By Robert Lastella
Difference maker. In college basketball, especially in March, one would assume that the aforementioned phrase was used to describe a veteran leader; however, that is not always the case.
UConn is a team with no shortage of talent. Alex Karaban, Tarris Reed Jr., and Solo Ball would all fit the bill as veteran leaders who are also often the difference-makers. But what if the X-factor for the Huskies was someone else?
While his recruiting status certainly prevented him from going under the radar, Braylon Mullins has been somewhat shadowed on a UConn team that has put together a core of pieces around him that, at times, dominate the spotlight. While that may be the case, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer believes Mullins is indeed the difference maker for the Huskies.
“He's had a really good year. His shot-making, his ability to hit shots off the bounce. He's got quick release. Then just to play at this level, he's been a difference maker. He's been the third-leading scorer in the tournament, and I'm really impressed with what he's done,” Scheyer said.
Scheyer noted Mullins’ scoring prowess, which has seen him score 37 points across three NCAA tournament games for the Huskies. While he certainly makes an impact as a scorer, the way he becomes an X-Factor for the Huskies is quite different.
UConn head coach Dan Hurley knows that he can get scoring in a variety of ways from his team, which means he needs Mullins to contribute in other areas. According to Hurley, that is something Mullins has been able to excel at.
“I think what a lot of people miss with Braylon is just how well he's able to hold up for us defensively and how well he's able to hold up for us on the backboard from a physicality standpoint, for an ability to function defensively and offensively in a system and be in the right places. You don't get far in this tournament unless your freshmen can do that,” Hurley said.
Mullins isn’t the biggest guy on the court, but he has the size to make an impact with his physicality, and that is exactly what he has been able to do. In each of the last two games, Mullins has hauled in four rebounds, which has been good for third behind Karaban and Reed in each game.
Karaban has seen a lot of talented guards throughout his career, and still, a freshman making an impact on the glass, and with his physicality, is something that surprises him. With Mullins specifically, Karaban notes his ability to avoid freshman mistakes as something that has impressed him.
“There’s always a learning curve as a freshman, and for the most part, he's done a great job of holding his own ground. He doesn't make freshman mistakes. He doesn't really do any of that. He's really holding his ground and defending at the level that he can defend at, and I think he's an underrated defender, and he really had big-time rebounds for us yesterday to really help keep the lead,” Karaban said.
As a veteran of the Husky program, Karaban is someone who is relied upon for advice within the program. That has held true for him and Mullins, and while they play different positions on the court, Karaban sees a lot of himself in the young Husky phenom.
“I think at times I see myself in him, really just as like a quiet kid and a shy kid and kind of reserved to himself at times who I was, and I really want him to push out his comfort zones and really just enjoy every second that you have and really just be yourself when you're on the court,” Karaban said.
Mullins will look to continue to make an impact for the Huskies, as they are set to take on Duke in the Elite Eight with a spot in the Final Four on the line. According to Hurley, no matter what happens in-game, Mullins will remain poised, playing a brand of basketball that breeds success.
“He's a critical threat on offense, but he's also like an underrated defensive player with a maturity about him where, if he goes through stretches of the game where he's not getting shots, not making shots, he keeps playing winning basketball,” Hurley said.
On a team full of stars, Mullins has made his mark, and it is just the start for the young star from Greenfield, Indiana.
