Louisville basketball is taking on the Tennessee Volunteers this evening, and just before tipoff, Cardinals fans learn they will not see Mikel Brown Jr. in tonight's marquee matchup. The 5-star point guard reportedly warmed up but is not in the starting lineup due to back issues.
This is a crushing blow to tonight's blockbuster ACC/SEC showdown. With all eyes on this Louisville and Tennessee showdown, all college basketball fans wanted to see Brown go head-to-head with Tennessee star senior Ja'Kobi Gillespie. Louisville gets a crushing blow just minutes before tipoff, and will now turn to 5-star transfer Adrian Wooley, who will start in his place.
Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr is OUT against No. 20 Tennessee pic.twitter.com/v5U2CD8R34
— Connor Stanley (@ConnorStanleyX) December 16, 2025
Mikel Brown Jr. out against Tennessee
Brown is the Cardinals' quarterback on the floor, as the 5-star guard is averaging 16.6 points, 5.1 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and just under a steal per game. He is a leader on the floor on both ends and is a key reason the Cardinals are ranked No. 11 in the nation.
With Brown out of the lineup, Wooley will step up and earn his first start of the season. The Kennesaw State transfer has been waiting for an opportunity to start, as he earned C-USA Rookie of the Year and was ranked as a 5-star transfer. Now, he will look to gain more minutes and showcase his skills in one of the toughest environments in college basketball.
Wooley is currently averaging 8.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 46.6 percent from the floor and 39 percent from beyond the arc. Last season, he averaged 18.8 points per game for Kennesaw State and was one of the best true freshmen in the nation.
This is a huge game for the Cardinals and their resume, so losing their star player is a crushing blow and just minutes before tipoff. The Cardinals depth and backcourt will have to step up bigtime on the road tonight and prove why it is one of the best in the nation.
For all the latest news and updates on Louisville basketball's 2025-26 season and recruiting, stay tuned.