Mick Cronin downplays added anxiety entering postseason
UCLA is the outright Pac-12 champion but has bigger goals than conference matters. Head coach Mick Cronin is looking to bring another national championship back to Los Angeles. Deeps runs have been made in recent seasons but this might be the program’s best shot since Cronin was hired.
Postseason play will begin for the Bruins in Las Vegas with the Pac-12 Tournament. Anxiety can kick in for some teams when dealing with expectations. UCLA seems to be the opposite, at least from Cronin’s perspective.
“Heck no,” Cronin said. “The regular season is such a grind. Sure, I always talk about our aspirations but all you can do is put yourself in position. Worst thing you can do as a coach is have anxiety because it’s going to filter into your team. It’s late in the year, these guys have earned it.
Light work was made of conference opponents this season, only losing two Pac-12 games. They were on the road to top teams as well — Arizona and USC. If there is going to be any anxious energy coming from UCLA, it will fall in the NCAA Tournament.
Cronin and UCLA are going to enjoy their time in Las Vegas, beginning with a team activity on Wednesday night. You can most likely expect a fun social media to be released by the Bruins of college athletes attempting to hit a golf ball. The goal is to relax before go-time.
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“We’re going to Top Golf tonight to have some fun in Vegas,” Cronin said. “It’s time to let it rip, time to believe in your team. It’s not time to be anxious at all.”
UCLA will begin Pac-12 Tournament play on Thursday as the No. 1 seed. They will face off against the winner of Colorado and Washington for a quarterfinal matchup. If things go as everyone expects, the Bruins will get an early taste of cutting down the nuts with a tournament championship.
There will be money to be made in the NCAA Tournament, though. UCLA has the chance to have another one-seed attached to their name, depending on how things shake out. While there might be pressure to get to Houston for the Final Four, you will not see any kind of anxiety coming from Croning or his players.