Louisville basketball’s key missing piece made his triumphant return not just to playing, but to the starting lineup as well, as the Cardinals took care of business at home, 85-71, against Virginia Tech. Mikel Brown Jr. was the consistent highlight of the game, posting 20 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal.
The Louisville offense reverted back to its November look and feel, with Brown once again masterfully executing and setting others up for key, open shots. However good Brown’s return will be for some players, others will have to sacrifice the enhanced role they have been asked to play over the last month.
Here are 2 stocks rising and 2 falling after Mikel Brown Jr.’s return to the Louisville Cardinal starting lineup.
Related: 4 notable observations as Mikel Brown Jr. leads Louisville in big win over Virginia Tech
Rising: Sananda Fru, C
Sananda Fru simply plays a lot better when Mikel Brown Jr. is in the game at point guard for the Cardinals. Fru is able to play the role he is designed to play on offense, with Brown setting him up and providing the proper spacing for key finishes around the rim. Brown requires so much attention on the offensive end that with the defense collapsing as he drives to the basket, Fru is left open time and time again. Today’s performance (13 points) was just another testament to the fact that Fru is a more dominant, productive player when Mikel Brown Jr. is running point for Pat Kelsey.
Falling: Adrian Wooley, G
Adrian Wooley appears to be the odd man out when it comes to the most minutes played from the 3 talented shooting guards after Brown’s return. Wooley stepped into the starting role and played a major amount of minutes for the last month in Brown’s absence. That stretch included his season high at Cal (21 points) and showed most of Card nation that Wooley has the capability of being a game-changing scoring guard.
However, today’s outing showed that Wooley will once again take his place as the 6th man of this team. He will get the most minutes coming off the bench (as he should) as the replacement for Conwell and McKneely when they require a break. This doesn’t mean he can’t have another game where he goes off and is the key player; it just means the opportunity isn't as pervasive as it was over the past month.
Related: It only took 5 minutes for Mikel Brown Jr. to remind Louisville what it was missing
Rising: Ryan Conwell, G
Perhaps the player most excited to see Mikel Brown Jr. back is shooting guard Ryan Conwell. Conwell can now take a step back from the point guard role he was forced to take on in Brown’s absence and put his focus back on his primary role for this team, sharpshooter. Conwell can still be a playmaker when the opportunity presents itself, driving to the basket and finishing acrobatic, yet controlled, shots at the rim.
However, this is no longer required or expected, as it was part of the point guard role he had to assume. Mikel Brown Jr. can return to being that playmaking force for the Louisville offense, opening up more outside shots for Conwell's impressive sharpshooting. The shot selection will get better, and the shooting percentage will go up for Conwell now that Brown is back at the helm.
Falling: Kobe Rodgers, G
Potentially, the Louisville player most affected by Mikel Brown Jr.'s return is senior point guard Kobe Rodgers. Rodgers saw increased minutes during Brown's absence, helping run the offense for Pat Kelsey. However, these additional minutes revealed some of Rodgers' shortcomings compared to Brown. Rodgers simply does not have the shooting, playmaking, or passing ability that Brown brings to the court.
This tough pill to swallow became more and more apparent as the minutes he played increased. Rodgers is a great backup in a spot where he can jump into the game, make plays on the defensive end that turn into transition offense, and help maintain the Cardinals' shooting opportunities in limited minutes. However, Rodgers simply cannot (and most likely will not) be asked to play the same number of minutes that he did while Brown was out injured.