Southern Illinois has parted ways with head men’s basketball coach – and Saluki legend – Bryan Mullins after five seasons at the helm. Mullins went 86-68 overall and was coming off a 19-13 season, his second highest win total after getting 23 the year prior. The Salukis were eliminated from the Missouri Valley Tournament on Thursday night by UIC in a double-OT thriller.
“I have tremendous respect for everything Bryan has accomplished throughout his career as a Saluki,” AD Tim Leonard said in a press release. “He guided our program with class and integrity, was an outstanding role model for our student-athletes, and handled himself as a true professional.”
Mullins led the Salukis to two NCAA Tournaments as a player and was inducted into the SIU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018, but had yet to get them into the postseason as head coach. He was hired in 2018 after spending the previous six seasons on staff at Loyola Chicago, including the Ramblers’ magical run to the 2018 Final Four.
The Salukis last NCAA Tournament appearance was in 2007 when Mullins was a sophomore. Their 23 wins in 2022-23 were the most for the program since that 2007 NCAA run (29-7). They appeared in the NIT the following year but have not received any postseason bids since then.
credit to Southern Illinois Athletics for the image
