Another big game for freshman Mikel Brown Jr. as No. 24 Louisville beats Baylor 82-71

Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. (0) dribbles against Baylor guard Obi Agbim, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Mikel Brown Jr. had a part of every point during Louisville’s go-ahead run early in the second half as the standout freshman followed up his historic game with 29 points and six assists in the No. 24 Cardinals’ 82-71 win over Baylor on Saturday.

The Cardinals (19-6) went ahead to stay with an 11-3 run that started when Brown had the assist on J’Vonne Hadley’s basket with 18:20 left to snap a 39-all tie. Brown made three free throws less than a minute later after being fouled on a long shot, then had back-to-back steals and immediately followed with assists both times — on Sananda Fru’s dunk, then another jumper by Hadley. That run ended with Brown’s layup with 15:06 left that made it 50-42.

Hadley finished with 20 points and Ryan Conwell had 14 for the Cardinals, who shot 56% (28 of 50) from the field.

Brown was coming off 45 points in Louisville’s 118-77 win over North Carolina State on Monday night, when he matched the single-game school record and broke Cooper Flagg’s ACC freshman mark for a single game.

Isaac Williams had 20 points for the Bears (13-12), while freshman Tounde Yessoufou had 16. Yessoufou had 37 points in a 99-94 home loss to No. 22 BYU on Tuesday night.

The non-conference game at Dickies Arena near downtown Fort Worth was tied 34-all at halftime after Brown’s long straight-up 3, his fourth and final make from beyond the arc in the game. That wrapped up a 9-2 run over the final 3 minutes for the Cardinals.

Up next

Louisville: Stays in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to play Tuesday night at SMU.

Baylor: Goes to Kansas State on Tuesday night.

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