Braylon Mullins' Elite Eight glory puts spotlight on disheartening Indiana miss

For yet another season, the Indiana Hoosiers were at home watching the NCAA Tournament instead of actually playing in it. After a great start to the season, things went downhill in Big Ten play, and then an early exit in the Big Ten Tournament sealed the Hoosies fate of missing the NCAA Tournament.

This was just Year 1 under Darian DeVries, but seeing some players that Indiana missed out on when it came to recruiting success has been tough. The toughest one to watch was Sunday night when 2025 Indiana Mr. Basketball Braylon Mullins hit the game-winning three-pointer to send UConn to the Final Four.

Braylon Mullins was very high on Indiana but Mike Woodson couldn't close the deal

While some fans will be quick to blame current head coach Darian DeVries for not landing Mullins, it was actually former head coach Mike Woodson who couldn't close the deal. Mullans is an Indiana native that ended leaving his home state to go play for Dan Hurley at UConn.

It may not have hurt so bad if Indiana wasn't high on Mullins' list, but actually, the Hoosiers were in his top three before he picked the Huskies. Indiana was battling UConn and UNC for Mullins, two very storied basketball programs.

Mullins was coming out of high school as one of the top three-point shooters in his class and was even named the Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year. If Indiana has a freshman like Mullins on its squad this season, he could have helped the Hoosiers be on the winning side of a few more games and secured a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Now, Mullins will actually return to Indiana, but in a UConn uniform to play in the Final Four for the Huskies. Mullins isn't the only Indiana native heading to the Final Four, as Michigan head coach Dusty May has Indiana roots as well, but is sporting the Maize and Blue instead.

DeVries will have to find a way to land recruits like Mullins in the future, or the Hoosiers need to get comfortable being home in March.