After an all-time March Madness moment vs. Duke, UConn's Braylon Mullins is back to the grind at Final Four

Nobody would blame the Mullins for basking in the glow of last week's heroics, but the UConn freshman is busy hunting bigger wins at the Final Four

Braylon Mullins had every opportunity to lean into his newfound celebrity as UConn took the court inside Lucas Oil Stadium for its open practice on Friday ahead its Saturday night Final Four showdown with Illinois.

Never in his life has the Huskies' 19-year old shooting guard practiced in front of so many people, and to call it a practice was a stretch. For the players, it was another opportunity to adjust to the wonky depth perception issues that come with shooting a basketball within a cavernous football stadium.

The other purpose of these 50-minute sessions is to give fans a chance to see their teams on the court ahead of the real games.

Against that backdrop, you couldn't have blamed Mullins if he started pulling up from 35 feet just like he did in the final seconds of UConn's 73-72 Elite Eight victory over Duke on Sunday. The thousands of UConn supporters in attendance would have eaten it up. 

But never once did Mullins stray more than a couple feet beyond the arc as he stuck with a disciplined shooting regimen that consisted of a mix of catch-and-shoot and off-the-dribble 3-pointers from all around the arc on both sides of the court.

Even when UConn closed its session with a half-court heave contest, Mullins never got one up. Malachi Smith ended the exercise by drilling a half-court before Mullins ever had a chance to try one.

The message, spoken by Mullins, and backed up by his focused practice session on Friday is that the time for basking in the glory of his iconic Elite Eight game-winner has passed.

"It's a shot that I'll remember forever," Mullins said from his locker before hitting the practice floor. "But I think Tuesday was like reality set in. We're back in practice and coach is yelling at you, 'that never happened,' and 'this didn't happen.' So I think that page was flipped after Tuesday, and now we're all focused on Illinois."

UConn coach Dan Hurley said he's been "shock coaching" since Tuesday, attempting to jolt Mullins and the Huskies back to reality. The 19-point comeback against Duke was awesome. But the ultimate goal is still two victories away.

If UConn is going to hang its third banner in four years, it won't happen by resting on the laurels of the historic Duke win.

"The reality is that moment is over," Hurley said. "It's an incredible moment. You'll have that moment the rest of your life. But we came here for rings, not watches. Everyone that comes to the Final Four gets a beautiful watch, but only one group is going to get a ring. So get off social media, stop injecting the dopamine into your arm and get serious about the preparation and the practice because we don't hang banners for Final Fours at UConn. We hang National Championship banners."

Hurley is right that Mullins' Duke moment is over. But the lingering effects of it are everywhere. With this Final Four occurring just 30 minutes from Mullins' hometown of Greenfield, Indiana, Mullins is a man in demand this week. His recent heroics have only added to the mayhem.

There is no denying the extent to which "the" shot has changed Mullins' life. But inside the locker room, his teammates still see the same kid who joined them less than a year ago after a storied high school career at Greenfield-Central High School -- perhaps just with a bit more pep in his step now.

"Typically, Braylon is very under the radar, nonchalant and doesn't show too much emotion," UConn guard Jayden Ross said. "He's definitely had a little more light in his eyes since then, as anybody would."

If UConn is going to complete its journey back to the mountaintop, Mullins could be a key reason why. The five-star freshman is one of three Huskies who attempt at least five 3-pointers per game. In a millisecond, he can get his feet set after running off a screen and hoist a 3-pointer.

Or he can hit you with a shot fake and then find a spot inside the arc, where he converts on 61% of his 2-point attempts.

"I wouldn't say it's impossible, but if you're not, like, a defensive player it's going to be pretty tough to stop because he has so many different combinations and counters," UConn forward Jaylin Stewart said of defending Mullins. "He uses his pump fake to escape you or get to the basket. He can shoot over you and he has a high vertical."

The reality is, UConn is two victories away from Mullins' Elite Eight shot going from an iconic NCAA Tournament game-winner to an even greater level of significance.

Everyone remembers Gonzaga's Jalen Suggs hitting a half-court game-winner to beat UCLA in the 2021 Final Four. It's an all-time great shot. But Christian Laettner's 1992 Elite Eight game-winner for Duke against Kentucky carries even greater historical significance because the Blue Devils went on to win the title.

Mullins is going down in college basketball history either way. If he can deliver again at the Final Four, it will maximize the eternal lore that he created for himself in the Elite Eight.

As UConn prepares for Saturday night, don't bet against him.

"He comes off sort of like an emotionless guy," UConn forward Jaylin Stewart said. "But once he's in those pressure moments, I honestly don't think he feels pressure at all."