It was the type of postgame rant that Mick Cronin normally saves for a nasty loss at a time when he’s attempting to swing a season again in the best course.
This one got here after a victory within the season’s first recreation.
That’s how few constructive takeaways there have been for UCLA on Monday evening on its house court docket.
Having overwhelmed two high quality opponents in exhibition video games, the Twelfth-ranked Bruins struggled mightily in a recreation that counted in opposition to a workforce from the Huge Sky Convention.
Many of the issues got here on the defensive finish.
“There’s so many errors,” Cronin mentioned after his workforce held on for an 80-74 victory over Jap Washington at Pauley Pavilion, “I’d like to fireplace myself for our protection.”
UCLA stored getting beat across the basket, giving up 38 factors within the paint. The Eagles met so little resistance that they shot 53.7%.
“I imply, in case you assume you’re going to surrender 53.7% in your individual gymnasium in a purchase recreation and have 12 months,” Cronin mentioned, “you haven’t any likelihood.”
Jap Washington’s upset hopes lingered till level guard Donovan Dent, making his UCLA debut after transferring from New Mexico, pulled down a rebound and scored on a quick break to increase the lead again to double digits with 30 seconds left.
Cronin mentioned he sensed this type of exhibiting coming given the way in which his workforce reacted to its exhibition victories. The Bruins scored the primary 17 factors whereas beating San Diego State on the street and held a 43-point lead on the way in which to a blowout of UC Irvine.
Jap Washington guard Straton Rogers (12) shoots a layup as UCLA guard Jamar Brown (4) and ahead Tyler Bilodeau (34) defend throughout the first half Monday at Pauley Pavilion.
(Ethan Swope / Related Press)
This was very completely different.
“When you’ve gotten the unsuitable perspective in life, it exhibits up,” Cronin mentioned. “However I blame myself as a result of I knew this was coming tonight and I couldn’t cease it, so I failed miserably.”
What did Cronin do to attempt to cease it?
“Movie, speeches, went off in shootaround as we speak about depth and [how] professionals present up day by day,” Cronin mentioned, “you realize, Nick Saban 101 — the method is extra vital than the opponent — however I misplaced them.”
Dent mentioned the workforce had good vitality in apply and the pregame shootaround earlier than issues modified, the Bruins anticipating a repeat of their exhibition outcomes.
“I imply, we sort of got here out with the mindset like we’re gonna are available and simply blow them out,” Dent mentioned. “I feel that’s sort of what prompted this recreation.”
It wasn’t a complete loss.
Dent unveiled a powerful array of strikes, together with a no-look move resulting in a Xavier Booker dunk and a capability to alter speeds that left defenders baffled. Dent completed with 21 factors and 9 assists and ahead Tyler Bilodeau scored 14 of his 19 factors within the second half on an evening the Bruins performed with out ahead Eric Dailey Jr., who continues to spherical into kind from a knee harm.
However few will bear in mind any of that given what occurred on the opposite finish of the court docket.
What have been the largest points defensively?
“A scarcity of adherence to the scouting report, horrible pick-and-roll protection, assist after we shouldn’t, rotate off the perfect shooter to a non-shooter, publish protection embarrassingly horrible — and people are all teaching, protection is teaching,” Cronin mentioned. “Everyone says, ‘How are you going to get this man to play protection?’ Properly, the rationale I’m in my twenty third 12 months and I’m the coach at UCLA, I’ve been in a position to do it.”
Cronin praised guard Jamar Brown for making eight deflections — steals, blocks, tipped passes or free balls collected – on an evening the Bruins solely collected 28 as a workforce, effectively under the edge of 40 that their coach desires in any recreation.
In any other case, there wasn’t a lot to reward. Cronin mentioned he had a plan if this continued.
“Pay attention, we’ll simply bench guys. We’re going to play protection otherwise you don’t play,” Cronin mentioned. “It might need to take any person blowing an task one minute into the sport after which they don’t play the remainder of the sport.”
Making UCLA’s effort all of the extra embarrassing was who it didn’t must defend.
The Eagles performed with out guard Andrew Cook dinner, a preseason All-Huge Sky choice from Huntington Seaside who averaged 16.1 factors final season however is predicted to be sidelined for the complete season after just lately breaking an ankle in apply.
Even whereas navigating Pauley Pavilion on a scooter, Cook dinner was in a position to get some photographs up pregame, rolling his means out beneath the basket and making a pump-fake earlier than changing a layup.
Given the way in which issues went, he might need been in a position to rating on UCLA’s protection.
What occurs subsequent for a workforce with Last 4 aspirations that seemed extra like one unworthy of constructing the NCAA match? Whereas Cronin mentioned he must see if Monday humbled his gamers, he might predict how the subsequent few days would go.
“I can inform you what it should do, it’ll ensure that our practices are fascinating,” Cronin mentioned, alluding to demanding periods. “That’s what I can promise. ‘Trigger it’s on me, on the finish of the day. I’m not being humorous or something, you realize, attempting to be cute about that. It’s my job to verify we defend. It’s my job to verify we comply with the scouting report. And it’s my job to get them to do it.”
