University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Postgame Quotes -- UCLA vs. Arizona
POSTGAME QUOTES
Arizona 84, UCLA 76
T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, Nev.)
March 12, 2022
ย
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Menโs Head Basketball Coach
opening remarks
โArizona was the tougher team down the stretch. Thatโs where the game was decided; they were more physical. Our defense left a lot to be desired, to say the very least. Hopefully, weโll watch film and learn a lot about what it takes to beat a great team. But you give up 40 points in the paint and 23 free throws, youโre not beating anybody, let alone a team as good as Arizona. But a lot of that has to do with their talent level, so congratulations to them.
ย
on Arizonaโs length becoming an issue down the stretch
โTheir lengthโs always an issue, but in the art of war, you use the other teamโs strength against them. You need to pass the ball. We were minus 11 in assist total, so we didnโt get the job done. I didnโt get it across to the team, so thatโs my fault. And we had 11 shots blocked โ we didnโt pass the ball. When they rotate to block a shot, you need to pass the ball to the open man.โ
ย
on what shifted during Arizonaโs 15-2 run to take the lead in the second half
โFrom that point on, they just played harder. They were the more physical team. They played much harder. Our defense broke down; we gave up back doors. When youโre playing great teams, it just becomes a test of two wills. And as hard as it is for me to swallow โ because Iโve made a career of never losing because of that. If my teams have gone down, itโs because the other teamโs just got better players. And they may, but I like my team. I wouldnโt trade them, but they were the tougher team. Thatโs hard for me to say, but thatโs the truth. I told out guys in the locker room, โThe only way weโre going to learn from this is if we can look in the mirror and admit what happened from that run.โ. We have to admit it. Last year, we were the tougher team in March for a lot of games and thatโs why we went where we went. If we learn that lesson, then today will be worth it. But they taught us that lesson today.โ
ย
on takeaways from crowd environment with Arizona fans
โI have no takeaway. Donโt care. Couldnโt care less. Again, if you need a crowd to win games, youโre not going anywhere. You have no chance. No chance. If youโre not tough enough to deal with whatever the environment is, youโre not going to get anywhere as a team. That should never be a factor.โ
ย
junior guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr.
on Arizonaโs size
โLike you said, they are big. Two seven-footers, thatโs tough to go against. I didn't pass it out as I should have. There are a couple times I went up and got blocked, I should have passed it out. I think when I did do that though, we got some open clean looks, but you know, we have to deal with it.โย
ย
senior guard Jules Bernard
on what went wrong with the teamโs defense
โI think it may have been a snowball effect. We started out the half, I believe, with two backdoors, one of them on me, and someone else. Regardless, I feel like their energy on both ends was better than ours, and it showed especially on the defensive end. I feel like they made their cuts hard, they ran their offense hard. I just feel like we may have been a little lackluster down the stretch it showed. They got a lot of easy, easy, buckets at the rim, and when you're trying to make a run, that's demoralizing.โ
Arizona 84, UCLA 76
T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, Nev.)
March 12, 2022
ย
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Menโs Head Basketball Coach
opening remarks
โArizona was the tougher team down the stretch. Thatโs where the game was decided; they were more physical. Our defense left a lot to be desired, to say the very least. Hopefully, weโll watch film and learn a lot about what it takes to beat a great team. But you give up 40 points in the paint and 23 free throws, youโre not beating anybody, let alone a team as good as Arizona. But a lot of that has to do with their talent level, so congratulations to them.
ย
on Arizonaโs length becoming an issue down the stretch
โTheir lengthโs always an issue, but in the art of war, you use the other teamโs strength against them. You need to pass the ball. We were minus 11 in assist total, so we didnโt get the job done. I didnโt get it across to the team, so thatโs my fault. And we had 11 shots blocked โ we didnโt pass the ball. When they rotate to block a shot, you need to pass the ball to the open man.โ
ย
on what shifted during Arizonaโs 15-2 run to take the lead in the second half
โFrom that point on, they just played harder. They were the more physical team. They played much harder. Our defense broke down; we gave up back doors. When youโre playing great teams, it just becomes a test of two wills. And as hard as it is for me to swallow โ because Iโve made a career of never losing because of that. If my teams have gone down, itโs because the other teamโs just got better players. And they may, but I like my team. I wouldnโt trade them, but they were the tougher team. Thatโs hard for me to say, but thatโs the truth. I told out guys in the locker room, โThe only way weโre going to learn from this is if we can look in the mirror and admit what happened from that run.โ. We have to admit it. Last year, we were the tougher team in March for a lot of games and thatโs why we went where we went. If we learn that lesson, then today will be worth it. But they taught us that lesson today.โ
ย
on takeaways from crowd environment with Arizona fans
โI have no takeaway. Donโt care. Couldnโt care less. Again, if you need a crowd to win games, youโre not going anywhere. You have no chance. No chance. If youโre not tough enough to deal with whatever the environment is, youโre not going to get anywhere as a team. That should never be a factor.โ
ย
junior guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr.
on Arizonaโs size
โLike you said, they are big. Two seven-footers, thatโs tough to go against. I didn't pass it out as I should have. There are a couple times I went up and got blocked, I should have passed it out. I think when I did do that though, we got some open clean looks, but you know, we have to deal with it.โย
ย
senior guard Jules Bernard
on what went wrong with the teamโs defense
โI think it may have been a snowball effect. We started out the half, I believe, with two backdoors, one of them on me, and someone else. Regardless, I feel like their energy on both ends was better than ours, and it showed especially on the defensive end. I feel like they made their cuts hard, they ran their offense hard. I just feel like we may have been a little lackluster down the stretch it showed. They got a lot of easy, easy, buckets at the rim, and when you're trying to make a run, that's demoralizing.โ