Mick Cronin states UCLA 'became everything I despise' after getting up on Idaho State

With 10:24 left in the second half against Idaho State, UCLA boasted a 28-point lead. Then, the Bruins let their foot off the gas, ultimately winning the game just 84-70.

UCLA and Idaho State each scored 43 points in the second half. It was the Bruins’ 14-point advantage that boosted them to a comfortable victory. After the game, UCLA head coach Mick Cronin tore into his team for their uninspired second-half performance.

“I thought for 30 minutes, we played great, and then we got up 28, and a bunch of guys were selfish,” Cronin said. “Their mind wasn’t on defense – just trying to get a steal and get a layup, just go to the other end and get mine.

“We became everything that I despise in the last 10 minutes, but in the first 30 minutes, we were great. I always go in there and tell them the truth. Look at their defensive and offensive stats in the second half.”

The stats don’t lie. In the first half, UCLA held Idaho State to 32% shooting from the field. However, Idaho State shot an impressive 55.2% from the floor in the second half. The team particularly caught fire from deep, connecting on 43% of their attempts.

Idaho State also recorded more rebounds, second-chance points and points in the paint than UCLA in the second half. Cronin posited his players began to focus on individual accolades instead of what they’ve been taught.

“We were up 28 with 10:24 left in the game and then, ‘I got to get my stats,'” Cronin said, mimicking his team’s mindset shift. “They actually think that matters when it doesn’t matter. No scout gives a damn about your stats. They’re watching the game. They’re watching how you warm up, they’re watching how you act, they’re watching how you compete. They’re not watching your stats. It’s comical.

“They could not care less how many points you average. But you know, it is what it is. We’re at a time in basketball where everybody’s got all the answers, but me, or Tom Izzo or Matt Painter — everybody else got all the answers. Everybody’s got an agent. Everybody’s got 15 people telling them what to do. What the hell would I know?”

Mick Cronin knows enough to have guided his team to a 4-1 start to this season. On Friday, the Bruins will look to add another tally to their win column as they square off against Cal State Fullerton at 10 p.m. ET. The game will air live on the Big Ten Network.