Louisville star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. will miss Thursday’s NCAA tournament opener against South Florida due to a recurring back injury, coach Pat Kelsey confirmed. The projected NBA lottery pick, averaging 18.2 points and 4.7 assists per game this season, has been sidelined since December, missing four games and impacting the Cardinals’ 4-4 record in his absence. Brown, who dropped 45 points and 10 three-pointers against NC State earlier this month, remains uncertain about returning for a potential Round of 32 matchup. "I’m leaning on my medical staff every day," he said, acknowledging the slow recovery process.