Okay, so picture this: we’re less than two weeks out from the 2026-27 season opener for No. 4-ranked UConn basketball, and one of their key guys, sophomore guard Braylon Mullins, is just… not playing. His status? Totally up in the air due to an undisclosed injury. This is a big deal, especially for a squad with championship aspirations, even this early.
Mullins was a no-show in Tuesday’s exhibition game against No. 6 Michigan State, and he didn’t even hit the court last week against Syracuse. CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein confirmed Mullins went through shootaround and some warmups before the Michigan State game, but he wasn’t expected to play. This isn’t just some bench warmer either; this is the guy who dropped a stunning three-pointer to knock out Duke in March Madness just last year! As a freshman in 2025-26, Mullins was putting up 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 33 games, starting 29 of them, shooting 42.1 percent from the floor and 33.5 percent from deep. His absence is a huge question mark hanging over Dan Hurley’s squad.
Despite Mullins being out, the Huskies still managed to take down the No. 6 Spartans, 78-70, which is a solid win. Nik Khamenia stepped up big time with 19 points, Silas Demary Jr. added 16, and Colben Landrew chipped in 13. They were absolutely cooking from downtown, hitting 10-for-25 from beyond the arc, and showing some great teamwork with 21 assists on their 27 field goals. So, yeah, the team has other weapons, but can they consistently win against top-tier competition without Mullins’ scoring and clutch ability? That’s the million-dollar question.
The season kicks off officially against the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford. UConn should be able to handle that one, Mullins or not. But the *real* test is coming quick. On November 6, Coach Hurley and the Huskies are set to face the Michigan Wolverines in a neutral-site game. That’s going to be a massive early-season showdown. Keep your eyes peeled on Mullins’ status, because how this team performs in that Michigan game, with or without him, will tell us a lot about what kind of season we’re in for.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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