MBB: Abilene Christian Wildcats 2024-2025 Team Preview
Brette Tanner's ACU Wildcats will be watched as a potential usurper in the WAC this season. Can this rebuilt squad make it happen?
Abilene Christian is the last remaining of the Texas Four programs that joined the WAC in January, 2021 that is still in the WAC.
The Wildcats are one of a few teams who have upgraded their roster in order to take a run at Grand Canyon’s conference supremacy in the Bryce Drew era.
Abilene Christian finished the 2023-2024 season 16-18 overall, and 10-10 in WAC play, tied for 6th in the league. Heading into WAC Vegas as the No. 7 seed, ACU fell in the first round to 6-seed Stephen F. Austin.
That early conference tournament exit took Abilene Christian to the pay-to-play tournament circuit, this time around in the CIT.
The Wildcats would secure a win over old conference foe Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, but would fall to current conference foe Tarleton State the next day to bow out early.
Last season’s results likely weren’t on anyone’s vision board in Abilene at the start of the season. But the work done this offseason in the transfer portal and in the gym should get Wildcat fans excited for what’s to come.
Head Coach:
Brette Tanner, Fourth Season (54-46, 26-28)
Tanner is now in his fourth year at the helm in Abilene. Still looking for his program’s footing in the WAC but staying competitive each year. Though, given the lack of postseason success in town since Tanner’s predecessor Joe Golding departed for UTEP back in 2021.
Tanner’s first season as head coach in 2021-2022 was by far his most successful. In an uber competitive WAC, the Wildcats finished 25-11 (11-7).
That was good enough for a 6th place conference finish, but primed ACU for an incredible run in Las Vegas to the WAC Championship game against then perennial conference powerhouse New Mexico State. The Wildcats then turned that momentum into two more postseason wins in the CBI.
However, since that run, Abilene Christian has bowed out in the opening round of the tournament in Las Vegas in each of the last two seasons. Tanner’s group doesn’t like to call it quits early in the month of March as ACU is a combined 6-5 in postseason tournaments during his tenure.
Although, there are higher expectations inside and outside of the program this season. Now given the new dynamics of the now 9-team WAC, Tanner may have the squad to keep his team playing on the hardwood well into March.
Tanner had several four and five-year players on the roster last season. Giving the team continuity every season, but limiting their growth and potential in the process.
Even with some returning players to the fold this season, there are also plenty of new faces ready to make an impact day one.
Roster Changes
Ali Dibba (2nd Team All-WAC) now at Southern Illinois may have been the biggest loss of the offseason. The 6-5 slasher made his impact with superior athleticism, the ability to finish in traffic, and get to the line when needed. All of which led to a breakout season where he led the Wildcats in scoring (15.5 PPG), and steals (1.4).
Gone too are Abilene Christian mainstays Airion Simmons and Immanuel Allen. Both players spent five years in purple and silver. A bit of an oddity these days but nothing new in the ACU program. Simmons will definitely be missed. As he did play position-less at times, handling point guard duties, stretching the floor while knocking down threes, and much more.
Luckily for Wildcat fans, Tanner and his staff did not shy away from the new landscape in college sports. Bringing in an impressive haul of transfers this offseason. With hopes to improve in areas the ACU program has lacked for the past few seasons.
In terms of familiar faces, Abilene Christian returns a pair of starters in Hunter-Jack Madden, and Leonardo Bettiol.
Another name to keep an eye on going into year two with the Wildcats is Nasir DeGruy, who after transferring from LSU-Eunice last spring, showed glimpses of potential in his off-the-bench impact role this past season.
This team’s ceiling is only as high as how quickly the newcomers gel. The Wildcat staff certainly assembled what could be argued as a top-3 transfer class in the WAC. The starting lineup will likely be very interchangeable throughout the season.
Predicted Starting Lineup:
F Leonardo Bettiol 6-8, 214 Jr.
F Bradyn Hubbard 6-7, 225 Jr.
G/F Quion Williams 6-5 220 Jr.
G Hunter Jack Madden 6-2, 190 Sr.
G Rich Smith 6-4, 175 Jr.
The starting lineup is headlined by former Big 12 starter Quion Williams from Oklahoma State. Williams is a big guard at 6-5, 220 but he also played some of the four alongside Brandon Garrison. Fans could see him and Bradyn Hubbard alternating roles in the paint alongside Bettiol.
Other quality additions include the heralded Junior College First-Team All-American Hubbard, Liberty transfer Joseph Venzant, and D-II transfer Rich Smith.
Hubbard, a 6-7 combo-forward averaged 24.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game while shooting 40.3% from deep for a Connors State team that made it to the NJCAA National semifinals this past March.
He may provide an easy transition with a similar style of play to that of Airion Simmons, whom plenty of ACU’s offense was facilitated through.
Venzant was one of Liberty’s top rebounders consistently during his time in Lynchburg with a career average of 5.2 boards per game in just over 21.8 minutes on the floor, all at 6-3. His specialty should help the Wildcats, who were in the near bottom third of the country when it came to hitting that glass as well as keeping their opponents away from said glass.
Lastly, Smith was a stat-sheet stuffer at St. Thomas Aquinas, averaging 9.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game for a team that went dancing as a No. 2 seed.
Something to Keep an Eye on
The only concern when looking at this year’s roster is a veteran offensive facilitator. Abilene Christian has been known to spread out their offensive creation or assist responsibilities throughout the lineup.
But a Damien Daniels, Reggie Miller or even Jaylen Franklin-type who leads the team in assists and has a favorable assist to turnover ratio was clearly lacking last season.
Junior college transfer Kavion McClain tried to fill that roll for the Wildcats. But, fell a bit short of past expectations with a higher than needed turnover average.
This roster doesn’t necessarily have a copy of any of those aforementioned players above. But other players like Hunter-Jack Madden, Bradyn Hubbard, Nasir DeGruy or Rich Smith will likely fill that role at some point or another.
The Schedule
Abilene Christian will enjoy a non-conference schedule that isn’t really a norm in mid-major college basketball. The Wildcats open the season with four straight home games inside Moody Coliseum. Middle Tennessee and Texas State the biggest fish making their way to West Texas.
Tanner’s group will then pack their bags and head east to face new Conference USA member Kennesaw State who has been pretty dominant in the ASUN in recent years. That trip takes place before they head to Montana State for a multi-team event against the hosting Bobcats and Southern Mississippi.
After the holiday break, ACU stays on the road with stops at Omaha, New Mexico State, and Baylor, a likely top-10 team.
The Wildcats close out their competitive non-conference slate in the Lone Star State, with games against in-town Hardin-Simmons, Texas A&M-Commerce, Texas Southern, Texas A&M and hosting former conference mate and rival Stephen F. Austin.
WAC Play
The WAC before Grand Canyon depart for the WCC is still a royal rumble of sorts. The Wildcats will almost immediately be thrown into the fire.
ACU begins WAC play with a three-game road trip that begins at Utah Valley, heads northwest to Seattle, and ends in Phoenix against the Lopes before a three-game homestand.
ACU ends the season with preseason league leaders Grand Canyon visiting Moody Coliseum on March 8th. Moody Coliseum is the same venue where the Wildcats handed Bryce Drew’s squad one of only three losses in WAC play last season
The Outlook
The forecast for Wildcat fans this season is bright.
With no coaching turnover and what appears to be an upgrade in several areas. Howeveer, chasing the head start Grand Canyon has created for themselves with stellar offseason recruiting will be tough.
But Abilene Christian has the roster, and leadership in place to try and solidify a top-four finish come the end of the regular season.