By Joel Weckerly, Sports Editor

After a seemingly long and intense preseason, the men’s basketball team kicks off its regular season at home against the University of Texas-Permian Basin 4 p.m. Saturday.

After a 3-29 finish in the first year of their program, the Falcons-competing in the NAIA Red River Athletic Conference-are 0-3 so far this season.

“All I know is that they’re very quick and very athletic, and they shoot the ball pretty well,” ACU head coach Klint Pleasant said of UTPB. “We’re looking forward to Saturday. As long as we play hard, good things will happen.”

The Wildcats tuned up for the season opener with a 97-87 loss to Division I Toledo in Ohio Tuesday evening. ACU trailed by six at the half and by three late in the game before letting the game slip away in the last few minutes.

“I was real pleased with that game,” Pleasant said. “I thought our kids played hard. [Toledo] is one of the top teams in the Mid-American Conference this year. I know this: we won’t play a better team than them all year.”

Pleasant said he hadn’t decided as of Wednesday his starting lineup against UTPB.

“We’re so deep; we just don’t know who exactly will be our five,” he said.

Senior point guard Cliff Green, who will likely start for ACU Saturday, said the players can’t wait until tip-off time.

“I know we’re all looking forward to it,” he said. “The transfers are all ready; it’s been a long time since they’ve played, and we’re just ready to get things rolling.”

Pleasant said he liked the advantage of kicking the season off in Moody Coliseum, a place where he tried to schedule more games (16) than in past years.

“We definitely like starting off at home,” Green said. “Everybody expects a lot from us this year and we expect a lot from ourselves. We want to give them a good show, and I think we’re gonna win.”