Wolverine Digest

UCLA's Mick Cronin rips his players, assistant coaches after blowout loss to Michigan

It's safe to say the Wolverines' 19-point win over the Bruins didn't sit well with UCLA head coach Mick Cronin...

Matt Lounsberry

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
In this story:

UCLA men's basketball head coach Mick Cronin did not hold back in displaying his frustration in the wake of the Bruins' 94-75 loss to Michigan on Tuesday night.

At his postgame press conference, Cronin called his players and assistant coaches "soft" and "delusional" in a four and a half minute rant to reporters.

"We're soft," Cronin said. "We're too soft to play hard enough — even in the crucials you can't get an offensive rebound. You know, it's a five point game and Kobe Johnson just has a guy take the ball from him. Same thing with Sebastian Mack. We finally do get a stop, and we can't get a defensive rebound. [Michigan] didn't have a million [offensive rebounds] because they didn't miss that many shots, but there was a few in particular — Kobe, Sebastian — [that were] huge. Back-breaking. And you've got inside position.

"So, don't tell me you want to win. Just don't tell me you want to win. To start the game, Tyler Bilodeau gave up 12 points. Two screens, he didn't say a word, [resulted in] threes. And then he got scored, he got dunked on three times. So, just don't tell me you want to win. I mean, we're soft. Inside, to be fair, obviously, [Michigan's bigs] have unique skillset, the way they shoot the ball, but we're soft."

"I have to run on the court to get guys to play hard. It's crazy, and it's every day. 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."

UCLA men's basketball head coach Mick Cronin
Jan 7, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts against the Michigan Wolverines in the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"I mean, I don't need to do anything else. I've almost got 500 wins. I'm only 53. You'd think I'm coaching the Lakers. I mean, it's a joke. It's a joke. And yet, I come in and I have more passion and energy and pride than anybody in there. That's the problem. That is the truth right now."

"Dylan Andrews, in the timeout, No. 3 [Tre Donaldson] is hot, he's 4-for-7 from three, you cannot let him shoot. [Andrews] is going to back up — the next two plays, [Donaldson] made two threes. Will Kyle let him shoot. Just stood there. He just looked at him, and he's like, 'Oh, you're going to let me shoot? Bang'. Next play, Dylan Andrews, you're going to let me shoot? Bang."

Cronin was asked how he'll go about correcting the shortcomings he's seen from his team after back-to-back losses to Michigan and Nebraska.

"Here's what you do: you play the guys that will play hard and do what you tell them," he said. "But, right now, I'm searching deeply for some guys that will play hard enough to win a Big Ten game...Obviously, I come in here, I talk to you guys right after the game — as poor as we shot the ball against Nebraska, our second half defense was embarrassing, once I got to the film and we went over it. Embarrassing."

"So, what the truth of it is then — it's really hard to coach people that are delusional. The hungry dog gets the bone. We've got guys who think they're way better than they are. They're nice kids. They're completely delusional about who they are. And the team that's mind is on the right stuff, and hungry to get a win in conference play, is the team that's probably going to win. So, right now, we're far [from that]. If this wasn't the humble pie that they needed, I don't know. But, why wasn't the Nebraska game? I don't know. We'll see."

"Right now...I'm frustrated with my players and my staff, and it's been this way all year with this team. They're good guys. The problem, I told them, I said, the toughest guy in the room can't be me every day. It can't. It's just, it can't. You can only do so much."

Michigan was led by center Vlad Goldin, who scored a career-high 36 points and added seven rebounds in the win. Point guard Tre Donaldson had 20 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals. Nimari Burnett scored 17 points for the Wolverines, adding four rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals; while Danny Wolf finished with 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -

More Michigan News:

For additional coverage of University of Michigan athletics:

Published |Modified
Matt Lounsberry
MATT LOUNSBERRY

Home/Basketball