Despite coming to UT Permian Basin late, first-year Head Coach Kyle Tolin still has the same expectations, compete for a conference championship.  Tolin was hired to captain the Falcons in August after Josh Newman left for a Division I position.
 
Tolin brought with him seven players from last year's Great American Conference champion team at Arkansas – Monticello.  The Boll Weevils reached the NCAA South Central Regional as the No. 3 seed and finished ranked No. 21 in the country.
 
ROSTER
 
No transfer will have a bigger impact on the floor than Dajuan Jones.  Jones was a Unanimous First Team All-GAC selection last season, GAC Tournament MVP after hitting the game-winning lay-up in the finals, and NABC Second Team All-District.  He finished as the GAC leader in free throws made and was eighth in Division II with 110. 
 
Joining him as impact transfers from UAM are Miles Daniels and Lemmie Howard.  The duo started all 21 games a year ago and Daniels earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team.  Daniels averaged 15.5 points per game and led the GAC in three-pointers made (71), threes per game (3.4), and three-point percentage (45.2).  Howard averaged 9.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while finishing fifth in the GAC with 22 blocks.
 
SCHEDULE
 
There will be some familiar faces on the floor for the Falcons.  Leading scorer Jordan Horn and his 19.3 points per game are back.  Horn made the All-Lone Star Conference Second Team after scoring 270 in just 14 games.  Six times Horn scored 20 or more points including a three-game stretch in which he scored 84 points.  Horn drained the go-ahead three in overtime as the Falcons upset No. 11 DBU, in which he scored 15 of the team's final 17 points in regulation.
 
Also returning is Quinntez Grimes who was having a sensational freshman season before missing the last few weeks due to injury.  Grimes averaged 8.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in 14 starts, scoring in double figures six times.  In that upset of DBU Grimes was unstoppable, scoring 21 points and grabbing eight rebounds in the effort.
 
The Falcons open the season at home with games Friday, Saturday, and Monday before hitting the road until December.  LSC play begins after winter break with single round robin play.  Download the UTPB Athletics App to follow the team all season long.