The Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team have put together a stellar season as the Cougars, under first-year WNCC head coach Ryan Davis enters this weekend's Region IX tournament with a 24-5 record and a 19th-ranking in the NJCAA.
The Cougars won the South Sub-region with an unblemished record of 10-0 which gave them the right to host the Region IX tournament that begins Thursday, March 13 at Cougar Palace. The championship game is slated for Saturday, March 15 at 5 p.m.
Davis said he couldn't be prouder of this team in their accomplishments this season and believes they have a good chance to accomplish their goal of winning regionals or making the national tournament.
"I cannot say enough about this group this year. With only 10 players, I think a lot of people outside our program were looking to next year to see success, but it is a testament to our players' toughness and perseverance that we are in the position we are in now," Davis said. "They have not wavered at all in their buy in and I think we have gotten stronger as a unit as the year has gone on. No matter what happens in the tournament, I will remember this team forever, it has been a really special year."
The team's goal is still alive and this team has played tough all year to win 24 games with just five losses. WNCC went 12-2 during the second semester.
"Making the national tournament is the end goal every year, of course," he said. "It would mean that all our hard work has paid off. We expect to get into the tournament, but we know we have to earn that this coming week."
The road to the national tournament will not be an easy one as the eight teams that are coming to Cougar Palace on March 13 all have the same goal. Four of the teams had to win first-round games to advance while WNCC and the three other teams all received a first-round bye.
"I think the eight remaining teams bring toughness and talent," Davis said. Winning games in the post season takes persistence and toughness no matter who you are playing. All the teams left have talented players and all have players that will be on their respective All-Region teams."
WNCC opens the tournament against Highway 26 rival Eastern Wyoming College at 7 p.m. on Thursday. EWC earned a trip to the tournament after the Lancers had to defeat Northwest College on the road in a playoff game 63-56 in double overtime.
The other quarterfinal games will have South 2 seed McCook Community College taking on North 3 Gillette College at 12:30 p.m. followed by North 1 Casper College facing North 5 Northeastern Junior College at 2:30 p.m. The 5 p.m. contest has North 2 Western Wyoming Community College facing South 3 Trinidad State College followed by South 1 WNCC facing North 4 EWC in Thursday's nightcap.
The four winners on Thursday will face each other in the semifinals on March 14 at 5 and 7 p.m. with the Region IX title game taking place on Saturday at 5 p.m.
Four teams had to advance with playoff games the week before. While EWC defeated Northwest in double overtime, Trinidad State needed double overtime to down Otero in an offensive shootout 130-122.
The other two first-round games saw NJC top Lamar 71-55 and then Gillette defeated Laramie County 64-49.
Davis said to win the regional tournament, it will take defense, and that is something that the Cougars have done all season in playing tough D.
"Two things come to mind in order to win the tournament," he said. "The first is we have to defend. Great teams don't just show up and try to outscore whoever they are playing. The second thing is rebound at a high level. I think if we come into Thursday with a focus on those two areas as will be in a good place."
WNCC faces a familiar foe in EWC. The two teams faced each other twice this season, both games in November. WNCC defeated EWC 76-62 back on November 12 at Torrington and then topped the Lancers 86-60 at Cougar Palace on November 16.
That was three months ago. Davis knows that both teams are totally different entering the regional tournament.
"We should know a lot about Eastern Wyoming. We played them two times during the regular season, once in Torrington and once at home," he said. "I am sure they have changed since then as we have, but it is good going up against a team we have some familiarity with."
WNCC finished the season with six players averaging in double figures, led by freshman Zozefine Sipolina at 15.1 points a contest followed by Adelina Urtane at 13.2 points. Nataly Dunka is averaging 11.7 while Helena Kuck is at 10.6 points. Lidia Hernandez and Laura Montiel are averaging 10 points a game.
