It was the type of postgame rant that Mick Cronin often saves for a foul loss at a time when he’s making an attempt to swing a season again in the best route.
This one got here after a victory within the season’s first recreation.
That’s how few optimistic takeaways there have been for UCLA on Monday night time on its dwelling court docket.
Having overwhelmed two high quality opponents in exhibition video games, the Twelfth-ranked Bruins struggled mightily in a recreation that counted towards a crew from the Large Sky Convention.
A lot of the issues got here on the defensive finish.
“There’s so many mistakes,” Cronin mentioned after his crew held on for an 80-74 victory over Jap Washington at Pauley Pavilion, “I’d like to fire myself for our defense.”
UCLA saved getting beat across the basket, giving up 38 factors within the paint. The Eagles met so little resistance that they shot 53.7%.
“I mean, if you think you’re going to give up 53.7% in your own gym in a buy game and have a good year,” Cronin mentioned, “you have no chance.”
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 crew reacted to its exhibition victories. The Bruins scored the primary 17 factors whereas beating San Diego State on the highway and held a 43-point lead on the way in which to a blowout of UC Irvine.
This was very totally different.
“When you have the wrong attitude in life, it shows up,” Cronin mentioned. “But I blame myself because I knew this was coming tonight and I couldn’t stop it, so I failed miserably.”
Jap Washington guard Straton Rogers (12) shoots a layup as UCLA guard Jamar Brown (4) and ahead Tyler Bilodeau (34) defend in the course of the first half Monday at Pauley Pavilion.
(Ethan Swope / Related Press)
What did Cronin do to attempt to cease it?
“Film, speeches, went off in shootaround today about intensity and [how] pros show up every day,” Cronin mentioned, “you know, Nick Saban 101 — the process is more important than the opponent — but I lost them.”
Dent mentioned the crew had good power in follow and the pregame shootaround earlier than issues modified, the Bruins anticipating a repeat of their exhibition outcomes.
“I mean, we kind of came out with the mindset like we’re gonna come in and just blow them out,” Dent mentioned. “I think that’s kind of what caused this game.”
It wasn’t a complete loss.
Dent unveiled a powerful array of strikes, together with a no-look go 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 type from a knee damage.
However few will keep in mind any of that given what occurred on the opposite finish of the court docket.
What had been the most important points defensively?
“A lack of adherence to the scouting report, terrible pick-and-roll defense, help when we shouldn’t, rotate off the best shooter to a non-shooter, post defense embarrassingly terrible — and those are all coaching, defense is coaching,” Cronin mentioned. “Everybody says, ‘How are you going to get this guy to play defense?’ Well, the reason I’m in my 23rd year and I’m the coach at UCLA, I’ve been able to do it.”
Cronin praised guard Jamar Brown for making eight deflections — steals, blocks, tipped passes or unfastened balls collected – on an evening the Bruins solely collected 28 as a crew, effectively beneath the brink of 40 that their coach needs in any recreation.
In any other case, there wasn’t a lot to reward. Cronin mentioned he had a plan if this continued.
“Listen, we’ll just bench guys. We’re going to play defense or you don’t play,” Cronin mentioned. “It might have to take somebody blowing an assignment one minute into the game and then they don’t play the rest of the game.”
Making UCLA’s effort all of the extra embarrassing was who it didn’t must defend.
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The Eagles performed with out guard Andrew Cook dinner, a preseason All-Large Sky member from Huntington Seashore who averaged 16.1 factors final season however is anticipated to be sidelined for your complete season after not too long ago breaking an ankle in follow.
Even whereas navigating Pauley Pavilion on a scooter, Cook dinner was capable of get some pictures up pregame, rolling his method out beneath the basket and making a pump-fake earlier than changing a layup.
Given the way in which issues went, he may need been capable of rating on UCLA’s protection.
What occurs subsequent for a crew with Remaining 4 aspirations that appeared extra like one unworthy of creating the NCAA match? Whereas Cronin mentioned he must see if Monday humbled his gamers, he may predict how the subsequent few days would go.
“I can tell you what it will do, it’ll make sure that our practices are interesting,” Cronin mentioned, alluding to demanding periods. “That’s what I can promise. ‘Cause it’s on me, at the end of the day. I’m not being funny or anything, you know, trying to be cute about that. It’s my job to make sure we defend. It’s my job to make sure we follow the scouting report. And it’s my job to get them to do it.”
