UCLA head coach Mick Cronin’s No. 7-seeded Bruins were blown out 73-57 by the No. 2-seeded UConn Huskies in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday. The loss came after the Bruins made an impressive run to the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament eight days ago.
Mick Cronin Issues Demand for UCLA Resources
During his postgame news conference after the loss, Cronin gave a terse answer about roster reconstruction to address the Bruins’ lingering March Madness woes.
“Right now I’m worried about tonight, consoling the guys,” Cronin said. “I’d like about $5 more million, that’s my answer.”
Against the Huskies, Cronin was without junior forward Tyler Bilodeau for the third consecutive game due to a right knee strain that he sustained during the Big Ten Tournament on March 13.
In addition, talented guard Donovan Dent, who was reportedly paid $3 million to join UCLA from the New Mexico Lobos last year, had an off night against UConn, finishing with 11 points and nine assists.
In his seven-year career at the helm of the Bruins, Cronin has compiled a 162-76 record. He signed a six-year contract extension in March 2022 that runs through the 2027-28 season.
Cronin Delivers Blunt Message Following Bruins’ Loss
During his postgame news conference, Cronin was blunt when detailing the factors that led to his team’s lopsided loss to the Huskies in the NCAA Tournament.
“Congrats to UConn, they were better than us tonight,” Cronin said. “Our guys gave the effort, we couldn’t score the ball. Can’t score, can’t win. They get to play next week, and we get to go home. My message to our team is: No excuses. Someone mentioned Tyler, somebody else brought up our guy. We didn’t bring it up. It’s five-on-five.
“Bottom line is, it was five-on-five, and they played harder than us. Their defense was better than our offense, and I take responsibility for that. Got to have your guys ready for the opponent and what the opponent’s going to bring to the table, not just with what they run offensively, but what they do defensively and their physicality defensively.”
Cronin’s Bruins have not made it out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the third season in a row. In his tenure as the Bruins’ coach, Cronin led UCLA to the Final Four in 2021 and the Sweet 16 in 2022 and 2023. The Bruins finished an inconsistent season with a 24-12 record.
