It was some kind of post-match chat Mick Cronin usually saves money in case of a serious loss while trying to get the season back on track.
This happened after winning the first game of the season.
That's how few positive conclusions there were UCLA on Monday night on his home court.
After beating two quality opponents in exhibition games, the 12th-ranked Bruins were in serious contention in a game that counted against a team from the Big Sky Conference.
Most of the problems arose in defense.
“There are so many mistakes here,” Cronin said after his team held out victory 80-74 over Eastern Washington at Pauley Pavilion: “I would like to set myself on fire for our protection.”
UCLA continued to struggle at the basket, giving up 38 points in the paint. The Eagles faced so little opposition that they shot 53.7%.
“I mean, if you think you're going to give up 53.7% in your own gym in the buy game and have a good year,” Cronin said, “you don't have a chance.”
Eastern Washington's hopes were dashed until point guard Donovan Dentmaking his UCLA debut after transferring from New Mexico, grabbed a rebound and scored on a fast-break goal to push the lead to double digits with 30 seconds left.
Cronin said he saw this kind of performance coming, given the way his team responded to its exhibition wins. The Bruins scored the first 17 points in a road win over San Diego State and held a 43-point lead en route to routing UC Irvine.
Eastern Washington guard Straton Rogers (12) shoots a layup as UCLA guard Jamar Brown (4) and forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) defend in the first half Monday at Pauley Pavilion.
(Ethan Swope/Associated Press)
It was completely different.
“When you have the wrong attitude towards 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 it?
“The film, the speeches, today there was a shootout about the intensity and [how] professionals show up every day,” Cronin said, “you know, Nick Saban 101—the process over the opponent—but I lost them.”
Dent said the team had good energy in practice and before the game before the tide turned and the Bruins were expecting a repeat of their exhibition performance.
“I mean, we kind of came up with the idea that we were going to come in and just blow them up,” Dent said. “I think that’s what led to this game.”
It wasn't a total loss.
Dent showed off an impressive array of moves, including a no-look pass leading to a Xavier Booker dunk and an ability to change speeds that left defenders at a loss. 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 the Bruins played without forward Eric Daly Jr., who continues to regain his form after a knee injury.
But few will remember any of this, given what happened at the other end of the court.
What were the biggest problems on defense?
“Failure to follow the scouting report, terrible pick-and-roll defense, helping when you shouldn't, replacing your best shooter with a non-shooter, the post defense is obscenely terrible – and it's all training, and defense is training,” Cronin said. “Everybody says, 'How are you going to get this guy to play defense?' Well, the reason I’m 23 years old and coaching at UCLA is I was able to do it.”
Cronin praised guard Jamar Brown for eight deflections (interceptions, blocks, passes or loose balls) on a night when the Bruins totaled just 28 as a team, well below the 40 threshold their coach wants in any game.
Otherwise there wasn't much to praise. Cronin said he has a plan if this continues.
“Look, we're just going to put guys on the bench. We're going to play defense or you don't play,” Cronin said. “Someone might have to complete a task in one minute of play and then not play for the rest of the game.”
Even more confounding was UCLA's efforts. didn't you will have to defend yourself.
The Eagles played without guard Andrew Cook, a preseason All-Big Sky player from Huntington Beach who averaged 16.1 points last season but is expected to be sidelined for the season due to a recent broken ankle in practice.
Even while navigating Pauley Pavilion on a scooter, Cook was able to make a few shots before the game, rolling under the basket and making a pump fake before converting for a layup.
The way things played out, he could have scored on UCLA's defense.
What's next for a Final Four-bound team that looked more like a team unworthy of making the NCAA Tournament? While Cronin said he'll have to see if Monday humbles his players, he can predict how the next few days will go.
“I can tell you what he will do: He will make sure our practices are fun,” Cronin said, referring to the demanding classes. “That's what I can promise. Because at the end of the day, it's on me. I'm not kidding or anything, you know, I'm trying to be nice about it. My job is to make sure we defend ourselves. My job is to make sure we follow the intelligence report. And my job is to make them do it.”
