Junior guard Brian Moore Jr. has quickly become a fan favorite after establishing himself as one of the Racers’ key performers on both sides of the ball.
Moore is one of the eight players on Murray State’s roster who transferred to the team. He came to the Racers from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, where he started in all 30 of the team’s games in the 2021-2022 season. In his two seasons at NEO, he averaged 20.1 points per game, which places him at third in the program’s history.
Last year for the Racers, Moore began the season coming off the bench, and he made the most of his minutes when he was on the floor. He quickly became a glue guy for the Racers, as it seemed that the energy he played with was infectious. This year, he will have a bit of a different role, as he has established himself as one of the most consistent performers the Racers have.
“I believe that I have grown into a new role,” Moore said. “I think that my game has matured a lot, and I think that I am going to be a key piece in our success this year.”
In his twelve games as a starter for the Racers to end the season, Moore averaged 11.4 points per game, shooting 45% from the field and an impressive 50% from the three-point line.
His most impressive performance of the season was against the rival Belmont Bruins, where he had his highest point total of the season with 25, shooting 10-14 from the field. After the game, Moore was recognized for the second time as the MVC Player of the Night on @MVCHoops, with the first being after he put up 19 points and four three-pointers against Southern Illinois on the road.
Whenever Moore steps onto the court, he does so with unbridled confidence. This may come as a result of him being from Harlem, New York, which is about as close to the opposite of Murray as you can possibly get. He said being from New York comes across in a very positive way in his game.
“I think my aggression and my passion are the best things,” Moore said. “New York is probably one of the meccas for basketball, so I always just try to bring that New York swagger here.”
What really sets Moore apart is his willingness to do whatever it takes to win. Whether his role is coming off the bench and providing a spark like he did at the beginning of last season, or taking more of a leadership role like he is set for this season, Moore will do whatever it takes to get the job done. His passion for the game is evident to anyone who watches him fight for loose balls or crash the glass hard. He goes 100% all the time, and that has quickly made him a fan favorite in Murray.
Murray State ranked first in the entire Missouri Valley Conference in attendance last season, as they had the most fans per home game. Not only do Murray State students come to watch the Racers play, but diehard fans that have been coming to games for decades also show up every game to support the program and its rich history.
“The expectations are the same as they were last season,” Moore said. “We’re competing for an MVC title, that’s the goal each and every year. Murray State, the fans, the community, the students, they want us to win a championship, so that is the expectation.”
The Racers could very well be poised to make some noise in the MVC this year, especially if Moore plays to an even higher level. Whether it is harassing the opposing team’s guards on the defensive side or getting to the rim whenever he wants, Moore affects the game in so many different ways for the Racers and will be a key performer throughout the entire season.
