UCLA Basketball: Mick Cronin Reveals What Concerns Him Most About Bruins Blowout Loss
The 2023-2024 UCLA Bruins have struggled mightily all season long. And, if that wasn’t evident before their showdown against the Utah Utes on Thursday, then it sure was after that contest.
The Bruins suffered their worst conference loss in program history and the second-largest defeat in program history, 90-44, to the Utes. It was an outright embarrassing performance by the young Bruins, who continue to struggle on the offensive end. Nothing went right for UCLA against their Pac-12 foes, and UCLA head coach Mick Cronin couldn’t do anything about it.
After the game, Cronin admits he was concerned about a Utes run. He was right, unfortunately; it lasted longer than any of us expected.
“I was concerned with this,” Cronin said of a situation that quickly deteriorated. “They’re punch-drunk and you’ve got to fight your way out of it.”
The Utes went on a 23-2 run and eventually led by as many as 50 points in the second half. The Bruins gave up nine threes and 57 points in the second half, as their offensive struggles were as evident as ever.
UCLA shot poorly throughout, shooting 31.5% from the field and 17.6% from three, turning over the ball 13 times, and was outrebounded 28-50. The Bruins were only down by ten at the end of the half before disaster struck.
Cronin talked about the offensive struggles and boiled it down to one thing.
“If you want to win games,” Cronin said, “at some point when teams don’t guard you, you’ve got to make some shots.”
Nobody saw this coming, and the nightmare season may not be over, as there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel.
