When the Western Nebraska Community College and Eastern Wyoming College women's basketball teams meet Thursday at Torrington, Wyoming, for the Region IX South battle, it will be a battle for the top of the standings.

                Both squads are putting together stellar seasons so far.

                Thursday's battle begins at 5:30 p.m. at the EWC Activities Center with the men's game to follow.

                The women's contest has plenty of interest. The Cougar women have won seven straight and are atop the South standings with a perfect 4-0 mark. The Cougars are 14-2 on the season.

                But, right behind the Cougars, are the Lancers and McCook at 3-1 marks. EWC has won its last three games and are 9-10 on the season, while McCook is 14-1 overall with their only loss coming to WNCC on Dec. 12, 66-46.

                Rylee Ward, a freshman from Longmont, Colorado, had a season best 12 points in the win against Lamar. Ward said it was a good weekend for the Cougars with the two wins, but they have just as big games coming up this weekend.

                "We played really well as a team. We really focused on what we need to get better at such as playing defense and stopping the ball," Ward said. "We learned from the referees that we couldn't tough them at all, so we had to work on moving our feet and staying in front on defense."

                Thursday's contest will be a game where they will need plenty of defense against a EWC team that can score. The Lancers put up 80-plus points over the weekend in topping Lamar 81-65 on Friday and then NJC on Saturday 83-74.

                Ward said it is not so much of them worrying about their opponents, but more important that they perform the way they need to.

                "We are just focusing on what we need to work on and what we do best," she said. "We are going to try to come out strong and look up the court and just try to run our new offenses and play good on defense."

                What the Cougars do best is playing defense. WNCC is giving up 41 points a game and have not allowed a team to score 60 points in the last seven games. In fact, the Cougars have allowed less than 40 points in three of those games.

                "We are doing really well on defense," Ward said. "That is our strong point right know."

                The one area that needs work, however, is three-point shooting and starting a game. The Cougars, in their two wins this weekend, started slow. In Friday's 81-47 win over NJC, the Cougars only led 15-13 after the first quarter.

                In the 95-57 win Saturday against Lamar, WNCC and Lamar were tied 13-13 after the first quarter.

                It is what the Cougars did after that is what turned the games into a rout. Against NJC, WNCC outscored the Plainswomen 52-26 in the middle two quarters and outscored Lamar 52-33 in the second and third periods.

                Ward said starting faster is something they are working on doing.

                "We are working on starting off stronger because we are struggling with that a little bit," she said. "We all have the will, I guess, to start off strong. We are getting there and we will work on it."

                Against the Lancers come Thursday, they need strong play throughout. Last year at Torrington, WNCC held a slim 32-26 lead at halftime before winning 72-55. Two years ago, WNCC held a 37-29 lead at intermission before the Lancers came back to register a 65-63 win.

                The Cougars are 10-1 against EWC in the last five years. WNCC is 41-16 against EWC since 1981. But those mean very little. What means more is the South sub-region race and that is what matters the most.

                WNCC's 4-0 start is something that has been impressive and something the players take pride in. WNCC opened up South play before Christmas break when they beat Trinidad 64-32 and then beat an undefeated McCook squad before the winter break 66-46.

                Ward said they have earned all the wins they have.

                "We earned it for sure," she said. "We worked our butts off in practices every week. We came a week early from Christmas break and practiced every day and worked hard. We definitely deserve it."

                After Thursday's contest, The Cougars will be home to host Otero Junior College on Friday while EWC will be off until Jan. 26 when they host Central Wyoming College.

Region IX South

Team                                   South            Overall

WNCC                                 4-0                  14-2

EWC                                     3-1                  9-10

McCook                             3-1                  14-1

NE Colorado                     1-3                  5-10

Otero                                  0-0                  6-10

Trinidad                              0-3                  4-12

Lamar                                  0-3                  4-12