WNCC has a varied offense where they can go inside, but they also can shoot the 3-pointer. WNCC has buried 264 triples on the year while holding their opponents to just 132 3-pointers. Sipolina has buried 88 3-pointers this season followed by 79 from Kuck, 28 from Urtane, 19 from 6-foot-2 post player Dunka, and 18 from Montiel.
The Cougars come into the contest averaging 74 points a game while allowing 56.6 points by their opponents. WNCC has allowed 11 straight games of holding their opponents to under 70 points and have held their opponents to under 60 points in the last four games.
The Lancers can also play defense as they are averaging 72.7 points a game while giving up 67.6 points. EWC is 15-16 entering Thursday's game.
The Lancers have four players that are averaging double digits, led by Yaiza Paredes at 12.4 points a game followed by Nikolina Vukcevic at 12.1. Aliya Tripp is next at 11.6 points and Luna Moreno is averaging 10 points.
The Lancers are the same type of team as the Cougars as they have made 234 3-pointers on the season, led by six players that have made 30-40 triples this season. EWC has given up 204 3-pointers this season.
Davis said the key for the Cougars to keep advancing is playing defense and staying under control.
"As I said in our keys to winning the tournament, defense is the most important aspect of our play," he said. "When we defend we become a much better team on offense and I think we become a really confident group."
The one thing in WNCC's favor is they get to sleep in their own bed and play in front of the home crowd, even though it is Spring Break this week at the college and very few students are on campus. Still, that home court advantage is huge in a tournament like this.
"(Playing at home) means we do not have to travel, which we did a lot this year, so that is great. I think there is an advantage to not having to get on a bus and go hours away to play," Davis said. "There is a lot of familiarity you lose when you have to go on the road, so that should help. People should come out to see us play because we haven't had as many home games as a normal season, so it is another chance to see their home team. Also, good home crowds help so much for the host of the Region IX Tournament, I think there is a big advantage we can gain if people come out. Lastly, we are the highest nationally ranked team in our region at #19 in the country, so hopefully we can put on a good show."
WNCC, if they play together, can't be ruled out as they try to get back to the national tournament like they did in 2022 when they finished in the Final Four. The favorite, though, has to be Casper, who is vying for their fourth straight Region IX title, something that only one other team has accomplished in the history of the tournament and that was WNCC when they won the title back in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006.
Casper has won four of the last five regional titles, having lost to Otero in the 2021 season during the COVID pandemic season. Casper finished the North sub-region with an 11-1 record and at 24-6 overall. Casper is ranked 21st in the final NJCAA national poll.
All the second-seeded teams are also teams to watch. Western Wyoming, who is on WNCC's side of a semi-final match-up, comes into the contest at 22-8 having went 9-3 in the North sub-region. McCook, who finished second in the South Sub-region at 8-2, comes in with a 19-11 record. McCook is on the same side of Casper.
The winner of the Region IX tournament will qualify for the NJCAA national tournament March 25 through April 1 at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper, Wyoming.
What Davis likes about this team is they are resilient in how they play as they always find ways to win games with their play on the court.
"I would say the word for this team is resilient," Davis said. "There have been so many things that have come up that would make a lot of teams fold up the tent and go home, but we never did. We have come together and are a confident bunch now.
"Our strength is that we operate as one unit. I think when we play that way, we are really hard to beat. There is love for one another and knowledge that we all have each other's best interests in mind and the strength of a team starts with those fundamental areas. We shoot the ball really well and have been a pretty-balanced scoring team too."
Ticket prices for the Region IX tournament are $20 for a 3-day pass. Individual day tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for students.
Region IX Tournament Pairings
Thursday, March 13
12:30 p.m. – McCook vs. Gillette
2:30 p.m. – Casper vs. NJC
5 p.m. – Western Wyoming vs. Trinidad
7 p.m. – WNCC vs. EWC
Friday, March 14
5 p.m. – Casper/NJC winner vs. McCook/Gillette winner
7 p.m. – W. Wyoming/Trinidad winner vs. WNCC/EWC winner
Saturday, March 15
5 p.m. – Championship game