Dan Hurley Labels UConn Ankle Sprain Capital

The UConn Huskies' first major punch of the season didn’t come from Arizona’s physicality or star players. Instead, it came from the Huskies’ own injury luck. The No. 3 team in the country walked into a top-five showdown at Gampel Pavilion already thin and walked out with a 71–67 loss.

The Huskies were out-rebounded by 20, down by as many as 13, and still somehow right there in the final minutes. While the fight was admirable, the outcome wasn’t what Dan Hurley had hoped for. However, the story of the night wasn’t the scoreboard, but who wasn’t on the floor.

And that’s where trouble and intrigue begin. When a player who is the top scorer, rebounder, and emotional interior anchor doesn’t suit up, the team is already starting a few steps behind. That was the unfortunate reality UConn faced without Tarris Reed Jr..

Reed had just scored 21 points and eight rebounds against BYU, and Hurley had hopes that his big man would return for Arizona. After all, Reed was averaging 20 points and 9.3 boards per night. It is not easy to replicate that production, especially not with a freshman. However, that’s what Hurley had to do with Eric Reibe.

Tell your loved ones about Tarris Reed Jr. 🗣️

21 points, 8 rebounds, 2 monster blocks 💪 pic.twitter.com/YSrB50f1NF
— UConn Men's Basketball (@UConnMBB) November 16, 2025

Reed’s absence came with a twist. Hurley made it clear this wasn’t a dramatic in-game collapse or an obvious setback. “We didn’t really… it was pretty quiet on Sunday,” Hurley said about Reed tweaking his ankle at the end of the BYU game. “We kind of thought he’d be available… and then just a medical got to look at him, and he’s going to be game-to-game from this point with an ankle sprain.”

The disheartening part is that Reed had only just returned to the court after a preseason hamstring pull. Now, it’s another lower-body hiccup. To make things worse, Reed is not the only star player off the court.

Braylon Mullins has been out since the exhibition matches due to an ankle injury. His timeline for recovery comes with a 6-week schedule. Then there is also Jacob Furphy, who was available for the Arizona match but did not play. With all the injuries despite depth, Hurley couldn’t help but express frustration.

“We’ve become, I still believe we are the basketball capital of the world, but we’re also becoming the ankle sprain capital of the world and the muscle pull capital of the world. So, you know, we’ve got to get this team on the court. We’ve got to get all of our weapons on the court. Obviously, we’ve got to get him and Braylon in on the court,” said Hurley.

Furphy’s situation serves as the final thread in UConn’s injury tapestry. He was in a freakish ankle sprain in a non-live warmup drill, and now it's cautious optimism. However, with Mullins, there is more room for optimism.

Braylon Mullins’ Countdown Is Accelerating and UConn Needs It

The Huskies expected their freshman phenom to be a plug-and-play weapon. Instead, they’ve been plugging holes, waiting for him to return. A six-week timetable originally put him somewhere between Kansas and East Texas A&M.

In fact, Hurley himself recently said, “Yeah, I think, you know, Braylon is starting to move, starting to move on the AlterG and starting to shoot and do some different things,” Hurley said. “He’s such an elite athlete that people at his level tend to recover a little quicker than even the projected timelines. So, without pushing him, I think he’s recovering well.”

As pure of a shooter as you’ll find in the country.

Braylon Mullins (Greenfield-Central H.S. 2025) has such a smooth and repeatable release.

He will enter this season as a heavy favorite to win Indiana’s Mr. Basketball award. Potential McDonald’s All-American as well. pic.twitter.com/UJgVJbkT23
— Brandon Ramsey (@BRamseyKSR) September 10, 2024

If anything, UConn needs Mullins back. He is, after all, a 6-foot-6 McDonald’s All-American sniper who averaged 32.9 points and hit 47% from three as a senior. In fact, in his lone Husky appearance, he scored 12 in an exhibition without breaking a sweat.

If Mullins comes back soon, the rhythm changes almost instantly. Arizona was only the beginning. Bryant arrives next, then Illinois at Madison Square Garden, then a trip to Allen Fieldhouse to face Kansas, a team UConn has never beaten.

The last meeting between Kansas and UConn ended in a 69–65 loss, and the one before that finished 73–61. If everything goes as planned, Mullins is expected to return for the Kansas match.

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