Brea Elmore’s mother died of breast cancer last December. Now the senior guard for the women’s basketball team uses that to motivate her through life.
Elmore began her college career with the University of Memphis as a role player off the bench during the 2014-15 season. She became a starter last season and is now a leader and one of the top returning players.Â
The Georgia native has already set higher goals for herself this season. She wants to develop into a better scorer after averaging 13 points per game last year.
 “I want to be a better leader for the team,†Elmore said. “On the court, being that scorer.â€
 As a team, Elmore and the Tigers want to improve on last season’s 14-16 mark and make a run for postseason play. For that to happen, Elmore knows that she will have to keep improving on the court.
 “One of our goals is to get to postseason play because we did not get there last year,†Elmore said. “We’re really trying to focus in on that.â€
Last season, Elmore had been watching the beginning of games from the bench, but during her junior year, she earned a starting role.
The 5-foot-9-inch guard played her first two seasons as a role player coming off the bench. After improving each year and becoming a starter, she had to get accustomed to the new situation.
“Coming off the bench you get a feel for how the game was going to go,†Elmore said. “Then (starting) you control the tempo, and you got to know your stuff. You’ve got to know the offense. You’ve got to know the defense, just be solid. I think that was the biggest thing for me, knowing everything.â€Â    Â
Elmore’s mother, Dianne Elmore, had been a constant source of encouragement in college, but in December, she died of breast cancer. The day after her mother’s funeral, Elmore decided to play a road game against Southern Illinois.
In 35 minutes Elmore scored 21 points and collected three assists in a 61-69 loss. Although Memphis lost, Elmore saw the game as a way to cope with grieving.
“I put a lot of that pain into basketball game,†Elmore said.
Brea Elmore runs the offense in the Play4Kay game. Elmore scored 22 points in the win and her late mother was honored during halftime.
During the Play4Kay game, Memphis honored Elmore’s mother during halftime with a jersey presentation. Play4Kay is put on in women’s basketball as a way to raise money and awareness for breast cancer through the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Elmore played well in the game with a team-high 22 points and two steals.
“I remember waking up that morning thinking, we are not going to lose this game,†Elmore said. “I knew I was going to go out there and give it my all because it’s the Play4Kay game.â€
                 Although her mom will not be in the stands cheering her on this season, Elmore’s motivation is the same.
“I know for a fact I want to make my mom proud and my family†Elmore said. “So staying strong through this whole process — not getting down on myself and not thinking negatively.â€
Elmore’s best friend and Memphis forward, Cheyenne Creighton, described Brea as “driven.†Creighton said that Elmore started to work harder to honor her mom.
“Everything she’s been through, she has a lot motivating her and she always has,†Creighton said. “She knew what her mom wanted, but after her mom passed, she started doing it for her mom. You saw a difference in the way she worked.†Â
 Elmore plans to graduate from the University of Memphis in May with a degree in communications, but she wants to continue her basketball career professionally.
 “Do a couple years overseas, build my name up,†Elmore said. “Then I want to go for the league (WNBA). After the league, I want to go into sports broadcasting, college games, but wherever I start, I’ll be happy.â€
Brea Elmore beats her defender off the dribble while driving to the basket. She led the team in steals last season and was second in scoring.
