Mick Cronin discusses how UCLA facing North Carolina this season could be fate

UCLA and North Carolina were scheduled to face off earlier in the regular season, but the game was canceled due to COVID-19 issues within the Bruins program. Now, the two teams are set to face off in the Sweet 16 next weekend, with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line.

Ahead of UCLA’s matchup with North Carolina, Bruins head coach Mick Cronin previewed the matchup. Cronin, who recently signed a six-year contract extension at UCLA, talked about the path to these two teams facing off.

“Well, we were supposed to play them, but we all got COVID in December,” Cronin said. “I went down first, then you got it, then it was Jules. And then it just started down the line. We were supposed to play in Vegas, so now we’re going to play in Philly with the season on the line. That’s all.”

UCLA and North Carolina have both picked up impressive victories in the NCAA Tournament to get to set up the Sweet 16 matchup. The Bruins, the East Region’s fourth seed, defeated 13th-seeded Akron in the opening round before taking down Saint Mary’s in the second round. North Carolina dominated against Marquette in the opening round before pulling off an overtime upset over Baylor, the East’s top seed, on Saturday.

Cronin knows UCLA is in for a tough game against North Carolina

North Carolina once led Baylor by 25 points on Saturday, catching the attention of UCLA and Cronin. The Tar Heels dominated the early portion of the game, before Baylor went on a monumental comeback to force overtime. Ultimately, North Carolina held on for the victory.

Cronin is incredibly impressed with North Carolina’s team, which is led by first-year head coach Hubert Davis. He believes that the Tar Heels are one of the hottest teams in college basketball right now.

“But I would say, the way they’re playing — when we went through our walk-through today, they were up 25,” said Cronin. “So I was curious as to who the heck the one seed was, from what I was watching. They got McDonald’s All-Americans. And Hubert Davis, by the way, is one of the great guys in basketball. So I knew him as an announcer. So they’re playing well.

“To beat Baylor, who’s top five. They beat Duke at Duke. Can’t be playing — beat Marquette. You can’t be playing better than Carolina is playing. They’re shooting the lights out.”