Louisville basketball is gearing up for its first-round matchup on Thursday against the South Florida Bulls. Yesterday, Louisville was crushed by the update that Mikel Brown Jr. will miss this afternoon's game with a back injury, and if the Cards are to move on, he would miss the second-round matchup as well.
Mikel Brown Jr. breaks the silence after injury update with crushing comments
The team as a whole will have to step up to fill the shoes of Brown Jr., and the Cardinals will need contributions from certain players. Louisville is 7-5 when Brown has not played, and with the Cards just 4.5 point favorites this afternoon, Louisville needs senior guard Isaac McKneely to show up when it matters most.
Pat Kelsey and Louisville need Issac McKneely to show up when it matters most
McKneely has gotten elevated minutes ever since Brown Jr. went down, and it looks like Thursday’s game will be no different. However, Louisville can’t have him perform in the NCAA Tournament the same way he did in the conference tournament.Â
Louisville’s first ACC Tournament game was against the SMU Mustangs, and McKeely looked out of place on the court. He shot 2-7 from three and 2-9 overall, only scoring 10 points on 22.2% shooting. McKneely played well in other categories, recording seven rebounds and five assists, but with Brown Jr. out, the Cardinals need him to score.
He fell short in Louisville’s second ACC Tournament game as well, only scoring six points. McKneely shot a concerning 16.7% from beyond the arc in the Cardinals’ loss to Miami, and looked out of place at times.
This isn’t usually like McKneely, as the senior is shooting 38.1% from three this year and 40.7% from the floor. While McKneely has had multiple games of hitting five or more 3’s this season, the senior guard hasn’t had the season many had hoped for him.
However, one key stat is that the Cardinals thrive when McKneely is hitting shots: Louisville is 11-2 when the guard hits at least 3 three-pointers in a game. Louisville has been known to live and die by its three-point shooting, and the spark that could let it live on Thursday could be McKneely.
This opportunity is wide open, as South Florida, on average, allows opponents to make more than eight threes a game and allows opponents to shoot almost 34% from beyond the arc. And if Louisville wants to avoid another first-round upset, the Cards have to find a way to get McKneely involved and make him a key player on the floor.
With every game in the NCAA Tournament being a win-or-go-home situation, the Cardinals need a spark that will give Louisville its first win since 2017. McKneely has a chance to be that spark on Thursday afternoon, and while his season hasn’t lived up to expectations so far, he can still have a huge game for Louisville and help send the Cards to the Round of 32.
Related: 5 stats that prove Louisville will beat USF after Mikel Brown Jr.'s injury update
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