Cronin Sounds Off on Defense, Rebounding, More After UCLA’s Stunning Collapse

UCLA’s Mick Cronin blasted his team’s defense and urgency after squandering a 17-point lead in a 64-61 loss to Minnesota.

Feb 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin yells to his team during the first half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

After UCLA let a 17-point first-half lead slip away in a stunning 64-61 loss to Minnesota on Tuesday night, Coach Mick Cronin didn’t mince words. Frustrated and visibly disappointed, Cronin delivered a blunt assessment of his team’s performance, particularly in the second half, when the Bruins were outscored 41-27 and ultimately failed to execute in the game’s final moments.

While many might point to the Bruins’ poor free-throw shooting — just 9-for-19 on the night — as a major factor in the loss, Cronin had a different focus. 

“I know you guys want to talk about missed free throws, but I don’t know what you want me to say about that. It doesn’t help,” he said. “But our defense, on the last play, 25 is a ‘put your head down and drive’ guy, and the guy guarding him acted like he didn’t know it. ... He was pressuring him 10 feet outside of the 3-point line for no reason, and there was no help, no rotation.”

Cronin was especially critical of his team’s defensive awareness in crunch time, calling out the lack of rotation and help defense that allowed Minnesota’s Lu’cye Patterson to drive for the go-ahead layup with eight seconds remaining. 

“They get outrebounded on the season, they’re a negative rebounding team, and they outrebounded us,” Cronin said. “It was a hugely disappointing effort, that’s really all I have to say.”

Cronin didn’t just place the blame on his players — he held himself accountable as well. When asked about the team’s effort in the second half, he delivered a sarcastic yet telling response. 

“You’ll have to ask them. I feel like we didn’t play well, and if I say anything, I throw players under the bus,” Cronin said. “We didn’t play well, we were poorly coached, and that’s why we don’t play well.”

Cronin's frustration reached a peak when discussing Minnesota’s Dawson Garcia, who torched UCLA for 32 points, including 27 in the second half. 

“We were so poorly coached that we didn’t know that Dawson Garcia was going to spin back on his left hand," Cronin said. " ... We had two guys on him, and we let him lay it in. So, I guess we didn’t go over that. We didn’t go over ‘Don’t let him just stand there and shoot it.’ We didn’t go over ‘Converge on him like everybody else in our league does.’ I guess we didn’t go over it, so it’s all on me.”

Despite leading by 11 points at the break, Cronin admitted he was already concerned with some of his team’s decision-making. 

“We were up 11, but I was upset with some of our guys’ shot selection,” he said. “We told our guys if they were going to converge on the post, they were going to have to pass it out. They’re a no-paint team. We were taking off-balance shots. I told them they weren’t going away; that was my message.”

Cronin’s premonition proved true, as Minnesota came out of the locker room with urgency, quickly trimming the lead and setting the stage for a dramatic finish. Minnesota, which is fighting for a postseason berth, played with a level of desperation that Cronin felt his Bruins lacked. 

“They’re trying to get to the Big Ten Tournament or their season is over in two weeks,” he said. “Their starting five’s careers are over next week, and they were playing like it,” he said. “So, I told the guys, I told them for a couple of days, but we struggled.”

While Cronin downplayed free throws as the primary reason for the loss, he didn’t deny their impact. 

“I hear you with the free throws. I’m not stupid, I can count,” he said. “You miss 10 free throws as well as two front ends, it’s as bad as can be. We missed 10 free throws in the second half, and I’m well aware of that.”

With March approaching, Cronin is left searching for answers. Asked about his efforts to get the team ready for postseason play, he kept it simple: “I’m trying to. I failed tonight.”

The Bruins (19-8, 10-6 Big Ten) will have a chance to regroup when they host Ohio State on Sunday.

For Cronin and his team, it will be a crucial opportunity to correct the mistakes that cost them against Minnesota and build momentum before the Big Ten Tournament. But if Tuesday’s loss was any indication, there’s plenty of work to be done.

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