LAFAYETTE, La. (Interstat) — A surging Coastal Carolina squad looks to continue its climb in the Sun Belt standings when it visits a Louisiana-Lafayette team finding its footing Thursday night at the Cajundome. The Chanticleers (15-11) enter on a high after a marathon 94-91 triple-overtime victory over Massachusetts last Saturday. They have won seven of their last 10 games, showcasing an explosive offense that has topped 80 points in five of those contests. Their success is fueled by guard AJ Dancler, who is averaging 20.6 points over his last eight games. Dancler poured in 32 points in a win at Louisiana-Monroe on Feb. 1 and followed with 24 points and eight rebounds in 49 minutes against UMass. He will be the primary focus for a Ragin’ Cajuns (9-16) defense that has shown recent improvement. Louisiana-Lafayette has won three of its last four, including an 85-80 win over Central Michigan last Saturday. Forward Todd Jones has been a key contributor during that stretch, notably with 15 points and seven rebounds against Central Michigan. His presence as a rim protector, with multiple blocks in three of the last five games, will be crucial against Coastal Carolina’s attack. While the Chanticleers boast the superior record, the Cajuns have been tougher at home, winning three of their last four in Lafayette. The matchup pits Coastal Carolina’s potent scoring, which saw three players combine for 73 points in the triple-overtime thriller, against a Louisiana-Lafayette team that has held opponents to an average of 65.5 points during its recent uptick. Coastal Carolina won the first meeting this season, 83-79, on the road at Louisiana-Monroe, but this will be the first conference clash between these teams this year. A win would bolster the Chanticleers’ positioning for the upcoming Sun Belt tournament, while the Ragin’ Cajuns aim to build momentum and play spoiler in front of their home crowd. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST.