Cowboys & Cowgirls Ready to Ignite Season at Home Opener vs. Texas Lutheran By: Aniekeme Andy

The sound of sneakers on the hardwood returns tonight to the Mabee Complex as the Hardin-Simmons University Cowboys and Cowgirls basketball teams tip off their home seasons against the Texas Lutheran Bulldogs with energy, expectation and plenty of momentum behind them.

On the men’s side, the Cowboys finished last season with an impressive 20-10 overall record and a perfect 8-0 mark in American Southwest Conference play, marking one of the best conference runs in recent memory. Head coach Matt Brackett, now entering his eighth year leading the program, guided the Cowboys to the ASC regular-season title and earned ASC Coach of the Year honors. With that success behind them, the Cowboys are eager to defend home court and set the tone for another strong year.

On the women’s side, the Cowgirls also bring plenty of confidence into their opener. Under head coach Kendra Whitehead, the program has grown into one of the most consistent forces in the ASC. The Cowgirls went 26-4 in 2024 and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournaments, their best finish in over a decade. After another winning campaign last season, the Cowgirls are focused on taking that next step and making a deeper postseason run.

The Cowgirls will tip off at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Cowboys at 7:30 p.m. in the Mabee Complex. Both teams are eager to open the season in front of a full house of students, alumni and Abilene basketball fans.

As the lights come up and the stands fill with purple and gold, the message is simple: a new season starts now. The Cowboys and Cowgirls have put in the work, the campus is ready and the first chapter of the 2025 campaign begins tonight at home.