A closer look at Louisiana's former five-star big man Jordan Brown

Jordan Brown is the name that will be on repeat until No. 4 Tennessee tips off against No. 13 Louisiana on Thursday at Amway Center in Orlando. The 6-foot-11, 225-pound Brown is the junior forward for the Ragin’ Cajuns that stands between the Vols and the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

He’s a former five-star prospect at this third school. And he’s found his footing at Louisiana, averaging career highs in scoring and rebounding, averaging 19.4 points and 8.7 rebounds in 31.8 minutes per game. 

Tennessee (23-10) tips off against Louisiana (26-7) Thursday at 9:40 p.m. Eastern Time (CBS) at Amway Center in Orlando in the East Region, with the winner advancing to face either No. 5 Duke or No. 12 Oral Roberts on Saturday.

Brown was a five-star prospect and a McDonald’s All-American in the 2018 recruiting cycle, ranked No. 16 overall in the class. He was the No. 4 power forward and the No. 1 overall prospect out in California, where he attended Prolific Prep. 

Jordan Brown averaging 19.4 points, 8.7 rebounds to lead Louisiana this season

He committed to Nevada and then-head coach Eric Musselman in May 2018. He spent one season at Nevada, averaging 3.0 points and 2.1 rebounds in 10.1 minutes per game, but transferred to Arizona after Musselman left Nevada for Arkansas.

He sat out as a redshirt at Arizona during the 2019-20 season, then averaged 9.4 points and 5.2 rebounds in 19.6 minutes per game in 2020-21. He was the first Arizona player to be named the PAC-12’s Sixth Man of the Year, appearing in all 26 games during the COVID season.

But when Arizona fired head coach Sean Miller in April 2021, Brown was on the move again. This time he landed at Louisiana, where his father, Dion Brown, starred for the Ragin’ Cajuns, leaving the program in 1984 as the No. 2 all-time scorer. 

Brown broke out last season, averaging 15.3 points and 8.6 rebounds in 28.8 minutes per game, leading Louisiana to within a game of the NCAA Tournament. The Cajuns lost to Georgia State in the Sun Belt Tournament championship game, though, despite 24 points, eight rebounds and three assists from Brown. 

He had 13 points and 16 rebounds against South Alabama on March 6, a 71-66 Louisiana win in the return to the Sun Belt title game, where the Ragin’ Cajuns punched their ticket to the dance. 

Up Next: No. 4 Tennessee vs. No. 13 Louisiana, Thursday, 9:40 p.m. ET, CBS

Brown has scored in double-figures in all but three games this season and has grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 10 games. He’s the reason Louisiana is 31st nationally in offensive rebounding percentage, per KenPom.com, and 83rd nationally in defensive rebounding percentage. 

Louisiana went a combined 1-5 in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games this season, losing at Texas (100-72) and at Drake (76-64) in Quad 1 games and losing at Southern Miss (82-71), at James Madison (74-68) and at Troy (80-65) in Quad 2 games. The Quad 2 win came at South Alabama (79-76) on January 14.

Brown had 26 points and eight rebounds at Drake, 20 points and six rebounds in the loss at Texas, but was held to eight points points and eight rebounds in a home win over Southern Miss. He had 25 points and eight rebounds in the loss at Southern Miss, 17 and 10 in the loss at James Madison and eight points and five boards in the loss at Troy. He had 23 points and eight rebounds in the win at South Alabama. 

Louisiana, the No. 54 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, enters March Madness riding a five-game win streak with Brown averaging 19.8 points and 11.6 rebounds over that span.