UConn’s Braylon Mullins Cleared to Return vs. Creighton After Concussion Protocol
Good news for the defending champs: UConn will have its full roster available for Saturday night’s Big East clash at Creighton - and that includes standout freshman Braylon Mullins.
Mullins missed Tuesday’s win over Providence while in concussion protocol, but he’s trending in the right direction. The 6-foot-5 guard took a shot to the face last weekend against Villanova, courtesy of Wildcats freshman Acaden Lewis, who collided with Mullins while pushing the ball up the court in the second half.
Mullins left the floor visibly shaken and headed straight to the locker room. He later returned to the bench and watched the rest of UConn’s overtime win from the sidelines, but was held out of action earlier this week as a precaution.
Now, it looks like he’s ready to go.
“He’s progressing through all the protocols, he’s taken all of the steps to be able to get out on the court, he was able to get in practice,” head coach Dan Hurley said before the team departed for Omaha on Friday. “I guess it depends on how he’s feeling from here, but he feels good, he’s returned to practice. And we’ll see how he does on the flight, on the overnight, but I think he feels pretty good.”
That’s a big boost for UConn heading into a tough road environment. Mullins has been a key piece of the Huskies’ rotation, playing in 14 games and averaging 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest.
He’s been efficient, too - hitting 47.2% of his shots from the field and knocking down 36.7% from deep. For a freshman in a high-stakes program, those are mature numbers.
His return gives Hurley another versatile scoring option and a steady defender on the perimeter. Mullins’ ability to create off the dribble and space the floor has helped open up UConn’s offense, and his energy on defense fits right into the Huskies’ identity.
With all 15 players cleared to go, UConn heads into Saturday night’s matchup at full strength - and with Mullins back in the mix, the Huskies are that much more dangerous.