UCLA Basketball: Mick Cronin Details What Bruins Must Fix Immediately Before Pac-12 Play Starts
Something is certainly amiss with the UCLA Bruins, as the team dropped its fourth straight loss to Maryland in the final game of non-conference play. Despite rallying to close a 20-point deficit, the team just could not get it together.
Coach Mick Cronin has stated that he believes the team may have "lost their confidence." It's hard to come back from four straight losses, especially with how the Bruins have been competitive in all their games.
Still, the Bruins end non-conference play with a 5-6 record, and it's the first time they have dropped below .500 since 2020.
Coach Cronin spoke about the loss last night, and what the team needs to do to rebound after the winter break.
“Yeah, look, nobody feels sorry for you. You’ve got to get better. We have a really hard problem. We really struggle guarding the basketball. Our second thing is we get broken down, we foul, and that’s killing our defense. But just our energy level, we have got to figure it out one way or another. I don’t think we’re smart enough or old enough to play trickery zones. Complicated this group can’t handle. So it’s a two-way street. We’ve got to get better in practice, and strategically we’ve got to figure some things out.”
Guarding the basketball is a massive task in and of itself, but sloppy defense leads to more fouls and general defensive killing.
Cronin understands that players are fouling too much when they lose control of the ball. That leads to a drop in energy levels, which is also a huge issue for the team.
The Bruins need to lean on one another and find ways to inspire play during these games. They are talented but seem to drop their heads when things get tough. Hopefully, the team can have some frank discussions through winter break and can come out swinging when Pac-12 play starts on December 28.
