Louisville to be without star freshman Mikel Brown against USF - ESPN

Louisville star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. is out for the Cardinals' first-round game against South Florida, the school announced Wednesday, with mixed messaging about his availability for a potential second-round game.

The school announced that Brown would «remain out the rest of this week should the Cardinals advance to the Round of 32,» but coach Pat Kelsey would not comment on Brown's status beyond him not playing in Thursday's first-round game and Brown said it was «possible» he could play over the weekend.

«There's a possibility,» Brown said. «I don't know how, I don't know if it's completely 100%. Like I said, man, this thing is just taking its slow, precious time and I'm leaning on my medical staff every single day to do any type of treatment, anything to try to get me back healthy.»

When asked what Brown might need to see or feel in order to suit up in a potential second-round game, Brown reiterated that it was «possible.»

«Shoot, it's like I said, it's taking its precious time, so I really don't have a gauge on if I'll be able to play on Saturday,» he said. «Obviously, I do pray that I'm able to play on Saturday. But like I said, man, I've never been trained to go half-speed in any type of shape or form in anything that I do. And that's the only speed I can go at right now.»

Brown has missed the last four games with a back injury, the same injury that kept him out of eight games earlier this season. When on the court, Brown was one of the most dynamic freshman guards in college basketball, averaging 18.2 points and 4.7 assists. The projected NBA lottery pick has produced some outstanding individual performances since initially returning from injury, including a 45-point, 9-rebound game against NC State in which