University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Postgame Quotes – Michigan State 82, UCLA 59
POSTGAME QUOTES
Michigan State 82, UCLA 59
East Lansing, Mich. (Breslin Center)
February 17, 2026
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men’s Head Basketball Coach
on characterizing his team’s play against Michigan State
“Well, we just got thoroughly outplayed. Michigan State coming off a loss on the road. They got guys who have been in their program. They got a lot of pride in their program. I thought that was the best game they’ve played all year, 14-for-27 from 3. They don’t shoot it like that [normally]. But not a surprise that we took their best shot. Not a surprise at all.”
on not making a change to the Bruins’ starting lineup
“I had 37 different lineups in there tonight. Who starts is irrelevant. I had multiple lineups. I tried to sub five guys at one time, but the fifth guy was so not into the game he didn’t sub in. I tried to sub five at a time.”
on what he said to Steven Jamerson II walking off the court after his foul
“True toughness is how you compete and how you go to work every day. Steven is a good kid. He made a bad decision. If you want to be a tough guy, you need to do it during the game for a block-out or for a rebound. I was thoroughly disappointed – the guy was defenseless in the air. I know Steven was trying to block the shot, but when it’s a 25-point game, you don’t do that.”
on if his team is still fighting
“Can’t score, you can’t win – real simple. Not going to come in here and score [59] and win. That’s two games in a row.”
on if there is enough talent on the roster to compete with the top Big Ten teams
“I’ll leave you to, I’ll keep coaching my team. Ultimately, it’s how you play. You play up to your capabilities or you play below. Obviously, we got – blatantly obvious I should say – guys playing below their capabilities outside of Tyler Bilodeau. I know you got to ask me the question, but to me, you’re asking rhetorical questions.”
on if he believes his team can make a late-season run
“I believe in giving maximum effort. What I see is Michigan State diving on the floor for a loose ball. That he had no chance to get. Trent [Perry] already had it. I don’t think we play hard enough, and I’ve told you this all year. We’re not physical enough to be in the upper part of this league. We’re not physical enough. We don’t play hard enough. I’ve been saying that all year.”
on if he liked the team’s preparation leading into the game
“No. I didn’t like it. We don’t play hard enough. I’ve been telling you that for a long time, buddy. To be in the upper echelon of this league. And we have some guys who aren’t playing to their capabilities.”
on Michigan State’s performance
“I thought they played great. Coach [Tom Izzo] had them ready. Michigan State played great. I mean they don’t shoot the ball like that.”
on if a lineup change could be helpful going forward
“I mean, I subbed eight million times tonight. I know what you’re getting at. But what’s the difference? Yoking guys out of the game when they don’t play hard.”
UCLA senior Tyler Bilodeau
on his thoughts on the game
“I thought we were bad defensively. Got embarrassed on the glass. Just all-around not a great game.”
on if he felt the team had good practices before the game
“Yeah, I thought we did. I thought we did a good job the last two days in practice.”
on falling down early
“I mean, yeah, it’s definitely tough going down that much early. Got to give credit to them. They made a lot of shots.”
on what the team has to do to go on a late-season run
“Figure it out. It’s up to us. We got to figure it out.”
on what the team needs to do to become more balanced offensively
“That’s a good question. I think we just got to play smarter. Got to execute better. We just got to have guys making plays.”
UCLA senior Skyy Clark
on how tough the loss was
“Definitely hard. Not where we want to be right now. We’re just not playing hard enough. I think we’re disconnected on defense. I don’t think we’re playing offense like we should. We need to figure out something.”
on what he’s saying as a team leader
“Me and Tyler, E-Day, Donny, Trent, we’re all just staying together. We’re going to figure this out. Season is not over with yet. We still got some very big games coming up that we can get. We just got to stay together.”
on if the team is still fighting
“Yeah. I think we have dudes that want to win and they care, and they’re fighting. Obviously, we just got to figure out something to get a win.”
on what the team needs to do to have more balance on offense
“We missed a lot of easy shots, which sometimes happens. I think we took some tough ones as well. But like I said, we just got to get our offense going and move without the ball. I’m still getting my legs back under me. Hopefully I can help in some way.”
on Coach Cronin’s message to the team
“Honestly, just stay together. We got to fight. We got a big game coming up against Illinois. Obviously, a super tough opponent. One of the best rebounding teams in the country, too.”
