Mariya Moore broke more than a few hearts when the news broke of her decision to leave the University of Louisville women’s basketball team. Like the girlfriend who breaks up without giving any reason, shaking one’s self-confidence.
Hard to believe she’s gone, with all she’s been through in three seasons. She and Myisha Hines-Allen were team leaders during their sophomore and junior years, seemingly synonymous with UofL women’s basketball, ready for a big senior year.
A reminder that while “Louisville First, Cards Forever” is a good slogan, the players, often from distant locations, often have other priorities. The suggestion here is that Mariya wanted to be closer to her family in California.
No indications of where she will wind up playing next. She could possibly wind up at St. Mary’s College, a Catholic liberal arts institution in Moraga, Calif.. where her grandfather and an uncle played basketball. Coincidentally her sister, Minyan, is transferring from Southern Cal after only one season there.
The only hint of any discontent for Mariya was a one-game suspension in late February, with no explanation forthcoming. Moore started 36 games this season, averaging 12 points per outing, winding up with 1,365 points over three seasons.
One of Mariya’s most memorable games may have been her final game at the KFC Yum! Center. She would connect on five of five 3-point attempts, for 19 points to lead UofL to 74-65 win over a resurging University of Tennessee in the second round the NCAA tournament.
During her inaugural 2014-15 season, she would score 28 points in a victory over North Carolina. The next season she would lead UofL to a come-from-behind win at North Carolina State, scoring 24 points of 31 points in the second half.
For whatever reason, Moore was not invested in completing her career at UofL. That’s unfortunate for Mriya’s UofL fans, but hopefully her exit provides more opportunity for others committed to making the program reach the next level.
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Cierra Johnson and Brianna Jones are transferring, too, both of them looking for more playing time. Johnson, a freshman becomes the second 6-foot-3 plus player to transfer in the past two years, following in the footsteps of Erin DeGrate. Jones played sparingly during three seasons at UofL.
I wish her well, but at the the end of the day if she does not like Louisville, I do not care that she left.