LAFAYETTE, La. -- The UALR men's basketball team's sprint to the top of the Sun Belt Conference standings was powered by its league-best defense.
Two days after a loss rooted in the Trojans' diversion from that identity, they returned to it in keeping first place all to themselves.
UALR held Louisiana-Lafayette to one of its worst offensive games of the season and then withstood a late-game surge in a 68-64 victory Saturday at the Cajundome, which both snapped the Ragin' Cajuns' nine-game winning streak and handed them their first home loss of the season.
It came two days after UALR's 86-82 loss at Louisiana-Monroe that trimmed the Trojans' league lead to one game over Louisiana-Lafayette.