Braylon Mullins, UConn’s sharp-shooting guard, sat out his second exhibition game Tuesday night against Michigan State, a surprising move given he had practiced for three straight days and even participated in pregame warm-ups. Despite appearing “just about ready” to make his 2026-27 debut, Mullins was seen in civilian clothes alongside fellow injured shooter Solo Ball by the time final warm-ups rolled around at Breslin Center.
Hurley Made the Call, Protecting a “Prolific Player”
Head coach Dan Hurley confirmed the decision, stating, “We shut him down.” Mullins has been sidelined for nearly a month with an undisclosed injury, and Hurley emphasized the importance of player health. Even though Mullins was close to playing in the first half of the Michigan State game, the coaching staff opted for caution. The team’s offense, however, looked very sharp without Mullins, securing a 78-70 win over Sparty. Hurley noted that Mullins’ absence actually “forced us to cut better, work on execution and our shuffles and twirls, the things we do to put pressure on the rim without ball screen and roll or post-up.”
Purdue Game Becomes Crucial For Mullins’ Return
Hurley expressed that he “should have him ready for Purdue, as long as there’s no setbacks.” This Oct. 27 matchup against Purdue at PeoplesBank Arena is UConn’s final exhibition tune-up before the games start to count. For Mullins, who averaged 12 points per game last season and was a Big East All-Freshman team pick, getting “excellent reps” in at least one exhibition is clearly important to the coach before the Nov. 2 regular season opener in Hartford against Gardner-Webb. It’s the last chance for him to knock off any rust in a game setting before the season truly kicks off.
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.
Leave a Reply