The margin for error for the No. 20-ranked Louisville Cardinals in their conference games has shrunk dramatically without Mikel Brown Jr. And with their latest game against the No. 16 Virginia Cavaliers, head coach Pat Kelsey did little to calm nerves when asked about his status, offering answers that raised more questions than clarity.

During his recent availability on the ACC Coaches Call, Coach Kelsey left many speculating about when Brown can make a return, as he gave no specific timeline.

“(Brown) wants to be out there really, really, really bad. He’s working extremely hard to get back out there. When he’s ready, we’ll give you guys more information, but I don’t have any other update right now other than he’s working really hard, making progress, and we fully expect him to be back out there this season at some point. When that is, I don’t know right now; but that’s where it stands as of today,” he said.

While his stance left many fans guessing, however, as per the latest update, ESPN Insider Jeff Borzello has confirmed that the projected 2026 NBA lottery pick will indeed miss Tuesday’s matchup at the KFC Yum! Center, leaving the Cardinals without their much-needed depth in one of the most highly anticipated games in January.

The 6-foot-5 guard has now been sidelined for six games with a lower back injury, which many thought he may have gotten in the weight room. But the freshman guard set the record straight when he took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and wrote, “My back injury DID NOT happen in the weight room. This situation is something that happened before the Memphis game, and I took some hard falls in the Memphis game that made it worse.”

Since the game against the Memphis Tigers back in December 2025, Mikel Brown Jr. has been sidelined, and his absence has been felt on both ends of the court.

The Cardinals were 9‑1 before his injury, with their only loss coming against the Arkansas Razorbacks, but without him, Louisville has dropped three more games, showcasing the role he has been playing in the Cardinals’ rhythm and success in the 2025-26 NCAA season. As per coach Kelsey, an MRI scan revealed that “everything structurally” with Brown is fine. But still, the team has limited his practice time to focus on recovery, which has provided some optimism for his return, but he’s still not ready to play.

On the other hand, senior guard Ryan Conwell, Louisville’s leading scorer (19.9 points per game), is also flagged as a game-time decision for this matchup after knocking knees with a teammate during practice last weekend.

“In terms of Ryan, I don’t have an update right now. It was a freak thing in practice. He went knee-to-knee and just has whatever you call it, a bruise, contusion… He just got hit really hard, and Ryan is super duper tough, wants to be out there. I don’t have an update,” the coach further added.

Together, Mikel Brown Jr. and Conwell combine for 36.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game. With Brown out and Conwell’s status still uncertain, Louisville will need other players to step up as they try to maintain their competitiveness in the ACC.

Mikel Brown Jr’s Cardinals v/s Cavaliers: Game preview

How to Watch?

Date: 7:00 pm ET, Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Venue: KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, KY

TV: ESPN2

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Projected Starting Lineups

Louisville Cardinals:

Note: This is written assuming that Mikel Brown Jr. and Ryan Conwell remain out.

Virginia Cavaliers:

In the matchup, Virginia arrives riding momentum after three back-to-back wins, while Louisville is still searching for stability amid backcourt uncertainty.

Virginia currently sits at 14–2 overall record and a 3–1 mark in conference play, quietly establishing itself as one of the ACC’s most balanced teams under first-year head coach Ryan Odom. Offensively, the Cavaliers have been far more aggressive than in recent seasons, averaging 85.1 points per game, while holding off their opponents to 66.8 points on the defensive end.

Louisville, meanwhile, sits at 12–4 overall and 2–2 in ACC play and remains tough to beat at home, where it is 9–1 this season. The Cardinals are fresh off a bounce-back win against Boston College after their latest two losses, powered by strong performances from Fru and Wooley. Offensively, the Cardinals are averaging 88.3 points per game, while holding their opponents to 69.6.

But without their primary creators, the Cardinals may need to rely more heavily on half-court execution and interior scoring to keep pace with Virginia’s balanced attack. For the Cavaliers, maintaining defensive discipline will be key, especially in a hostile road environment.

ESPN‘s Analytics predicts this game to be in favor of the Cardinals with 78.8%.

Our predicted Final Score: Louisville 77, Virginia 74