COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Three days after calling his gamers “soft” and “delusional” of their estimation of their talents, Mick Cronin wasn’t round to supply a last evaluation Friday evening.
The UCLA coach was within the locker room, having been ejected with 5 minutes and 14 seconds left after receiving two rapid-fire technical fouls along with his unraveling workforce down by 9 factors.
It wasn’t the ultimate indignity for his workforce. Removed from it.
UCLA couldn’t get out of its personal means contained in the Xfinity Heart, the No. 22 Bruins stumbling to a 79-61 loss to Maryland that represented a season-worst third consecutive defeat.
Being comfortable wasn’t the first downside on this evening. Holding on to the ball or throwing a move with out it being stolen had been the massive challenges confronting the Bruins.
UCLA dedicated 21 turnovers, tying its worst exhibiting of the season, whereas getting outmuscled by one other workforce. If this was a crossroads, then the Bruins (11-5 general, 2-3 Huge Ten) definitely took the flawed flip.
Ahead Tyler Bilodeau scored 18 factors and guard Trent Perry added 10 off the bench, changing into the one Bruins to succeed in double figures on an evening the workforce shot 41.5% to Maryland’s 54%. Ja’Kobi Gillespie led the Terrapins (12-4, 2-3) with 27 factors.
In want of a confidence increase, UCLA’s Dylan Andrews adopted a pull-up jumper with a tricky turnaround baseline jumper to tug his workforce inside 53-47 with 12:36 left.
However a flurry of turnovers adopted and an irate Cronin was rapidly tossed after apparently voicing his displeasure with the referees.
It was solely slightly greater than two years in the past that UCLA got here right here and bludgeoned the Terrapins, main by as many as 30 factors within the first half of a runaway victory. That type of exhibiting felt like a distant reminiscence Friday.
There have been some coming-of-age moments within the first half for Perry, who performed with growing confidence the longer he was within the recreation.
Amongst his highlights had been a backdoor reverse layup off a move from Skyy Clark, a steal of a cross-court move and an offensive rebound that he adopted with a driving layup. Perry’s seven factors by halftime had been greater than twice as many because the three factors he had collected within the earlier 4 Huge Ten video games whereas trying shaky throughout his temporary stints on the courtroom.
UCLA’s 40-36 halftime deficit may have been thought-about one thing of a victory for the Bruins contemplating they dedicated 11 turnovers — a number of whereas having the ball stripped — and allowed Maryland to shoot 51.7%.
There was nothing worthwhile left to return for the Bruins.
