Louisville basketball just put together one of its most dominant performances of the season, dismantling Pitt 100-59 on the road. The Cardinals were lights out, shooting a blistering 63 percent from the field and 52 percent from three.
It was the kind of offensive clinic that reminds you just how dangerous this team can be when it’s firing on all cylinders. But even with that kind of statement win, there was still one glaring absence: Mikel Brown Jr.
The five-star freshman point guard hasn’t suited up since December 13, when Louisville knocked off Memphis. Since then, he’s been sidelined with nagging back spasms, and his return has been a question mark hanging over the program for weeks. That cloud may finally be lifting.
On Friday, Brown took to social media to share the update Louisville fans have been waiting for: he’s back on the practice floor. “One step closer,” Brown wrote.
“Been working extremely hard to get back as soon as possible and after great news, I will be practicing this week. See y’all soon.”
It’s a huge development for a Louisville team that’s been treading water without its floor general. The Cards are 4-4 in the eight games Brown has missed, including a 3-3 mark in ACC play and an 0-3 record against ranked opponents. That stretch also included a tough road loss to an unranked Stanford squad that was 12-3 at the time.
Brown’s absence hasn’t just been felt in the win-loss column-it’s shown up across the stat sheet. Louisville’s offense has looked noticeably different without him.
Over the last eight games, the Cards have averaged 77 points per game while shooting 43.4 percent from the field and just 29.3 percent from deep. Compare that to the numbers with Brown in the lineup: 94.3 points per game, 47.9 percent shooting overall, and a much sharper 37.5 percent from three.
And it’s not just team stats-individual performances have taken a hit too. Ryan Conwell has seen his three-point percentage drop from 42 percent with Brown to 29 percent without him. Isaac McKneely’s numbers tell a similar story: 41.1 percent from deep with Brown, down to 33.3 percent without.
That kind of impact is what makes Brown the engine of this team. He’s not just a scorer or a distributor-he’s the guy who makes the offense go, who elevates the play of everyone around him. His return to practice is more than just a step forward in his recovery-it’s a potential turning point for Louisville’s season.
The Cardinals’ national title odds have taken a hit during Brown’s absence, slipping from +2000 to +6500. But if he’s truly close to returning-and all signs point to that being the case-Louisville might be ready to make a serious push again. Especially with a marquee matchup against Duke looming just a week away in Durham.
For now, it’s cautious optimism. But with Brown back on the floor at practice, Louisville fans have every reason to believe that help is on the way-and just in time.