UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin was not pleased with his team’s effort during their 94-75 loss to the Michigan Wolverines Tuesday night, and he made sure everyone knew his feelings after the game.
Speaking to the media following the team’s second consecutive conference loss, Cronin put it bluntly:
“We’re soft. It’s crazy. It’s every day, and I’m tired of it. It’s every day. I have the most energy of anybody at practice every day, I’m upset with everybody in that locker room. My assistant coaches and my players.”
The Bruins, coming into the game allowing a Big Ten-best 61.5 points per game on 41.0% shooting from the floor, were lit up by the Wolverines. Michigan shot 61.5% from the floor and 53.6% from three-point range. Michigan center Vladislav Goldin, a transfer from FAU this season, scored a career-high 36 points on only 18 field goal attempts. Wolverines head coach Dusty May gave a glowing review of his team’s star player after the game:
“He puts a lot of pressure on the rim. His ability to catch it on the move and finish without knowing really what’s behind him is impressive…he played with great poise. We played more through him in the post and they chose not to double team. I thought his poise and his patience was very, very key to us just being settled down and being able to run a little bit of clock and still score at the end of possessions where then we could set our defense.”
Junior guard Tre Donaldson added 20 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds to the Wolverines’ totals. Michigan, ranked #24 in the latest AP poll, improved to 4-0 in Big Ten conference play and 12-3 overall on the season with the win. UCLA dropped to 11-4 and 2-2 in Big Ten play with the loss.
“Humble Pie” For The UCLA Bruins
It was a frustrating night for the Bruins. After a tense 66-58 road loss to Nebraska on January 4, UCLA was hoping that a return to Pauley Pavilion would help provide a return to form. Instead, the Bruins put up their worst defensive performance of the season against a Michigan team that leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage. Mick Cronin did not mince words when speaking on his team’s performance after the game, bluntly stating that he thinks his team was in need of a wake-up call:
“It’s really hard to coach people who are delusional. The hungry dog gets the bone. We got guys who think they’re way better than they are. They’re nice kids. They’re completely delusional about who they are… if this wasn’t the humble pie they needed then I don’t know.”
When asked what his team can do to improve, Cronin put the onus on his players:
“Here’s what you do: You play the guys that will play hard and do what you tell them. But right now, I’m searching for some guys that’ll play hard enough to win a Big Ten game … The hungry dog gets the bone.”
Changes may be coming soon for the Bruins’ rotation. UCLA has lost three of their last four games after starting the season 10-1 and are stuck in a log jam in the Big Ten standings, where seven of the conference’s teams are 2-2 in conference play.
Mick Cronin’s Hot-Headed History
This isn’t the first time that Cronin has gotten fiery with the media. In 2018, during his tenure as head coach for the Cincinnati Bearcats, Cronin had a tense moment with a local TV reporter when asked about his team’s loss in the Sweet Sixteen that year:
Unhappy Mick Cronin when I asked if a loss like this would keep him awake at night:
“You come up with that question by yourself? You kidding me?” #Bearcats @fox19 pic.twitter.com/LGoQQUSty8
— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) March 19, 2018
Now in his sixth season as head coach of the UCLA Bruins, Cronin is 126-56 with the Bruins and has one Final Four appearance under his belt, a 93-90 overtime loss to the Gonzaga Bulldogs in 2021.
The Bruins return to action on January 10 with a cross-country road trip to visit the Maryland Terrapins (11-4, 1-3 Big Ten). The Michigan Wolverines will host the Washington Huskies (10-5, 1-3 Big Ten) on January 12.
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