Inclusion:
* Non-severe recent stroke (within 30 days) attributed to 70-99% stenosis of intracranial artery (internal carotid, middle cerebral, vertebral, basilar); must be confirmed by CTA (or DSA if already available) for enrollment into the trial.
* Hemodynamic compromise based on borderzone infarct pattern\* for the anterior circulation (internal carotid and middle cerebral artery stenosis) and by low flow state on QMRA\*\* for the posterior circulation (vertebral and basilar artery stenosis).
* Target vessel with minimal nominal diameter of 2mm
* Target length of stenosis \<18mm
* Symptoms within 30 days of enrollment
* Age ≥30 and ≤90 years old#
* Able to provide informed consent
* \*Sole or predominant borderzone infarct pattern of qualifying event, as defined by SAMMPRIS cohort analysis \*\*Low flow state as determined by optimized flow algorithm as defined by the VERiTAS Study
* #Those 30-49 years of age must also have the presence of established atherosclerotic disease in another vascular bed (coronary, extracranial carotid, peripheral) or the presence of 2 or more risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, tobacco abuse within the last 2 years).
Exclusion:
* Major disabling stroke mRS \>3; progressive or fluctuating deficit within 24 hours
* Hemorrhagic infarction (based on CT) within 14 days of enrollment
* Any large stroke (\>5cm) to be at risk for hemorrhagic conversion
* Any neurological disease which would confound follow-up assessment
* Any co-morbid disease condition with \<12 month life expectancy
* Known cardiac disease associated with elevated cardioembolic risk, specifically, atrial fibrillation, prosthetic valve, endocarditis, left atrial/ventricular thrombus, cardiomyopathy with EF\<25%, cardiac myxoma
* Blood dyscrasias, specifically polycythemia vera, essential thrombocytosis, sickle cell disease
* Active bleeding diathesis, h/o major systemic hemorrhage within 30 days, active PUD, platelets\<100K (severe liver impairment (AST or ALT\>3 x normal, cirrhosis)
* Non-atherosclerotic stenosis including dissection, fibromuscular dysplasia, vasculitis, radiation induced vasculopathy, suspected recanalized embolus, suspected vasospastic process
* Mori C classification of stenosis (i.e. diffuse lesion, extremely angulated \>90⁰, excessive proximal tortuosity) Previous treatment of target lesion with stent, angioplasty or other mechanical device
* Extracranial vertebral artery or carotid artery tortuosity, stenosis or occlusion prohibiting access to the target lesion (not exclusionary if does not prohibit access to target lesion)
* Unable or unwilling to undergo MRI
* Unable to undergo cerebral angiography
* Pregnancy
* Concurrent participation in another study which would conflict with the current study
* Allergy or contraindication to aspirin or Plavix
* Indication for warfarin or NOAC beyond enrollment (e.g. venous thrombo-embolism, atrial fibrillation)
* Thrombolytic therapy within 24 hours
