Rowdy student section gets Abilene Christian coach's attention in Moody return
The newly renovated Moody Coliseum is a little smaller and more intimate arena, and the Abilene Christian student section made it a loud, lively place in the men’s basketball team’s season opener Monday night against Jackson State.
So much so, that ACU coach Brette Tanner credited the students for the Wildcats’ 65-56 victory over the Tigers in the team’s first game at the new-look Moody.
“I just told the guys in the locker room I’m going to be hugging a lot of people on campus (Tuesday),” Tanner said. “I think that crowd was worth 10 points, and we won by nine. So, to me, that student section tonight won the game.
“I hope those students understand, man, how much they meant to that victory tonight. We don’t win that game tonight without them. I mean that wholeheartedly.”
Despite all the new bells and whistles in the 54-year-old renovated arena, it was the human element that made the night special for Tanner and the Wildcats, who had played at nearby Teague Center for two seasons while Moody underwent a transformation.
“The atmosphere was amazing,” said Tobias Cameron, a senior guard. “I really appreciate it. … We had a really good crowd.”
The ACU faithful has been a bit spoiled with the team’s success the last few years, especially after stunning Texas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2021.
So, Tanner was a bit concerned the students wouldn’t stick around after the Wildcats led 45-26 at halftime.
“I was a little worried with the lead at halftime that they might leave, and they didn’t,” Tanner said. “They stayed and thank the Lord, they did.”
Tanner hopes it wasn’t just a one-off deal, once the luster of the new Moody and that first game wears off.
“Now, we have to make sure is that these guys come back,” Tanner said. “The first game and all that. There’s excitement. … We need these students here every single game. The only positive to us losing that lead tonight was, maybe the game became fun. It didn’t get boring. Hopefully, the students had fun.”
ACU plays at Texas A&M on Friday before playing McMurry on Tuesday at Moody.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene Christian men's basketball team makes return to Moody Coliseum
