Louisville Steamrolls NC State in Historic Rout Behind Mikel Brown Jr.’s Record Night
What was supposed to be a competitive clash between two teams hovering around the Top 25 turned into an all-out demolition in Louisville. No.
24 Louisville didn’t just beat No. 28 NC State - they overwhelmed them.
Final score: 118-77. And yes, that number is as bad as it looks for the Wolfpack.
Let’s put it this way: this wasn’t just a loss. It was one of the most lopsided and painful defeats in NC State’s basketball history.
Louisville’s 118 points are the second-most ever scored against the Wolfpack, trailing only Maryland’s 124-point outburst back in 1978. That’s not the kind of company you want to keep.
A Star is Born: Mikel Brown Jr. Makes History
Louisville freshman Mikel Brown Jr. didn’t just have a big night - he had the night. The freshman phenom torched NC State for 45 points, setting a new single-game scoring record for Louisville. He was electric from the opening tip, hitting 10-of-16 from beyond the arc and looking every bit the future NBA lottery pick he’s projected to be.
To put it in perspective, Brown’s 45-point explosion ties the record for most points ever scored against NC State, matching John Mengelt’s mark from all the way back in 1970. It wasn’t just the volume - it was the efficiency, the confidence, and the poise.
Brown didn’t force the game to come to him. He took it over.
And He Had Help
As if Brown’s 45 weren’t enough, Louisville senior guard Ryan Conwell decided to join the party. He poured in 31 points of his own, adding 7 rebounds and 6 assists while shooting a blistering 5-of-6 from deep. Two players with 30+ in the same game is a rarity, but Louisville made it look routine.
The Cardinals were locked in from everywhere on the floor. They shot 60% from the field and 60% from three - numbers that would be impressive in a shootaround, let alone a nationally ranked showdown. They also drained 18 threes, the most ever made against NC State in a single game.
NC State Left Searching for Answers
On the other side of this blowout, NC State simply had no response. The Wolfpack couldn’t keep up, couldn’t slow Louisville down, and couldn’t find any rhythm offensively.
They shot just 41.2% from the field and a dismal 18.2% from three-point range. When a team is this hot, and you can’t generate offense to match, the result is exactly what we saw: a 41-point drubbing.
Still, there were a couple of bright spots in an otherwise dark night for the Pack.
Senior forward Ven-Allen Lubin continued his strong stretch of play, finishing with 20 points and 7 rebounds on an efficient 7-of-10 shooting. That’s now nine straight games with double-digit scoring for Lubin, who’s quietly been one of NC State’s most consistent producers.
Senior guard Tre Holloman also chipped in with 19 points - his second-highest scoring output of the season and his best since mid-November. He’s now scored in double figures in four straight games, showing signs of offensive rhythm at the right time in the season.
A Night to Forget - But Not One to Ignore
There are bad nights, and then there are nights like this - where everything goes wrong and the scoreboard doesn’t just sting, it stuns. For NC State, this was one of those nights. The kind that forces a team to regroup, refocus, and figure out how to respond.
For Louisville, it was a statement. A team on the rise, led by a freshman sensation and a veteran backcourt, firing on all cylinders and making history along the way.
The scoreboard told the story. Louisville 118, NC State 77. A night of records, routs, and a reminder that in college basketball, momentum can swing fast - and when it does, it can hit like a freight train.