University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Postgame Quotes - UCLA 57, Arizona 54
POSTGAME QUOTES
UCLA 57, Arizona 54
Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona
December 14, 2024
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Menโs Head Basketball Coach
opening statement
โI thought it was obviously not a pretty game. We combined for 36 turnovers and six made threes. Obviously, the three was not a thing of beauty for either one of us. We persevered in the end, Skyy made a great play on the offensive rebound and was smart enough to dribble it out. He was probably our smartest player. I was happy for him, obviously, he had a big game today. Not a thing of beauty, we kept fouling, but our defense was able to start creating some turnovers, that was the difference in the game. And Tyler Bilodeau, obviously, had a good one. We stopped freezing him out.โ
ย
on the teamโs defenseย
โReal teams, they donโt talk about it, they just do it. I think thereโs times, and this is for all teams, you forget who you are, forget what itโs about, forget how to win games. We were being easily scored on for the last ten minutes of the first half, first ten of the second half. Our mind wasnโt on the defensive end. Skyy was great all day, and while we were struggling, Kobe was a huge factor. Just his voice, his will to win, he ends up with 13 deflections. He was just all over the court. He got seven rebounds, and we obviously struggled to get rebounds today.โย
ย
on the teamโs growth since their loss to New Mexico on Nov. 8
โWe were winning at half, so this was a totally different game, but weโre all still coming together. Theyโre starting a lot of new guys. Itโs different for all of us. Who comes together and who can gel the most, thatโs the new world weโre in.โ ย
on passing the ball to junior Tyler Bilodeau more in the second halfย
โI think, obviously, I talked about it a little bit. Weโve got to get him the ball. We try to run an offense, and when you have a guy, and you can get it to him, thatโs who you should get it to, instead of dribbling to a hard shot. But he took a really bad one and I took him out because weโve got to run our offense and get it inside.โย
ย
on sophomore Aday Maraโs performanceย
โWeโve got to throw Aday Mara the ball. I know he traveled in the first half, but Iโm just telling you, that move he made was big time and it had a lot to do with our comeback. Weโve got to get him the ball more.โย
ย
on his relationship with junior Skyy Clarkย
โWe go way back. I know you guys think we just met each other, but he was one of the first guys I recruited. He went to high school not far from my house. My daughter used to do homework at his high school games.โย
ย
on the teamโs poor offensive stretch in the beginning of the second halfย
โIt was on them. We could have lost this game. Both teams played really hard, and it was an ugly game, our defense in the end was ridiculous. I can be mad about the offense, but Arizonaโs got a lot to do with that. Sometimes, the opponent is the problem. We ran a play off the time out, and Kobe got Trent a wide open three, but the other guy played so hard that he deflected the pass, and it turned out to be a steal. It was a great defensive play by that kid. Their effort was awesome. I thought they played extremely hard. Theyโve got a lot of pride in their program.โย
ย
on sophomore Eric Dailey Jr.โs foul troubleย
โIt doesnโt help. They were spreading us out, and I wasnโt real comfortable playing a big lineup against them because of their speed.โย
ย
on playing in Footprint Center in Phoenix, compared to Arizonaโs McKale Center
โI thought their crowd was great. And the restaurants are better. But as far as the crowd, we could care less.โย
ย
on UCLAโs double teams on defenseย
โWhen youโve got a mismatch, like Skyy guarding Townsend in the post, we trap them. The guys did a good job. But when we got up, they played with desperation, and when they got up, we played with desperation. ย
ย
UCLA sophomore guard Skyy Clarkย
on what triggered the UCLA comebackย
โIโm just really proud of these guys. Like coach said, Kobe was a big reason for that. In the huddles, time outs, dead balls, he was just telling us to not give up, and that we were going to come back and win. That energy is infectious and it spread to the whole team. In the final ten minutes, we really put it together. Iโm really proud of everybody on the team. We came to Arizona, a very hostile crowd, and we couldโve given up but we got back in and got the win.โย
ย
on any routine he has, going into a free throw in clutch moments
โI really just take deep breaths, and think of Mick Cronin.โย
ย
on the teamโs ability to win in different waysย
"It really just shows who we can be as the season continues. Weโve got so many new guys, weโve got some young guys, some older guys. I really think that it starts off the court, and thatโs been the biggest thing. I told the coaches that this is the first team Iโve been on where I like every single person on the team. Just having that camaraderie off the court carries on to the court. I think we saw that in the final minutes of the game.โ