Michigan State 82, UCLA 59
East Lansing, Mich. (Breslin Center)
February 17, 2026
Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men’s Head Basketball Coach
on characterizing his team’s play against Michigan State
“Well, we just got thoroughly outplayed. Michigan State coming off a loss on the road. They got guys who have been in their program. They got a lot of pride in their program. I thought that was the best game they’ve played all year, 14-for-27 from 3. They don’t shoot it like that [normally]. But not a surprise that we took their best shot. Not a surprise at all.”
on not making a change to the Bruins’ starting lineup
“I had 37 different lineups in there tonight. Who starts is irrelevant. I had multiple lineups. I tried to sub five guys at one time, but the fifth guy was so not into the game he didn’t sub in. I tried to sub five at a time.”
on what he said to Steven Jamerson II walking off the court after his foul
“True toughness is how you compete and how you go to work every day. Steven is a good kid. He made a bad decision. If you want to be a tough guy, you need to do it during the game for a block-out or for a rebound. I was thoroughly disappointed – the guy was defenseless in the air. I know Steven was trying to block the shot, but when it’s a 25-point game, you don’t do that.”
on if his team is still fighting
“Can’t score, you can’t win – real simple. Not going to come in here and score [59] and win. That’s two games in a row.”
on if there is enough talent on the roster to compete with the top Big Ten teams
“I’ll leave you to, I’ll keep coaching my team. Ultimately, it’s how you play. You play up to your capabilities or you play below. Obviously, we got – blatantly obvious I should say – guys playing below their capabilities outside of Tyler Bilodeau. I know you got to ask me the question, but to me, you’re asking rhetorical questions.”
on if he believes his team can make a late-season run
“I believe in giving maximum effort. What I see is Michigan State diving on the floor for a loose ball. That he had no chance to get. Trent [Perry] already had it. I don’t think we play hard enough, and I’ve told you this all year. We’re not physical enough to be in the upper part of this league. We’re not physical enough. We don’t play hard enough. I’ve been saying that all year.”
on if he liked the team’s preparation leading into the game
“No. I didn’t like it. We don’t play hard enough. I’ve been telling you that for a long time, buddy. To be in the upper echelon of this league. And we have some guys who aren’t playing to their capabilities.”
on Michigan State’s performance
“I thought they played great. Coach [Tom Izzo] had them ready. Michigan State played great. I mean they don’t shoot the ball like that.”
on if a lineup change could be helpful going forward
“I mean, I subbed eight million times tonight. I know what you’re getting at. But what’s the difference? Yoking guys out of the game when they don’t play hard.”
UCLA senior Tyler Bilodeau
on his thoughts on the game
“I thought we were bad defensively. Got embarrassed on the glass. Just all-around not a great game.”
on if he felt the team had good practices before the game
“Yeah, I thought we did. I thought we did a good job the last two days in practice.”
on falling down early
“I mean, yeah, it’s definitely tough going down that much early. Got to give credit to them. They made a lot of shots.”
on what the team has to do to go on a late-season run
“Figure it out. It’s up to us. We got to figure it out.”
on what the team needs to do to become more balanced offensively
“That’s a good question. I think we just got to play smarter. Got to execute better. We just got to have guys making plays.”
UCLA senior Skyy Clark
on how tough the loss was
“Definitely hard. Not where we want to be right now. We’re just not playing hard enough. I think we’re disconnected on defense. I don’t think we’re playing offense like we should. We need to figure out something.”
on what he’s saying as a team leader
“Me and Tyler, E-Day, Donny, Trent, we’re all just staying together. We’re going to figure this out. Season is not over with yet. We still got some very big games coming up that we can get. We just got to stay together.”
on if the team is still fighting
“Yeah. I think we have dudes that want to win and they care, and they’re fighting. Obviously, we just got to figure out something to get a win.”
on what the team needs to do to have more balance on offense
“We missed a lot of easy shots, which sometimes happens. I think we took some tough ones as well. But like I said, we just got to get our offense going and move without the ball. I’m still getting my legs back under me. Hopefully I can help in some way.”
on Coach Cronin’s message to the team
“Honestly, just stay together. We got to fight. We got a big game coming up against Illinois. Obviously, a super tough opponent. One of the best rebounding teams in the country, too.”