Mullins’ rain continuing to harvest as UConn reaps rewards entering February

Braylon Mullins showed off ability to finish above the rim Tuesday, continuing to expand his game since returning from concussion as UConn rolls into February. (Photo by Jessica Hill/Associated Press)

HARTFORD, Conn. — If a five-tool prospect were measured in college basketball the way baseball’s young talent is equated, there is more than a fair chance that that label would be bestowed upon Braylon Mullins.

Such is the limitless potential and lack of a weakness among the Indiana native that it seems as though he finds something new to impress fans with on an everyday basis.

UConn’s latest freshman sensation did that again Tuesday, getting on the board first with a three-pointer just past the first minute of play and building on that to help spark a 92-60 runaway over Xavier. Mullins scored 10 of his 13 points before the first media timeout as his third-ranked Huskies won their 18th consecutive game.

“I think he’s just getting started,” head coach Dan Hurley insisted. “Braylon is such a down-to-earth kid and just such a sweet kid and a focused kid. He has such a small circle, he’s not on social media, and he doesn’t have a million people in his ear and his family’s ear. That’s what tells me the guy is…I think he’s just gonna keep surging.”

Mullins has displayed a recovery as quick as his mastery of the freshman learning curve as well. After suffering a concussion in the second half of UConn’s January 24 win over Villanova, he missed the Huskies’ next game against Providence, then returned Saturday at Creighton and scored a team-leading 16 points. And even if his scoring is compromised by the balance and myriad of options in UConn’s arsenal, it serves as a bolder underscore of his importance to the unit as a whole.

“That just goes to show how tough and how much of a competitor Braylon really is,” Tarris Reed, Jr. said when assessing Mullins’ performance since rejoining the lineup. “That guy’s a warrior, he’s a dog. He’s one of the best freshmen, if not THE best freshman, in the country. So I feel like having a player like that on our team is such an honor. He’s a warrior, he works his tail off every day, (he’s) in the gym every day. All respect and credit to him.”

Already drawing plaudits from his teammates and coaches alike for his shooting and improved defense, Mullins showcased a new piece of his repertoire Tuesday. The rookie flushed a pair of dunks in the opening minutes during UConn’s 14-2 run to start the contest, adding to his burgeoning skill set and — as NBC Sports’ John Fanta noted during Tuesday’s telecast — rolling some thunder to complement the “bringer of rain” nickname given by his coach.

“I’m excited to see the above-the-rim stuff,” an enthusiastic Hurley gushed. “Like, him out in transition, getting on the rim. I think you’re gonna see this guy on the rim a lot more, mixed in with bomb threes, a great pull-up game, a clever passer. And the guy guards. I think you’re gonna see even more dynamic nights from him.”