ย
UCLA 57, Arizona 54
Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona
December 14, 2024
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Menโs Head Basketball Coach
opening statement
โI thought it was obviously not a pretty game. We combined for 36 turnovers and six made threes. Obviously, the three was not a thing of beauty for either one of us. We persevered in the end, Skyy made a great play on the offensive rebound and was smart enough to dribble it out. He was probably our smartest player. I was happy for him, obviously, he had a big game today. Not a thing of beauty, we kept fouling, but our defense was able to start creating some turnovers, that was the difference in the game. And Tyler Bilodeau, obviously, had a good one. We stopped freezing him out.โ
ย
on the teamโs defenseย
โReal teams, they donโt talk about it, they just do it. I think thereโs times, and this is for all teams, you forget who you are, forget what itโs about, forget how to win games. We were being easily scored on for the last ten minutes of the first half, first ten of the second half. Our mind wasnโt on the defensive end. Skyy was great all day, and while we were struggling, Kobe was a huge factor. Just his voice, his will to win, he ends up with 13 deflections. He was just all over the court. He got seven rebounds, and we obviously struggled to get rebounds today.โย
ย
on the teamโs growth since their loss to New Mexico on Nov. 8
โWe were winning at half, so this was a totally different game, but weโre all still coming together. Theyโre starting a lot of new guys. Itโs different for all of us. Who comes together and who can gel the most, thatโs the new world weโre in.โ ย
on passing the ball to junior Tyler Bilodeau more in the second halfย
โI think, obviously, I talked about it a little bit. Weโve got to get him the ball. We try to run an offense, and when you have a guy, and you can get it to him, thatโs who you should get it to, instead of dribbling to a hard shot. But he took a really bad one and I took him out because weโve got to run our offense and get it inside.โย
ย
on sophomore Aday Maraโs performanceย
โWeโve got to throw Aday Mara the ball. I know he traveled in the first half, but Iโm just telling you, that move he made was big time and it had a lot to do with our comeback. Weโve got to get him the ball more.โย
ย
on his relationship with junior Skyy Clarkย
โWe go way back. I know you guys think we just met each other, but he was one of the first guys I recruited. He went to high school not far from my house. My daughter used to do homework at his high school games.โย
ย
on the teamโs poor offensive stretch in the beginning of the second halfย
โIt was on them. We could have lost this game. Both teams played really hard, and it was an ugly game, our defense in the end was ridiculous. I can be mad about the offense, but Arizonaโs got a lot to do with that. Sometimes, the opponent is the problem. We ran a play off the time out, and Kobe got Trent a wide open three, but the other guy played so hard that he deflected the pass, and it turned out to be a steal. It was a great defensive play by that kid. Their effort was awesome. I thought they played extremely hard. Theyโve got a lot of pride in their program.โย
ย
on sophomore Eric Dailey Jr.โs foul troubleย
โIt doesnโt help. They were spreading us out, and I wasnโt real comfortable playing a big lineup against them because of their speed.โย
ย
on playing in Footprint Center in Phoenix, compared to Arizonaโs McKale Center
โI thought their crowd was great. And the restaurants are better. But as far as the crowd, we could care less.โย
ย
on UCLAโs double teams on defenseย
โWhen youโve got a mismatch, like Skyy guarding Townsend in the post, we trap them. The guys did a good job. But when we got up, they played with desperation, and when they got up, we played with desperation. ย
ย
UCLA sophomore guard Skyy Clarkย
on what triggered the UCLA comebackย
โIโm just really proud of these guys. Like coach said, Kobe was a big reason for that. In the huddles, time outs, dead balls, he was just telling us to not give up, and that we were going to come back and win. That energy is infectious and it spread to the whole team. In the final ten minutes, we really put it together. Iโm really proud of everybody on the team. We came to Arizona, a very hostile crowd, and we couldโve given up but we got back in and got the win.โย
ย
on any routine he has, going into a free throw in clutch moments
โI really just take deep breaths, and think of Mick Cronin.โย
ย
on the teamโs ability to win in different waysย
"It really just shows who we can be as the season continues. Weโve got so many new guys, weโve got some young guys, some older guys. I really think that it starts off the court, and thatโs been the biggest thing. I told the coaches that this is the first team Iโve been on where I like every single person on the team. Just having that camaraderie off the court carries on to the court. I think we saw that in the final minutes of the game.โ
ย