Junior forward's consistent play key for women's basketball
While Tinara Moore has always been an important part of CMU’s offense, lately the junior has taken on more of the lead role in scoring.
Throughout Moore’s first 12 Mid-American Conference games, she has averaged 19.5 points per game. This includes a five-game stretch where she led the team in scoring and averaged 24.4 points per game.
“It all starts with my team. Without them I wouldn't be able to put up the scoring numbers I get,” Moore said. “My experience and confidence is growing, which is making me see the rim and my teammates easier. That all works together to make it all come easier.”
The Chippewas (18-6, 10-2 MAC) have won four consecutive games and sit atop the MAC West Division.
During this stretch, CMU has averaged 93 points per game, in large part due to the success of Moore.
Junior guard Cassie Breen said that Moore’s stretch — where she led the team in scoring for five consecutive games — has played a big role in everyone else's recent success.
“I think the key component to our success is everyone working together, and Tinara (Moore) gave us a good start on that,” Breen said. “When our post players draw double-teams like she does, it helps all of us get open and have more space to take a shot.”
Head coach Sue Guevara said Moore’s recent success on offense has come from her patience when she has the ball.
“Tinara has really just let the game come to her more inside,” Guevara said. “I know she can get frustrated when teams start to throw double-teams at her, but she has done a good job of creating space and making her own room when she has the ball.”
The Southgate native said having all of the different defensive schemes designed against her has only made her a better player.
“Just having experience over the years with all of these different defensive situations thrown at me has helped me develop a lot of moves,” Moore said. “You really start to see the floor a lot better and realize how many different options you have.”
This recent stretch of scoring hasn't been the only time in Moore’s career that she's had success shooting the ball.
Moore scored in double figures in 16 of the team's 18 conference games last season and recorded the 13th most double-doubles in the nation with 18, which led her to being selected to the All-MAC Second Team.
Senior forward Jewel Cotton, who has played with the junior forward for three seasons, said it isn't only offense that has made Moore a better player. Her efforts to be a complete player help her on both ends of the floor, she said.
“(Moore) is great to play with and really is a key part as to why the rest of the game opens up to us as a team,” Moore said. “It isn't just on offense that she is a great player, but she also can rebound and guard a player very well. I think it’s just something, like most of us, she has gotten better with over time.”
In her sophomore year, Moore finished with the fourth most blocked shots in single-season in program history with 52. Currently, Moore leads the MAC with 48 blocked shots and two blocks per game.
With six games left in the regular season, Moore needs 15 blocks to pass Ann Skufca’s all-time single-season blocks record of 62.
It would be an honor to hold the record, but doesn't necessarily put it as a priority, Moore said.
“I don’t really think about it a lot. I just play the best defense I can and if I see the chance to swat the ball away, I’m going to go for it,” she said. “If I get to the record, great, it would be nice to have, but I’d much rather focus on just getting better."
When it comes to another part of Moore’s success lately, free-throw shooting is at the top of the list.
On the season, Moore is just a 71.3 percent free-throw shooter. Over her past 10 games, Moore is just below 79 percent from the free throw line, including a 11-for-13 performance against Toledo and a perfect 8-for-8 performance against Ohio.
Moore said she knows how important free-throws are down the stretch in games and has been putting in extra work to improve on them.
“I was struggling a lot in the beginning of the season which was keeping me back from my full potential as a player,” Moore said. “I just told myself that I need to get in the gym more and keep shooting.”
Moore said she doesn't have many goals for herself from a personal standpoint, but rather thinks of the team goals as her goals.
“We just want to win championships," Moore said. "Basketball is a simple game, and that's how I like to think of it, so I don’t make it more difficult on myself and I can just go out there and help our team get to where we want to be.
