For those still searching for the catalyst behind ULM's reversal of fortunes over the last eight games, look no further than Justin Roberson.
Senior forward Majok Deng remains heavily involved, but Roberson's own offensive punch emerged at just the right time to give ULM a complimentary option behind the leading scorer in the Sun Belt Conference.
Roberson has topped 20 points in seven of ULM's last eight games — including a career-high 26 against Troy. The senior from Natchitoches capped off the week by combining for 49 points against the Trojans and South Alabama while missing just six shots in both games.
He was averaging 13.8 points in conference play prior to the Troy game.
Now third overall in the Sun Belt, the Warhawks (13-12, 9-5) need more than just Deng and Roberson's scoring contributions going back on the road to the statistical anomaly that is Texas State on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
The Bobcats (10-12, 4-9) are giving up the second-fewest amount of points in the Sun Belt (63.9 per game) despite sitting in at eighth in field-goal defense and ninth in 3-point defense.
"Coach (Danny) Kaspar is an excellent defensive coach and his teams are always at the top-half of the conference in most categories but they aren't this year. I know it's surprising to him and it's certainly surprising to us," ULM men's basketball coach Keith Richard said. "When you aren't as good defensively it puts so much more pressure on your offense and it's made us have to look at other stats we normally wouldn't worry about against them.
ULM shot .509 from the field and .438 from the field on January 30 in a 72-59 win over Texas State.
Junior point guard Nick Coppola turned in a career-performance with 26 points, but the Bobcats were able to hold Roberson in check with just six points on 3-of-12 shooting.
"They're a real physical team so that forces us and myself to be patient running our offense and be crisp out there," Roberson said.
While ULM has aspirations of moving up in the Sun Belt rankings before conference tournament time, Texas State is in the opposite situation fighting to get in the field.
The Warhawks sit in third place behind Little Rock and UL Lafayette, but hold the tiebreaker over the Ragin' Cajuns, who remain one game ahead. UT-Arlington, who ULM plays on Saturday, is in fourth while Georgia Southern and Arkansas State are tied at fifth.
Texas State remains two games out of the conference tournament field behind South Alabama.
"We're trying to get one of these top-4 seeds but you've got five teams in the mix and a couple lurking as of today," Richard said.