Mikel Brown Jr. is still getting back in rhythm for No. 24 Louisville after lengthy injury absence

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — The shots haven’t been falling consistently for Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. since his return from a lengthy injury absence.

The good news? Confidence isn’t a problem.

The freshman considered a high-end NBA prospect enters Monday’s visit from N.C. State still working his way back to full speed for the 24th-ranked Cardinals after missing eight games with an injury to his lower back. Saturday’s win at Wake Forest offered a sample of the ups and downs that have come in his five-game return to the lineup, with Brown going just 2 for 10 from the field but dishing out a game-high eight assists.

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“Honestly, it’s just been getting my wind back,” Brown told The Associated Press afterward. “Just because I came full back right into it, playing Virginia Tech (on Jan. 24). I just had to get back in game shape, get back into a little rhythm. And once I do that I’ll be fine.”

There’s no questioning the upside for the 6-foot-5, 190-pound guard, who arrived at Louisville as a McDonald’s All-American and top-10 national recruit. His standout performance this year included scoring 20 of his 29 points before halftime to help the Cardinals beat ranked rival Kentucky in November.

But what could be a one-year stay at the college level was interrupted in December, with Brown posting on social media that he was already dealing a back issue before “some hard falls” during a win against Memphis made it worse.

That ultimately led to a six-week absence amid the buildup to Atlantic Coast Conference play.

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Getting back in a flow

Brown was terrific in his return, notching 20 points and six assists against the Hokies, but things have been tougher since. Next was a rough introduction to Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium, with Brown looking out of sorts and finishing just 1 of 13 from the field in the Blue Devils’ romp.

It was a reminder of how tricky things can get for a freshman under even optimal circumstances, much less after losing so many…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mikel-brown-jr-still-getting-164517120.html

Author : AARON BEARD

Publish date : 2026-02-08 16:45:00

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