Just when University of Louisville basketball fans had all but given up on seeing Mikel Brown in a Cardinals uniform, he returns to action in a big game against Virginia Tech. UofL badly needed an injection of Mikel Brown, with the season entering the heart of ACC competition. Needed an infusion of optimism and hope, and that’s exactly what he delivered.
No waiting around, no warming up to get started, he was ready to go after the opening tip.
Just 51 seconds into the game, Brown declares he is back, sinking a 3-point shot from beyond the arc. Serving notice to the Hokies, we back. The last thing the Hokies wanted to see was a rehabilitated Mikel Brown. Game preparations out of the window for the Hokies, seemingly poised for their own stretch drive with a 15-4 won-loss record. They would recover late in the second half, hitting almost every 3-pointer they threw up.
Too late by then, and Louisville emerges with an impressive 85-71 win over Virginia Tech, improving its record to 14-5 overall and 4-3 in ACC competition. An amazing turnout of 14,007 fans on a Saturday afternoon a day after state and local officials had issued a snow weather emergency.
Brown would lead his team in scoring with 20 points, including three of six attempts behind the 3-point lines. He would also make six assists, pull down three rebounds and make one steal in almost 29 minutes of action. Just what UofL fanatics needed, a stronger, rejuvenated and recovered Mikel Brown. Having fun, looking looser than he has all years long.
“The biggest thing I want to talk about in my pre-statement is 15,000 people – or whatever it was – just a huge crowd with all this weather,” said Coach Pat Kelsey. “I challenged everybody in my press conference the other day that we really needed you, and Card Nation came out strong.”
No one was any happier about Brown’s return to action than Kelsey. “He just brings so much to the game,” he said. “and he makes everybody around him better.”
Sananda Fru logged his third double-double of the season, totaling 13 points and 10 rebounds. J’Vonne Hadley and Ryan Conwell were the other double-digit scores in the win, tabbing 14 and 15 points, respectively. Hadley went a perfect 3-for-3 at the line, and Conwell sank four 3s in the matchup.
Virginia Tech’s Jailen Bedford led all scorers with 24 points and made six of eight shots from three-point range. The Hokies shot 40.3% overall, including a 16-for-30 mark from beyond the 3-point line.
