Louisville basketball defeated the Kentucky Wildcats last night in a high-scoring, fast-paced, and thrilling game. The Cardinals' impressive 96-88 win over the Wildcats was eye-popping for many reasons, but Mikel Brown Jr. and his performance will stand out. The 5-star freshman led all scorers with 29 points, and he did it dominantly.
He controlled the pace of the game and looked like he never broke a sweat. He was finishing at the rim through contact, splashing 3-pointers from well behind the line, and was weaving through the lane and getting teammates open. This Cardinals team is poised for a deep playoff run, and he will be a big reason why.
After the game, the elite point guard spoke to numerous media outlets, including The Field of 68. When Brown was talking, he gave a passionate answer that will fire up Louisville fans and get the city buzzing.
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Mikel Brown Jr. sends passionate message to Louisville basketball fans
The Cardinals have one of the best backcourts in the nation, as Brown Jr., Ryan Conwell, and Isaac McKneely are dominant through three games. Conwell and Brown Jr. continue to grow more and more in Pat Kelsey's system. These two guards combined for 53 points last night, and they are a key reason why Louisville has such high expectations for this season.
So, when Brown Jr. was talking with Jeff Goodman, he just said what everyone was thinking, and the Cardinals fans loved it.
"The University of Louisville is back," Brown Jr. stated after Louisville's win over Kentucky.
ICYMI: Mikel Brown Jr's message to @LouisvilleMBB fans after last night's win over Kentucky:
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) November 12, 2025
"The University of Louisville is BACK!!"
🎥: https://t.co/bXTYhB6sA1 pic.twitter.com/J1nCMGxJN2
Everyone had high expectations entering this season, as Louisville has one of the highest odds of making it to the Final Four. However, after a win over a top-10 Kentucky team, it is clear that this program is back. Cardinals fans suffered through some ugly years as Louisville won just 12 combined games in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. Louisville lost three consecutive times to Kentucky and hasn't won a March Madness game since 2017, when Donovan Mitchell was playing.
However, after this win over the Wildcats and snapping one streak, Louisville is, in fact, officially back. The Cards will look to earn their first NCAA Tournament win since 2017 this March and will try to cut down some nets for the first time since 2013.
Kelsey and the company brought this program back to life, and now Brown Jr. is expected to lead this team to a historic season.
Related: 5 thrilling observations from Louisville basketball's massive win over Kentucky
For all the latest news and updates on the Louisville basketball 2025-26 season and recruiting, stay tuned.