You won't believe who UCLA's Mick Cronin blames for collapse vs. Minnesota
02/19/2025 04:06 AM
Mick Cronin is at it again. Approximately a month and a half after he skewered his entire team while talking himself up during a postgame press conference, the UCLA basketball head coach unleashed another fiery rant. This time, he took aim at fans.
Following an embarrassing collapse at home versus Minnesota, which saw the Bruins blow a 17-point lead and lose 64-61 after shooting 5-of-15 from the free throw line in the second half, Cronin directed his frustrations at Pauley Pavilion.
“All we’re worried about is our shooting, … Our crowd’s mind is on the wrong stuff,” he said, per the Daily Bruin’s Ira Gorawara. “They make it worse. The stress in Pauley is crazy. How about help the guy, cheer for the guy? He’s not trying to miss the free throw. Everyone’s mind is on the wrong stuff.”
There are many reasons for UCLA fans to stew after Tuesday night’s debacle. The Bruins gave up 41 points in the second half after holding the Golden Gophers to 23 in the first 20 minutes. They missed their last five attempts from the charity stripe and ultimately allowed Lu’Cye Patterson to score a go-ahead layup with eight seconds remaining. Poor defense and a lack of composure buried the squad.
But Cronin’s criticism is the most inexplicable dagger the Pauley faithful had to incur in this Big Ten Conference matchup. One would hope that he would be more careful with his words after getting lambasted for calling his players delusional following a Jan. 7 loss to Michigan. The two-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year cannot help but point fingers, though, finding a new group of people to reprimand.
Mick Cronin, UCLA are up and down
While tempers are going to be high after an ugly loss, it is important to remember the game is played on the court and not in the stands. The Bruins could not keep it together in the latter part of the contest. Sebastian Mack scored a team-high 13 points off the bench and Tyler Bilodeau and Kobe Johnson each added 12 points of their own, making up more than half of the offense. Minnesota’s Dawson Garcia nearly equaled their output by himself, notching 32 points on 9-of-15 shooting.
UCLA basketball continues to be one of the wildest roller coaster rides of the 2024-25 season. They won 11 of their first 13 games, lost four conference games in a row, rattled off seven straight victories and have now dropped two of their last three. Cronin’s antics only augment the turbulence.
He is stepping on toes left and right, making himself potentially vulnerable if the Bruins do not finish the season strong. They were projected to be a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament before this crushing defeat, according to ESPN’s bracketologist Joe Lunardi. UCLA will undoubtedly plunge in the rankings, but the 19-8 team should still be dancing in March.
Mick Cronin has much to reflect on until then, however.
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