Mikel Brown Jr. led the No. 12 Louisville Cardinals to a 96-88 victory over the No. 9 Kentucky Wildcats on Tuesday. It marks Louisville’s first win over Kentucky since December 2020.
Brown’s phenomenal performance ended a three-game losing streak against their in-state rival and has already earned him recognition as one of the best freshmen this season. Meanwhile, teammate Sananda Fru also deserves praise for his exceptional play in the win over Kentucky.
Mikel Brown Jr. Shares His High Praise for Teammate Sananda Fru
In the win against Kentucky, Brown recorded 29 points and added five assists. Through the first three games of the season, he is averaging 19.3 points, 6.7 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game.
Following the massive win, Brown appeared on “The Field of 68: After Dark” and paid tribute to teammate Sananda Fru for elevating his play.
“Honestly, I’ve been waiting for that game for Sunny for a long time just because I know I don’t want to say potential, but I know what he’s capable of,” Brown said (2:55). “I’ve seen it in practice day in and day out. Like his toughness, his ability to catch the ball, catch tough passes.
“You know, I don’t make the most perfect passes every single time, but he still finds a way to catch it. So, you know, he makes me look good. I throw a bad lob, he’ll catch it and still dunk it.”
Besides Brown, the biggest contributor in the Kentucky game was guard Ryan Conwell, who added 24 points and two steals. Both players were supported by Fru, who also received high praise from head coach Pat Kelsey.
“Sananda was really good,” Kelsey said. “He’s just getting more comfortable. It’s a new style of basketball than what he’s used to. It’s a new system. It’s different than what he was a part of. You move from another part of the world, new culture, new food, new friends, no family.
“It’s just takes a little bit of time for those guys to adjust. But man, he was really good. Rebounded the ball for us. He was good in the pick and roll, finishing around the rim. Thought he was really, really good.”
Fru finished with 10 points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, while also recording seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. The 6-foot-11, 245-pound German forward is averaging 10.3 points, along with 6.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game this season.
Fru committed to Louisville in February and officially signed in June 2025. He excels as a defender and thrives in an up-tempo, fast-paced style of play.
