UCLA Basketball: Bruins Not Playing Like "A Mick Cronin Team," Complains Mick Cronin

He would know.

UCLA Bruins men's basketball program head coach Mick Cronin is clearly perturbed at his slumping club's recent performances.

Per Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times, an aggrieved Cronin (who apparently berated his players following a 94-77 loss at the hands of the Washington Huskies on Thursday night) is actively distancing himself from his disappointing 14-14 Bruins.

“That wasn’t a Mick Cronin team out there tonight,” Cronin said. “We looked soft all night, so very, very frustrated.”

The Bruins currently find themselves in the midst of a three-game losing streak, and now face a very tenuous path to the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Cronin isn't used to such struggles, although this team's lack of cohesion offensively (they're pretty good on defense, thanks largely to the interior presence of sophomore center Adem Bona) could in part be more a problem with Cronin's reliance on young recruits this season. UCLA is incorporating eight new players into its roster, including seven true freshmen. 

The team is in danger of being just the second UCLA club to miss the postseason across Cronin's five years with the program. For the last two seasons, the Bruins under Cronin made it to the Sweet Sixteen round of March Madness.