LOS ANGELES — Wins and losses seem simple.
The UCLA men’s basketball team shot 43% from 3-point range across the month of December and went 5-1. Through two games in January, the Bruins have shot 12.5% and lost both.
In Coach Mick Cronin’s eyes, however, those simple differences don’t scratch the surface of telling the whole story.
“We’re soft,” he said, flatly. “I’m searching, deeply, for some guys that’ll play hard enough to win a Big Ten game.”
See, it’s not a coincidence that these defeats, or “humble pies” as Cronin referred to them, were served up to the Bruins in their first two games against traditional Big Ten opponents – Nebraska on Saturday and a 94-75 thumping at the hands of No. 24 Michigan on Tuesday night at Pauley Pavilion.
“This is Big Ten basketball, now,” sophomore Eric Dailey Jr. said. “We got to be the tougher team every night.”
Gonzaga, which UCLA defeated 65-62 on Dec. 28, might have been the highest-ranked team the Bruins (11-4) have faced this season, but they don’t have the Wolverines’ dueling 7-footers, and they can’t match the toughness that Big Ten teams, who have run this conference for years before a quad of Pac-12 teams joined, bring every night.
The Bruins weren’t ready to meet that level of intensity. Not even close. And Cronin let everyone in the building know it. Because, in his eyes, he was prepared for it.
“The toughest guy in the room can’t be me every day,” he said.
To his credit, he built a team that, on paper, should be able to defend traditional Big Ten teams.
But two 7-footers – Vladislav Goldin and Yale transfer Danny Wolf – who will step back on you one possession, dunk over you the next, and run pick-and-rolls for each other, that’s not what the Bruins expected. In fact, their defense, which ranks fourth in KenPom’s defensive ratings, was supposed to elicit the slogs and low-scoring grinds that have come to define the Big Ten.
On Tuesday, the Bruins (11-4 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) tried all the stops. They fronted Goldin. They picked up the Wolverines’ ball handlers the length of the court. Michigan (12-3, 4-0) had counters for it all.
Goldin scored a career-high 36 points (21 in the first half), the 7-1 Russian taking advantage of the Bruins’ lack of height with two first-half dunks on 6-9 Tyler Bilodeau. Cronin turned to 7-3 Aday Mara less than three minutes into the game, but felt he wasn’t “good enough” to earn more than nine minutes on Tuesday.
The Bruins did settle on a defensive coverage that briefly quieted Goldin. It was a risky approach. They pressured the Wolverines’ ball-handlers on pick-and-roll actions, trying to deflect entry passes to Goldin. Guards were left to protect the rim, so when those passes found their way through, the Wolverines’ big men had easy layups. When those passes were tipped, it resulted in stops.
It was especially effective when Kobe Johnson was on the help side. He timed passes and stripped Goldin on consecutive rolls, winning possessions for the Bruins, who started the second half on an 18-4 run.
Johnson hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to bring the Bruins within one possession. The Bruins took their first lead after a sequence where Dailey beat the shot-clock buzzer, then Dylan Andrews stole the ensuing inbounds pass and found Dailey for a three-point play and a 55-51 lead with 14:12 left.
The Wolverines eventually figured out the Bruins’ pick-and-roll coverage. They started going away from their high pick-and-roll action, instead putting the ball in guard Tre Donaldson’s hands and letting him work.
“No. 3 (Donaldson) was hot,” Cronin said. “He was 4 of 7 from 3. You cannot let him shoot. Next two plays: Will Kyle let him shoot – just stood there and looked at him, let him shoot – bang. Next play, Dylan Andrews let him shoot, bang.”
The Wolverines shot 15 for 28 from behind the arc, while the Bruins were 2 for 20. Therein that disparity lies the difference between the two teams on Tuesday.
But, not to Cronin. To him, there’s more. It’s about attention to detail and personnel – a lack of understanding Donaldson’s tendencies.
Bilodeau and Sebastian Mack each scored 17 points to lead the Bruins, but they didn’t have enough offense to keep up. They haven’t all season.
They rely on their defense to wreak havoc and create offense. That’s why, there’s only so much blame that can go toward UCLA’s inability to create half-court offense. Especially, when there are as many breakdowns as there have been over the last two games. Especially, when there’s a complete lack of toughness in a conference where opponents seek any sign of vulnerability and feed on their prey.
“Welcome to the Big Ten,” Cronin said to conclude his press conference Tuesday.
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