Bohls: Texas basketball players are in the mood-y for an upgrade, too

The music was blaring from the loudspeakers as the players rocked out to the Beach Boys’ “Surfing USA” and Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s “Takin’ Care Of Business.”

Oh, there’s business to take care of, all right.

But business is good at the moment.

Concert promoter Charles Attal took in Wednesday’s basketball workout at Moody Center and openly longs for the day when the Texas men’s team will officially take the court in three months. “Between concerts and basketball,” said the co-founder of C3Presents, who has already seen 10 live shows here, “I’ll be living here.”

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Second-year head coach Chris Beard watched his team go through the paces in just its second practice at Moody and even tried to join in with the players in their mandatory pushups after missed free throws. OK, so a few pushups.

“As you get older, your body starts breaking down a little bit,” the 49-year-old coach explained. “I’ve got an issue. Something’s going on with my left wrist.”

Don’t we all.

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Jody Conradt sat in the stands amid all the plush black seats bearing the burnt orange Longhorn logo — as did Longhorns icon and Beard ally T.J. Ford — and noticed that newcomer Sir’ Jabari Rice “is a pretty good player.” She also noted that the regal Moody Center, which is just a punt away from Royal-Memorial Stadium, is a far cry from Gregory Gym, where she first blew her UT whistle. “I know it’s a lot cooler in here,” the legendary former Texas women’s basketball coach said.

Slowly but surely, the Longhorns are breaking in their new digs, the lavish $385 million multipurpose arena that opened its doors in April with a John Mayer concert. The clothes might not make the men, and the gymnasium might not either.

But it’s an impressive building. Fittingly, there was extra bounce in the step for the wildly appreciative players, who were dazzled by the place and gushed over an arena they will now call home, starting with a Nov. 7 debut against UTEP, followed by a women’s game Nov. 11 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette.

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It’s not hard to imagine that the place, which will seat 10,000 for basketball, will be full for Gonzaga on Nov. 16 and Creighton on Dec. 1.

“It’s crazy, and there aren’t any fans in here yet,” senior guard Marcus Carr said. “I think it could be intimidating, for sure. For teams to come into this world-class facility and kind of be in awe … it will definitely help us out.”

Beard seems to think so too but warns his players that a new home doesn’t guarantee a team squat without the hard work. Including pushups.

“It’s a game changer in so many ways,” said Beard, who will try to improve on a 22-12 season in which the Longhorns snapped an embarrassing eight-year losing streak in NCAA Tournament play with a first-round win over Virginia Tech. “A lot of people have amazing facilities, but not on campus. The location’s awesome. The commitment to put our students in the best seats, it’s a big move. A lot of people don’t do that.”

With the 1,250 seats guaranteed for Texas students in the lower bowl and even behind both benches on a first-come, first-served basis and the new men's and women's basketball tenants who took over this week, the school is showing off its commitment to big-time hoops with a facility that's the equal — and maybe the envy — of any college program in the nation. It screams out opulence, but also commitment.

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Questions, of course, remain.

How long will it take to get acclimated to the new joint? How will depth perception change from the Erwin Center to Moody Center? Will the team find dead spots in the floor? Could a raucous setting mean an extra two or three wins? Can it eventually become an intimidating place like, say, Phog Allen? I know, I know, but hey, you got to dream big.

“It takes time. It’s a process,” Beard said. “Change is hard. But we have to make sure that the 40 minutes of the game are more important than the event. I think this could become one of the best atmospheres in college basketball.”

It undoubtedly should.

His players are wild about their new place, featuring 44 suites and porch suites extending 10 feet into the arena and the three premium clubs. All said they notice a decided buzz and extra electricity surrounding practice, although Timmy Allen, the team’s top scorer, rebounder and spokesman last season, admitted the move “could backfire” if the Longhorns themselves are too awe-struck by the ambiance at 2001 Robert Dedman Drive and don’t focus on the dirty work.

“It will be electric in here,” said Allen, who didn’t suit up Wednesday because of a minor foot injury. “But it could backfire if we don’t keep our emotions in check.”

“This is an NBA arena at the college level,” super senior Brock Cunningham marveled. “It’s awesome being in here.”

So much for bells and whistles. Let’s wait and see if they translate into points and rebounds.

Returning seven veterans, five of whom were in the regular rotation, and an infusion of two big-time transfers — dynamic Iowa State point guard Tyrese Hunter and Rice, a versatile New Mexico State scorer — plus four talented recruits should spell instant improvement.

“Those two transfers were our first two choices,” Beard said. “It’s like we were in the lottery, and we got first and second pick.”

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The additions of recruits such as 6-foot-8 Dillon Mitchell and 6-foot-3 guard Arterio Morris — whose off-the-court troubles involving a former girlfriend are in the hands of the school’s Title IX office — could spell instant impact this season as well.

Hunter, who’s still only 18, was last year’s Big 12 freshman of the year and should handle the point guard duties and allow Carr to move over to shooting guard and relieve some of Carr’s stress. Carr showed off some of that promise in the NCAA postseason when he lit ‘em up for 38 points in two games and hit 54% of his 3s.

Texas had limited size last year and relied on the interior presence of the 6-6 Allen, who plays bigger, and 6-foot-7 Christian Bishop, but a healthy and springier 6-foot-9 Dylan Disu should help the Longhorns dramatically in the paint. “We didn’t see him at his peak last year. He has a lot more to give,” Allen said.

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Knee problems killed Disu’s offseason and crippled his effectiveness once he got on the court.

“I feel I’m finally healthy,” he said. “Getting my legs back under me really helps.”

Texas will miss senior Andrew Jones (overseas) and lockdown defender Courtney Ramey (Arizona) and never got much out of Tre Mitchell (West Virginia), but all signs are pointing up.

“We were a good team last year,” Beard said. “I don’t think anyone could argue with that.”

No one should, but some of those lengthy scoring droughts were painful to watch. None was more depressing than the 10-minute span without a bucket in the 81-71 loss to Purdue in the round of 32 game when a head-shaking disparity in free throws deeply troubled the Longhorns.

“Yeah, 46-12,” Carr said off the top of his head, remembering the Boilermakers’ edge in attempts at the free-throw line. “I’ll never forget that the rest of my life.”

Nor does he want to, preferring to use that as another driving force to motivate this team and make Texas a more relevant program on a national scale. That March moment was a very winnable game in which the Longhorns trailed by just three with 91 seconds to play, but it ultimately went in the loss column.

Just more fuel to the fire with the hope that the program takes a huge step forward this season. While the Longhorns get accustomed to their new home with the practice facility close to completion and finishing touches being applied to the locker rooms, they’ll not worry about subtle problems that might require attention before November.

For one, it’s been noted that lights from the Moet & Chandon Imperial Lounge, if turned on, could shine directly through the glass backboard of the home team and blind a Texas free throw shooter. Not to worry.

Cunningham, Texas’ premier returning free throw shooter, naturally shrugged and dismissed the hint of a negative from the so-called champagne room.

“What is it called when you spray the champagne?” Cunningham said. “I want that (scene) every free throw. We’ve got six champagne bottles for every free throw. This’ll be the best venue in college basketball.”

Maybe. What is certain is it all gets uncorked the first week in November, and things will be popping.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas basketball players will have an upgrade with the Moody Center