The Battle of the Border appears to be turning into a full-out turf war.

And that is a great thing for the Southland Conference.

It’s also not bad for the two schools, which battle yearly for the trophy and bragging rights.

Regarding athletics, both McNeese and Lamar are on the rise. They are also racing straight toward one another.

A collision should have been expected.

That collision occurred just after the final buzzer last Saturday. After making it through the traditional postgame handshake line, the teams met at midcourt in a scrum of pushing, shoving, name-calling and finger-pointing.

It was the third and most intense incident of its kind since halftime. And, while both teams made it safely back to their respective locker rooms without any real trouble, each side was fired up.

“It’s a rivalry now,” proclaimed McNeese head coach Will Wade when he came roaring out of the visitors dressing room.

He was not alone in his excitement.

Lamar head coach Alvin Brooks was equally as fired up.

“They are a very good team, but we won’t back down from them,” Brooks said of the Cowboys.

Brooks was at the center of the first flare-up in front of his bench. After everything seemed to have settled down, he pointed his finger and shouted in the direction of the McNeese coaches and players.

“I even had one guy (from McNeese) step toward me, which is why I kind of lost it,” Brooks told the Beaumont (Texas) Enterprise.

Now that is a fun rivalry.

Most importantly to the league and teams, the game drew 5,746 fans. That is the most fans for a Southland Conference game this season, and likely some time.

There was almost as much blue in the crowd as red as Cowboys fans flowed over the Sabine River and into enemy territory.

McNeese and Lamar should be rivals. It should be a battle. Every game should be special.

Located about 60 miles apart, they are separated by more than a river.

Although the schools are in different states, they share the same recruiting area, so this is a natural rivalry. Both schools have great fan bases and athletic directors willing to think creatively about investing in their programs.

Of course, the little scuffle on the court had nothing on the near bloodbath of last fall’s football game when real chaos broke out at the end of Lamar’s last-play victory in Lake Charles.

Last Saturday, the Cowboys won by two, 68-66. The schools seem close in talent and investment.

The best part, of course, is that the crowd cares. Last weekend the students came out to ride the Cowboys. It was great to see.

It was the one piece still missing from McNeese’s home games. Students can help make the rivalry.

We will see if the McNeese faithful, who have led the league in attendance for a second consecutive year, attend next week’s tournament. It could be a chance to see this rivalry in action, as nobody would be surprised if the Cowboys and Cardinals met again.

A trip to the NCAA Tournament on the line would make the rivalry of even greater consequence.

A perfect collision for everyone involved.

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Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers McNeese State athletics for the American Press. Email him at jimgazzolo@yahoo.com