Tonight

at Houston

5:30 PDT, Channel 9

* Site--Compaq Center.

* Radio--KMPC (1540).

* Records--Avengers 2-8, ThunderBears 3-6.

* Record vs. ThunderBears--0-1.

* Update--As they did last week against Florida, the Avengers are catching an opponent on a slide. Houston has lost three in a row, most recently a 55-44 decision to Buffalo. Still, the ThunderBears were 1-3 when they beat the Avengers, 51-36, on May 19. The Avengers, after enduring a season-opening seven-game losing streak, have won two of their last three games. Both teams are scrambling on the fringe of the playoff picture, and need a victory badly. ThunderBear quarterback Robert Hall has passed for 2,451 yards, the fourth-highest total in the league. Avenger lineman Victor Hall continues to terrorize quarterbacks. His seven sacks are second in the league.