Mick Cronin: 'Teams that defend win championships'

Mick Cronin is leading one of the nation’s hottest teams at the moment. UCLA, winners of 13 straight and owners of the NCAA’s third longest win streak, is getting it done in all kinds of ways. With that said, Cronin made it very clear that the root of the Bruins success is defense.

Cronin shared his thoughts on that element of their run during his postgame press conference after knocking off Colorado by a score of 68-54. He reminded everyone what teams that defend can do, especially ones that adjust from game to game and can do so on any given night.

“Teams that defend win national championships. And they also win NBA titles,” said Cronin. “We try to get out on the break as much as we can. But, the reality is, when you run into real coaches and real teams? You’re not gonna be out on the break all night. You’ve got to be able to win like this.”

Per KenPom, UCLA’s adjusted efficiency on defense is fourth best in the nation. That has shown on the floor as, in their 16 wins, they haven’t allowed anyone to reach 70. In contrast, their two losses were caused because Illinois and Baylor hung 79 and 80 points on them respectively.

As Cronin pointed out, they’ve been able to defend several different teams with several different styles yet, still, have found the same success. He says that’s the calling card of a good team. A team that can win without scoring and can compete against anyone in any way is what has made his team’s performance so good so far this season.

“You get to the six-game tournament…and you’ve got to be able to dance to every song they play. Some are slow, some are fast. It ain’t the tango every night, right? You’ve got to be able to win in different ways against different styles,” said Cronin. “It’s not always going to be easy. But, when you defend, you always have a chance.

“Teams that only win when the ball goes in are in the NIT,” Cronin said. “Real programs win when things aren’t going their way. And (when) the kids find a way to make it go their way.”

The AP Poll currently has UCLA ranked seventh in the nation as they sit atop the Pac-12 with a 7-0 record. If they keep defending at this level, that likely won’t change soon for Cronin’s squad as they continue to work towards their ultimate goal.