Mick Cronin goes on rant after UCLA’s dull season-opening win

It was the kind of post-game rant that Mick Cronin usually saves for a bad loss at a time when he’s trying to turn a season back in the right direction.

This follows a victory in the first match of the season.

That’s how few positives there were for UCLA on Monday night on its home court.

After beating two quality opponents in exhibition games, the 12th-ranked Bruins struggled mightily in a game that counted against a Big Sky Conference team.

Most of the problems came on the defensive end.

“There are so many mistakes,” Cronin said after his team held on for an 80-74 victory over Eastern Washington at Pauley Pavilion, “I’d like to get out of trouble for our defense.”

UCLA continued to get beat around the basket, giving up 38 points in the paint. The Eagles encountered so little resistance that they shot 53.7 percent.

“I mean, if you think you’re going to give up 53.7 percent in your own gym in a buy game and have a good year,” Cronin said, “you don’t have a chance.”

Eastern Washington’s thwarted hopes persisted until point guard Donovan Dent, making his UCLA debut after transferring from New Mexico, corralled a rebound and scored on a quick fast break to extend the lead to double digits with 30 seconds remaining.

Cronin said he felt this kind of performance coming given the way his team responded to its exhibition wins. The Bruins scored the first 17 points in beating San Diego State on the road and held a 43-point lead on the way to a blowout against UC Irvine.

Eastern Washington guard Straton Rogers (12) shoots a layup as UCLA guard Jamar Brown (4) and forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) defend during the first half Monday at Pauley Pavilion.

(Ethan Swope/Associated Press)

It was very different.

“When you have a bad attitude in life, it shows,” Cronin said. “But I blame myself because I knew it was going to happen tonight and I couldn’t stop it, so I failed miserably.”

What did Cronin do to try to stop him?

“The film, the speeches, were shot today on the intensity and [how] the pros show up every day,” Cronin said, “you know, Nick Saban 101 – the process is more important than the opponent – ​​but I lost them. »

Dent said the team had good energy in practice and in the pregame penalty shootout before things changed, with the Bruins expecting a repeat of their exhibition results.

“I mean, we kind of came out with the mindset like we were going to go in and blow them up,” Dent said. “I think that’s kind of what caused this match.”

It wasn’t a total loss.

Dent showed off an impressive range of moves, including a no-look pass leading to a Xavier Booker dunk and an ability to change speeds that left defenders perplexed. Dent finished with 21 points and nine assists and forward Tyler Bilodeau scored 14 of his 19 points in the second half on a night where the Bruins played without forward Eric Dailey Jr., who continues to work his way back from a knee injury.

But few people will remember all that given what happened at the other end of the pitch.

What were the biggest problems defensively?

“Disrespect of the scouting report, terrible pick-and-roll defense, helping when we shouldn’t, rotating the best shooter to a non-shooter, embarrassing and terrible post-defense — and all of that is coaching, defense is coaching,” Cronin said. “Everyone says, ‘How are you going to get this guy to play defense?’ Well, the reason I’m in my 23rd year and coaching at UCLA, I was able to do it.

Cronin praised guard Jamar Brown for throwing eight deflections — interceptions, blocks, tipped passes or loose balls recovered — on a night where the Bruins had just 28 as a team, well below the threshold of 40 their coach wants in any game.

Otherwise, there wasn’t much to say. Cronin said he has a plan if this continues.

“Look, we’re just going to bench guys. We’re going to play defense or you don’t play,” Cronin said. “Someone might have to forget a mission a minute into the game and then they don’t play the rest of the game.”

What made UCLA’s efforts even more embarrassing was who doesn’t we must defend.

The Eagles played without guard Andrew Cook, a preseason All-Big Sky selection from Huntington Beach who averaged 16.1 points last season but is expected to be out for the entire season after recently breaking his ankle in practice.

Even while navigating Pauley Pavilion on a scooter, Cook managed to take a few shots before the game, making his way under the basket and fouling the ball before converting a layup.

Given the way things played out, he could have scored on the UCLA defense.

What happens next for a team whose Final Four aspirations seemed rather unworthy of making the NCAA Tournament? While Cronin said he would have to see if Monday humiliated his players, he could predict how the next few days would go.

“I can tell you what it will do, it will keep our workouts interesting,” Cronin said, referring to demanding sessions. “That’s what I can promise. Because it’s my fault, ultimately. I’m not being funny or anything, you know, I’m trying to be cute about it. It’s my job to make sure we defend. It’s my job to make sure we follow the scouting report. And it’s my job to get them to do it.”