1. Mikel Brown Jr.'s injury status
No question, the biggest thing that could derail Louisville’s NCAA Tournament run is the health of Mikel Brown Jr. The 5-star freshman is the engine of this team; when he plays, they show they can be a sneaky team capable of making some noise in the Big Dance, but when he is out, it wouldn’t shock many if Louisville lost to USF.
The Cardinals need their star to be healthy if they want to go on any sort of a run. Their ceiling with Brown healthy could be as far as the Final Four with Duke’s injury concerns, but if Brown isn’t healthy and he is out, the Cardinals' ceiling is likely the Round of 32.
Pat Kelsey gives latest injury update on Mikel Brown Jr. before the NCAA Tournament
The 5-star freshman has missed 12 total games this season so far, including the past four games. Pat Kelsey updated Louisville fans this morning that Brown is making “great progress,” and after the SMU win, he said he is “ really close.” So, keep your fingers crossed, Louisville fans, because the Cardinals desperately need Brown to be ready to go for the Cardinals' March Madness run.