Louisville basketball | Tony Hicks: 'I feel like I just got here'

The University of Louisville isn't where Tony Hicks expected to have his senior day ceremony, but nine months after the Chicago native arrived for his graduate year, he'll be a part of the pregame celebration before Saturday's 2 p.m. matchup with Notre Dame at the KFC Yum Center.

Hicks, who played three seasons at Pennsylvania before sitting out the 2015-16 campaign, transferred to Louisville for his last year of eligibility. It's been an up-and-down season for the 6-foot-2 Hicks, who has played in 19 games, starting in one, and averaged 4.2 points and 1.2 rebounds per contest.

He put together two strong performances against Florida State and Pittsburgh in place of injured point guard Quentin Snider before he, too, fell victim to an ailment. He broke his hand in the 106-51 win over Pittsburgh on Jan. 24 and missed the next six games.

"There've been ups and downs, but you can't be upset with injuries," Hicks said. "They're part of basketball and part of sports. You just kind of have to look at the positives through everything."

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Hicks acknowledged that having senior day at U of L after graduating from Penn, where he did not participate in the ceremony, would be a little odd, but he said the transition to Louisville was quick and easy.

"I feel like I just kind of got here, so for it to come this fast is something that's kind of awkward," Hicks said. "But it's also not weird because of the fact my teammates have been great the entire time."

Just about everything in his college experience has been different at Louisville. Hicks has never played a college game on or around his birthday, March 15. The Ivy League didn't have a conference tournament while Hicks was at Penn, though the league will have one this year. The Quakers didn't reach a postseason tournament in Hicks' time there, either.

Louisville (23-7, 11-6 ACC) will play its first NCAA tournament game either one or two days after Hicks turns 23.

"Just being able to play basketball around that time is going to be special for me," Hicks said. "... All of this is just something I didn't have, and it's an experience I'll remember forever."