Dennis Felton and the men’s basketball team’s quest for their third consecutive Sun Belt Conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance will again go through Harlem.

Western’s season unofficially opens Saturday with its first exhibition game against the Harlem Globetrotters, who the Hilltoppers defeated last season at Diddle Arena.

Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. following the women’s exhibition matchup against the Houston Jaguars.

Doors will open for Saturday’s doubleheader at 2:30 p.m. The WKU Athletic Ticket Office has 600 seats remaining for the two games.

One ticket will get fans into both games, with women’s season-ticket holders allowed to sit in general admission seats for the men’s game.

Men’s season-ticket holders may sit in a general admission section for the women’s contest. There will be no re-entry for fans that leave between games.

Fans will be admitted to Diddle Arena at three of the four usual entry points. Students and the general public can get in the arena at Entrance 1 (Smith Stadium and University Boulevard), while luxury suite holders, the general public and people on any pass list will be admitted at Entrance 2 (Smith Stadium and Big Red Way).

The Globetrotters opened their 2002 College Tour with an 83-64 victory at Purdue on Tuesday, the first of nine games they will play in 18 days.

Five of the Globetrotters’ college opponents are ranked in the top 25 of most preseason polls. Their next game is tomorrow night at Madison Square Garden against St. John’s University.

The 2003 Globetrotters feature a wealth of former professional and college standouts, including former NBA players Olden Polynice and Cedric Ceballos, and former Arkansas standout Todd Day and former Louisville player Alex Sanders.

Reach Kyle Hightower at [email protected].