Mikey Williams finally felt like himself again. The former viral sensation and once top-ranked middle school player delivered his sharpest performance in years on Tuesday, dropping 30 points in Sacramento State’s tight 92-87 loss to UC Santa Barbara. For a player who once drew millions of views before he could even drive, the night marked a reminder of the spark that made Williams a national name long before college basketball entered the picture.

Williams reached that level early. He hit contested threes, created space off the dribble, and found teammates for clean looks. “I feel like the game opened up for me today,” he said, per StateHornet. “Just making the right reads. I feel like I did good at executing in the looks that I had.”

Williams shines while Sac State battles UC Santa Barbara

UC Santa Barbara stayed unbeaten behind 17 points from Colin Smith, plus strong outings from Miro Little and Aidan Mahaney. Sacramento State answered every run with energy, especially from the trio of Williams, Jeremiah Cherry, and Prophet Johnson. Williams led the charge with his 30 points and five assists. Cherry added 20 points and seven rebounds, while Johnson recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 boards.

Still, Sac State struggled with details that swing close games. Head coach Mike Bibby pointed to breakdowns that came in bunches. “We’re not engaging in the pick and roll,” Bibby said. “We give up four rebounds in a row to start the second half, and they end up hitting the three, just little stuff like that.”

The missed free throws hurt even more. Sac State hit only 15 of 23 attempts. “That would be a totally different game,” Bibby said. “I mean, we shoot free throws every day in practice.”

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A return to form for a once-viral star

Williams needed a fresh start after a turbulent college path that included a Memphis commitment, legal trouble, and a stop at UCF where he averaged 5.1 points last season. Sacramento State, led by Bibby, gave him a runway to reset. He has taken it.

His confidence showed against UCSB, especially from deep. Williams drilled more than half of his three-pointers and looked comfortable creating offense. He also made it clear where he believes Sac State must grow. “Offensively, we don’t have a problem,” he said. “Everything is honestly defense to me. I think once we tighten that up, we’ll be a lot better.”

For one night, the version of Mikey Williams that once captivated crowds returned. The question now is how long he can keep this rhythm rolling for the Hornets.