A program defined by its toughness, grittiness and defense has yet to go to the NCAA March Madness Tournament since 2021. Head Coach Brette Tanner, however, has set the bar high for what he believes could be an exciting season in the big country. 

“ACU basketball is back,” Tanner said. “It has been probably a decade. Every single day I wake up, I am excited to come. I can’t wait for practice, to meet with the staff in the morning. It has been a ton of fun for me so far.”

Having seen the team prepare throughout the preseason with practices and exhibitions, Tanner believes the team is changing things up a bit.

“We are playing very differently than we did a year ago,” Tanner said. 

The team is rewinding to the first year of Tanner’s head coaching when it attacked the ball relentlessly on defense, spread the ball viciously around the court, and played inside out, making the three ball a factor, he said.

What’s New

For Tanner, this year’s identity is simple: “Toughness, grittiness. That’s who we are,” Tanner said. “We got out-toughed in an exhibition, and that doesn’t happen in our program.”

This type of relentless energy and culture has been charged this season by the veterans on this team, said Tanner – notably Hunter Jack Madden, the senior guard from Sydney, Australia, and Leonardo Bettiol, a junior forward from Roncade, Italy.

Madden, who averaged around 12 points per game while shooting 39% beyond the arch, and Bettiol, 10 points per game with 5 rebounds per game, will be looked to as leaders to rely on with the loss of 5-year cornerstone star Airion Simmons.

But the new guys in town are what’s going to make this team so different this year. Tanner and his staff have brought in five transfers and three freshmen to join the Wildcats. 

Some players to watch out for as instant impact players for the Wildcats:

• Joseph Venzant, the senior transfer from Liberty University. 
• Quion Williams, a junior transfer from Oklahoma State.
• Cade Hornecker, a redshirt sophomore from Southern Illinois.

Tanner said among these guys, he found they knew how to win, be coachable, be leaders, be knowledgeable and are overall a “breath of fresh air.”

What’s to Come

The new players on the roster are not the only new things coming to Abilene this season. The Wildcat basketball team is set to face some big-time Texas ball clubs this season.

“I think we build the toughest non-conference schedule we ever had,” Tanner said.

Among the notable non-conference teams coming in this season, the top includes games against Texas State in Moody Coliseum, Baylor University in Waco and Texas A&M University in College Station. 

However, to win the Western Athletic Conference, they have to win the games within their conference, which is no easy task. Teams like Grand Canyon and Tarleton State, which finished at the top of the WAC last year, will pose a real threat to the Wildcats this season.

The season opener tips off on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. in Moody as they’ll host Texas A&M – Corpus Christi. While there will be ups and downs throughout this season Coach Tanner urges fans to continue sticking with this team and believing in the journey ahead.

“It’s all about the process,” Tanner said. “Our goal is to be playing our best basketball in March.”