ACU to host former basketball coach Joe Golding, UTEP in December

The ACU men's basketball team will play host to UTEP and former ACU head coach Joe Golding during the 2023-24 season in December.

A specific date has not been confirmed at this time.

Golding was the head coach at ACU for 10 years during the program's transition from Division II to Division I.

Following the Wildcats' upset of 3-seed Texas in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, Golding accepted the head coaching position at UTEP.

December's game is a result of a new scheduling alliance between the Western Athletic Conference and Conference USA.

Golding compiled a record of 158-144, including two NCAA Tournament appearances in his final three years with the Wildcats.

ACU associate head coach Brette Tanner was promoted to head coach following Golding's departure.

Tanner has said in interviews since the coaching changes that ACU and UTEP would play each other at some point, but the two coaches wanted any games to be further in the future to prevent Golding from having to coach against any of his former players.

In Tanner's first campaign leading ACU, the Wildcats posted a 25-11 record in the 2021-2022 season, including a run to the WAC Tournament Championship game and two wins in the College Basketball Invitational.

Golding also enjoyed success in his first season at UTEP, earning a 20-14 mark.

Both ACU and UTEP finished with losing records in the 2022-2023 seasons.

Non-conference games at Oklahoma State (Nov. 6), Baylor (Nov. 17), and Arkansas (Dec. 21) have also been announced for ACU's coming season.