophomore Mylik Wilson, the 2020 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, earned second-team honors while fellow guard senior Cedric Russell, the Ragin’ Cajuns top returning scorer, picked up third-team honors.

Wilson is coming off a stellar freshman season in which he averaged 11.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.3 steals per game. Wilson led all Division I freshmen in steals per game (2.3), finished 12th nationally in steals per game and 16th in total steals (68).

Russell finished as the second-leading scorer for the Ragin’ Cajuns at 14.4 points per game while draining a team-high 74 three-pointers. The senior guard

Russell drained at least one three-pointer in 30 games during the 2019-20 season, including 24 of the final 25 games.

First 2021 Commitment

Bob Marlin has secured the first member of the 2021 signing class, as Carencro High star Joe Charles signed his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday to play for the Ragin’ Cajuns.

The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 19 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals as a junior helped lead the Golden Bears to a 26-11 record, a Class 4A state semifinal appearance and was named District 4-4A MVP. The season before, Charles helped Carencro win the Class 4A state championship.

West Division

Little Rock 140 (9)

Louisiana 106 (1)

UT Arlington 87 (1)

Arkansas State 49

Texas State 47

ULM 35

East Division

Georgia State 131 (1)

South Alabama 98

Coastal Carolina 86

App State 79

Georgia Southern 55

Troy 22